Many visitors for meeting

Press, 28 September 1988, Page 47

Many visitors for meeting

By

DAVID McCARTHY

Racing fans might be forgiven for quietly checking the venue for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting on Friday after surveying fields, form and riders.

A large contingent of visitors, both equine and human, are already in Christchurch or in the process of getting there. Trevor Whittington arrived last week with six horses, all of which were nominated for the Riccarton meeting including the two-year-old, Debutant, an unraced sister to Reception. Paddy Busuttin has five horses entered for the meeting including the high-priced Sir Tristram three-year-old colt, High Stakes, the two-year-old, Daylight, Coconut Ice and Stature. Imperialaire, a three-year-old filly trained by David Walsh, has arrived at Riccarton in the care of his wife, Sue. Walsh will ride the ■ Busuttin team on Friday as well as Robinski and probably Hypatia. Peter Johnson is another northern rider coming south for the meeting, being engaged for members of Michael Pitman’s team. He may return to ride Saveur in the Timaru Herald Stakes at Washdyke next Friday. Robert Hannam is coming south also

to ride members of Jim Didham’s team, another Central Districts stable with horses travelling south. They include the two-year-old, Not A Lot, and the filly, Teleretta. Brian Hibberd returns to the meeting also from the north. The Whittington team were among the small band of workers against time on the plough yesterday with this morning’s work expected to be rather busier in preparation for Friday’s racing. The Hastings horses were not put under strain, La Truce (Stevenson) running 600 m in 42.6 the last 200 m in 12.5, Essayeur (Stevenson) 40.7 (12.3) and Going (Malcolm) 39.8. Debutante also worked an easy 600 m. Erin Jillings will ride most of the Whittington team on Friday. Other workers on the plough included:

Classic Era (Quayle) 38.3; Tide Mark (Heaton) 40.9; The Cantabrian (Malcolm) 39.6; Willybeleica (Quayle) and Shamano (Malcolm) 38.8; Replete, 800 m in 51.3 (37.9); Shine and Chine 38.4; Swig (Falvey) with Kaoru Brave (Caird) 1000 m in 1:05.8, 600 m in 38.