Plans finalised for stable transfer

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 30

Plans finalised for stable transfer

By

JEFF SCOTT

Ricky May, who edged ahead of Michael de Filippi as the leading South Island reinsman at the Methven Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, has landed the drive behind the top pacing mare, Frangelico, next year.

Frangelico’s Pleasant Point breeder-owner, Hamish McPherson, finalised plans on Saturday to have the mare transferred to the stable of Ricky’s father, Terry May, after December’s Auckland Cup. “Ive given it a lot of thought and I think a rural district to which she is accustomed will suit her best,” said Mr McPherson. Frangelico, fourth in last year’s Auckland Cup and a close-up third, in a desperate finish, in last year’s New Zealand Free-For-All at Addington, will continue to be trained by Richard Brosnan until after the Auckland Cup meeting, unless her form disappoints at the New Zealand Cup meeting in November. Breakaway, which won twice for Mr McPherson from Brosnan’s Kerrytown

stable last season, is also to be prepared by the May team, following Brosnan’s acceptance of a National Bloodstock position at Pukekohe from December. The owners of Sossy, the second open-class pacer trained by Brosnan, have yet to finalise plans for a change of stable for last year’s New Zealand Cup fourth placegetter, which is also to be trained in the south after the Auckland Cup. Ricky May has driven a consistent stream of winners this term in spite of failing to shrug off an influenza virus over the last three months. “I’ve lost a stone (six kilograms) in weight and went to see the doctor earlier this week,” said the talented reinsman. May could now qualify for a hurdles and

highweight licence, being down to 58 kilograms. He would be the lightest reinsman in Canterbury. May notched his ninth win for the season (one ahead of de Filippi) behind Circular Note, fast becoming a course specialist at Methven, in the Briden Trot on Saturday. The Game Pride mare, after being given a good trip in behind the leaders, burst clear over the closing stages to win untested by four and a quarter lengths. Circular Note, which won her maiden race on the Mount Harding course on the corresponding day last year for her previous trainer, Grant Archer, was given a jubilant return to scale by her connections on Saturday.

She credited her Templeton part-owner,

Rob Hardie, with his first training win at his first attempt on Saturday. Mr Hardie, who races Circular Note with his wife Jean, took out a licence from the start of this season. A retired farmer, Mr Hardie, lives in close proximity to Felix Newfield and Noel Borlase, other licenceholders, in Hasketts Rd, and it was through Borlase that Mr Hardie obtained the lease of Circular Note’s dam, Miss Megan, to breed the mare. Miss Megan is an unraced Tuft mare from Miss Sue, a half-sister to the good winners, Troopo, Game Greg, Game One and New Game. Their dam, Merry Nora, won eight races trotting and was closely related to another good trotting winner, Mary Dhu, which also won eight.