Davison, Morgan Page classy team

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 26

Davison, Morgan Page classy team

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The classy Baimerino mare, Morgan Page, and her regular rider, Grant Davison, face challenges of a different nature but equal severity at the Timaru Racing Club’s meeting today and both have the calibre to be more than equal to the task.

Davison has the chance to topple David Walsh from his current number one place among New Zealand jockeys and would seem to have the ammunition to realistically set his sights on the top spot. He has 21 wins to date, three in arrears of Walsh, but multiple success is hardly rare for the stylish Riccarton horseman as his four wins at Orari last Monday week underlined. Lady Alexis begins Davison’s day, very possibly on a winning note, and each of his other mounts, through at least to Kitt in the ninth, is in with a chance.

Morgan Page is one in with a very good chance. Until her defeat at Ashburton over 1200 m when she covered a good deal of extra ground Morgan Page had been on a winning streak through the grades which suggested she was bound for high places. A lovely actioned mare with the ability to see out rather more than 1200 m, Morgan Page has been kept on the fresh side for this assignment, a race the stable won last year with Danseuse Royale. Apart from the ill-fated Powley which was beaten into fourth in the inaugural running of the race won by Indigod in 1981, fillies and mares have a good record in the race, Danseuse Royale being the third in succession of her sex (after Ballajoy and Trotanoy) to win. In addition, Sea Princess and Peat ran second (to Clansman, and Jonny Alone respectively) and it is possible the weight-for-age scale favoures mares at this time of the year. However, Morgan Page is not set an easy task. Her impressive string of wins until now have been under handicap conditions and the set conditions are

more testing, or at least should be. The calibre of this field is not perhaps equal to that of similar races in the South Island and that aids Morgan Page’s cause.

At her only other appearance on this track at the distance, last June, Morgan Page slipped noticeably soon after the start and still comprehensively beat Biko whose subsequent form has shown him to be a smart sprinter. Morgan Page ran just over 1:11, on an easy track, then but will have to go closer to 1:09 on a much harder and faster surface today. She seems capable of doing it.

There is a cluster of mares in the race capable of running 1:10, including Joytripper, Wanda Girl, perhaps Taciturn, which is really at her best over more ground, and Godsin but the three-year-old Saveur is likely to be Morgan Page’s biggest danger. But for a couple of lacklustre displays over the distance here during the winter he may have been favourite for this. His tendency then to drop out early and run into bother with tiring runners is unlikely to be so much of a problem in this field.

Morgan Page supporters will probably be even more nervous if Prince Kumai is downed in the first leg of the double, the Satterthwaite Handicap. Prince Kumai is likely to be at cramped odds, in spite of his defeat by Native Era at Riccarton over 1800 m last Friday, when he was boxed until the 200 m and could not mount a sprint of sufficient sharpness to hold out the other horse. That is hardly a mark against a true stayer and the extra 300 m today should produce a different result.

Jetbet: 3 Race 1 11.40 STAFFORD MALL WELTER $4500; 1600 m 1 7 Huianui 4 G. Lee 64.0 2 8 Hanlon 7 B. Hibberd 62.5 3 62 Trudeau 1 G. Davison 60.5 4 5 Stormy Weather 3 R. Bruce 60.0 5 106 Fourara 8 T. Kennedy 59.5 6 40 Royal Chimes 6 H. Pateman 59.5 7 00 Super Jack 2 P. Johnson 59.5 8 070 Sajein 5 G. Williams 59.0 Race 2 12.15 OUR SECRET WEAPON MAIDEN $4200; 1200 m 1 Agnetha 5 R. Bruce 55.0 2 8290 Beaufort Dee 12 L. Didham 55.0 3 8 Chapel Royal 2 P. Johnson 55.0 4 Country Jig 9 S. Cook 55.0 5 5 Emilio 4 H. Malcolm 55.0 6 Gay Senora 1 B. Hibberd 55.0 7 Glowing Satin 6 P. Richards 55.0 8 3 Guide Book 13 G. Williams 55.0 9 8 Kelly Moss 10 W. Stevenson 55.0 10 726 Lady Alexis 7 C. Davison 55.0 11 Nanouska 8 R. McCann 55.0 13 The Rullah 3 R. McAra 55.0 Scratched: Silver Diamond. Race 3 12.50 BEN ARCA MAIDEN $4200; 1200 m 1 2 Ambala Way 3 G. Lee 55.0 2 Bold Aura 10 T. Kennedy 55.0 3 Chapter One 7 G. Davison 55.0 4 4 Delightful Star 1 R. McCann 55.0 5 False Image 12 S. Cook 55.0 6 7 Heteira 5 A. Hunsche 55.0 7 0 Koiro Tetrarch 11 . . . ,H. Malcolm 55.0 8 Mellors 6 R. Bruce 55.0 9 6 Paleface Jack 8 J. Jamieson 55.0 10 6944 Patty May 9 B. Hibberd 55.0 11 Prosparo 13 P. Johnson 55.0 12 8 Rambling Man 4 G. Williams 55.0 13 The Broken Drum 2 . . .P. Richards 55.0 Race 4 1.20 LINDA JONES SPRINT $4500; 1200 m 1 4 Bayfair 4 W. Stevenson 55.0 2 Castle Prince 7 A. Hunsche 55.0 3 Double Reason 9 R. McCann 55.0 4 0 Essayeur 5 G. Davison 55.0 5 9 Extra Plush 6 B. Hibberd 55.0 6 0 Fast Draw 11 P. Johnson 55.0 7 1 Kijana 3 J. Fallen 55.0 8 104 Lady Evergreen 8 R. Bruce 55.0 9 Oro 1 L. Didham 55.0 10 88 Regal Romp 10 T. Kennedy 55.0 1 1 1 Thunder Prince 2 G. Williams 55.0

5 1.55 PHILLIP LEISHMAN MAIDEN $4200; 1200 m 1 Argonaut Ace 7 K. Kenyon 55.0 2 Bold Bird 1 J. Fallen 55.0 3 05 Congregation 10 S. Cook 55.0 4 07 Diamond Bea 3 A. Hunsche 55.0 5 Foxena 4 A. Hawthorne 55.0 6 03 Golden Knight 9 .. . .W. Stevenson 55.0 7 0 Just William 8 T. Kennedy 55.0 9 Miss Serene 11 G. William's 55.0 10 Never So Bold 5 G. Davison 55.0 11 4 Poetic Pam 6 R. Bruce 55.0 12 7 Scentemento 2 B. Hibberd 55.0 Scratched: Kuriwao. Race 6 D 2.30 J. S. SATTERTHWAITE TEN THOUSAND HANDICAP $10,000; Cl; 2100 m 1 217 Noble Pal 12 L. Didham 57.0 Second at Oamaru 1600 m to Shorty Bijou first-up then bold win over the same distance at Ashburton before failing at 1200 m at Wingatui. Still on the up and has won this trip on this track. Win show. 2 4112 Prince Kumai 4 P. Richards 56.0 Unable to wind up quickly enough to hold out Native Era last Friday, at Riccarton after being boxed until the 200 m. Dominating favourite here. 3 16 Polacca 11 R. Bruce 55.5 Fine win first-up at sprint distance at Ashburton but erratic early at Riccarton and not suited by sprint home. Might upset a few here. 4 01 Shorty Bijou 1 54.0 Out of his depth in the Winter Cup but returned to win, this distance at Oamaru August 22. Might need a race but handy' record here. 5 4332 All Counted 9 S. McCann 53.0 Shade unlucky not to win 1600 m C2 event at Riccarton last Friday after getting well back. Ready for this trip now and the upsetter. 8 0141 Laveldaen 8 G. Davison 51.5 Easy win in lesser company at Orari but good record track and distance and could get in the finish. 9 5 Clarkin Road 5 51.0 Fair effort in southern debut at Orari but not convincing enough to suggest win chance here unless there is some give in the track. 10 3634 Comparable 7 P. Johnson 51.0 Useful fourth at distance short of best (1600) at Riccarton last week. Third over 2200 m at Wingatui before that and never worse than sixth in career over 2000 m or more. Has won twice on the track. 12 93 Royal Rosa 6 B. Hibberd 51.0 Good effort second-up over 1600 m (C2)

at Riccarton after useful fresh-up effort over 1400 m at Ashburton. Good performer on provincial tracks. Scratched: Dester, Four Figures, Face The Music. Race 7 T, TF 3.10 TIMARU NISSAN HANDICAP $5200; 1200 m 2 Lady Gail 11 L. Didham 55.5 4 Dark Turbo 7 P. Johnson 55.0 5 Sly Dollar 14 R. McCann 54.5 6 Aplari 4 G. Davison 54.0 7 183 Brit 8 54.0 8 Schwepp’s Best 9 .... S. McCann 54.0 9 707 Irish Ace 15 T. Kennedy 53.5 10 30 Niente Bene 5 H. Malcolm 53.5 11 60 Balmax 12 J. Jamieson 53.0 12 4 Blake’s Folly 6 B. Hibberd 53.0 13 6 Blue Willow 10 R. Bruce 52.5 14 Puncher 3 A. Hawthorne 52.5 15 7 Count Nicolai 2 L. 80ake51.5 Scratched: Fine Fare, Queen’s Guard. Race 8 O, TF 3.45 TIMARU HERALD STAKES $11,000; weight-for-age; 1200 m 1 03 Benedire 4 W. Stevenson 58.0 Best known as a provincial sprinter and not the best suited by conditions here but rates a place chance in field of this calibre. 2 Slick Million 12 G. Lee 58.0 Resuming. Proven under weight-for-age conditions but lack of racing and draw see him more likely a place chance. 3 4 Alouetto 2 P. Richards 55.5 Resumed on bright note over 1200 m at Wingatui but preferred under handicap conditions. 4 9 Nuclear Rocket 3 A. Hunsche 55.5 Hard to see as a threat under weight-for-age scale. 5 909 Princess Adder 8 G. Williams 55.5 Useful sprinter but disappointing in last two outings this distance. 6 46 Wanda Girl 6 S. Cook 55.5 Unable to quicken at Orari but might improve with that. Sharp sprinter, especially on home course, though others preferred. 7 53 Godsin 11 R. Bruce 54.5 Underrated mare only twice out of the money in the last 12 months. May not win but could upset trifectas. 8 2 Joytripper 1 . . . B. Hibberd 54.5 Should be able to run about 1:10 here and has useful record under set weights. Could surprise on handy first-up run at Orari. 9 2 Morgan Page 10 G. Davison 54.5 Not disgraced when second to Polacca at

Ashburton this distance. Has looked full of potential down in the grades and could carry on with it here though draw no help. 10 5 Taciturn 7 R. McAra 54.5 Talented mare which resumed well over this distance at Wingatui. Might find it on the short side second-up but class respected. 11 314 Saveur 9 P. Johnson 51.0 Well placed under the scale and only slow beginnings which have found him out on this track earlier at the distance against. Looks to have done well since unlucky fourth in Grigg Classic (1400 m last start. 12 9 Pretty Cocky 5 J. Collis 48.5 Showed nothing in Canterbury Belle Stakes. In blinkers and could be in this for quite a while. Race 9 T 4.20 TIMARU HERALD PRINT MAIDEN $4200; 2100 m 2 4046 Auweta 11 A. Robinson 55.0 3 3762 Diarmaro 14 T. Kennedy 55.0 4 06 Kitt 13 G. Davison 55.0 5 028 Koi Ragi 8 B. Hibberd 55.0 6 Mana One 12 55.0 7 7345 Middleton Lad 17 P. Johnson 55.0 8 0675 Minty 6 G. Williams 55.0 9 5964 My Friend Henry 1 R. Bruce 55.0 10 8204 Odds Against 19 J. Jamieson 55.0 11 8303 Pevee 3 R. McCann 55.0 12 70 Seabro 15 P. Richards 55.0 13 The Beau 16 R. McAra 55.0 14 9 The Red Queen 20. . . . K. Kenyon 55.0 15 Valorous 18 55.0 16 0 Wendy Lee 4 G. Lee 55.0 17 0 Kilcarnie's Boy 9 C. O’Brien 55.0 18 70 South Of Saltfleet 2 55.0 19 06 Ditanya 5 L. 80ake55.0 20 096 Noble Del 10 55.0 Emergencies: South Of Saltfleet, Ditanya, Noble Dell. Scratched: Another Decision. Race 10 T, TF 4.55 VISTALITE INDUSTRIES HANDICAP $5200; 2100 m 1 905 Diana Marie 3 C. O’Brien 57.0 2 3 Audible 2 P. Richards 56.5 3 6670 Wee Jimmy 11 B. Hibberd 56.5 4 09 Mary Frances 10 G. Davison 56.0 5 0078 Misnomer 6 G. Williams 56.0 6 0442 Three Guys 9 R. McCann 56.0 7 8055 Schomberg 4 P. Johnson 55.5 8 4823 Tunes Image 8 . . . . A. Hawthorne 55.0 9 947 Meadow Maid 7 K. Kenyon 54.5 10 Count Benelli 5 L. Boake 54.0 11 684 Tawlist 1 T. Kennedy 54.0