Dowling resumes race riding today

Press, 19 December 1988, Page 33

Dowling resumes race riding today

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The return to race riding of the veteran horseman, John Dowling, and keen rivalry between Grant Davison and Peter Johnson should be highlights of the Wairio Jockey Club’s meeting to be held at Riverton today. Dowling has been notified as the rider of The Railman, which he trains himself at Riccarton, and Chance For Gold. The rider, who has 901 wins to his credit, has been off the scene for four months with hand injuries which necessitated a small operation. . _ Both The Railman and Chance For Goldhave been working well. Chance For Gold is a former northerner now trained by Denis Cusdin and Dowling was associated with the gelding’s last major success, the Great Autumn Stakes at Riccarton last April.

The Railman, a two-year-old winner at Ellerslie, was earlier trained in the south by John Parsons, Dowling taking him over last summer.

Peter Johnson, who now looks a major threat to Davison’s lead on the jockeys’ premiership table, has eight rides at Wairio. Johnson has now ridden 44 winners and is within three of Davison with David Walsh in third place on 43.

Johnson rode four winners at Avondale on Saturday night and three at Waikato on Friday. This followed a four win burst at Te Aroha last week which in turn followed treble winning days at Ellerslie and Te Rapa. Included among his mounts today are two first starters in Red Alarm and Matai Flight. Davison however has the stronger book, on paper, with the Jack-son-trained Living Is Fun, Soundoration and Newginn being bright prospects.