Stablemates could dominate feature
By
DAVID McCARTHY
Red Back is the likely favourite for the $30,000 Countdown Three-Year-Old Championship at Wingatui next Tuesday but if his stablemate, Corsicana, strikes the right conditions she could be the main danger. The Half Iced filly again indicated her fitness in a dashing trial with Red Back on the No. 1 grass at Riccarton yesterday morning, the pair cutting out 800 m in 48 seconds, the closing 600 m in 36.45. Red Back’s race form is on the board but the Kerr stable has had a frustrating season with Corsicana, the best southern juvenile last term.
The problem, hard tracks, has been underlined by the fact that Corsicana has been showing all her old ability on the training tracks where she has found the right footing. Yesterday’s work was outstanding for she matched strides with Red Back and went to the finish post strongly. However, trainer Dave Kerr believes she may need more than just rain
on the day to show her best at Wingatui. A succession of rainy days, bringing truly soft conditions, would be more desirable though hardly expected on present weather trends. Corsicana ran in the Warstep Stakes at Riccar- , ton finishing well back but considering her restricted preparation did well to get to the races at all. Fly Baby, a likely race rival for Corsicana and Red Back, was bandaged where she was galloped on last time out in Melbourne, and ran 600 m in 36.6 s holding stablemate Impasha at bay. The other Wingatui candidate to catch the eye was Godsin (Davison) which ran clear of Modern Times, an unenthusiastic worker, over 800 m in 49s the last 600 m in 36.35. The gallop was good news for all but Davison who found his first day’s riding since his Blenheim fall more of a trial than he had expected especially trying to grip the reins with an injured forefinger. At this stage he is still hopeful of riding Orapai in the Hawke’s Bay Cup with a decision being finally made today.
Bon Cher has been removed as a threat to Red Back, Corsicana and Fly Baby in the Countdown Final. She is booked to fly out to Melbourne on Monday and is then headed for Adelaide for the sAustl6o,ooo South Australian Oaks at Morphetville on Saturday, May 13. A possible lead-up race is the sAust2oo,ooo West End South Australian Derby on Saturday, May 6 while the 2700-metre South Australian St Leger, to be run on May 20, is also an option. The Christchurchowned The Phantom is a likely runner in the Derby and is almost certain to bypass the Hawke’s Bay Cup this Saturday. Other work at Riccarton yesterday included. — County Antrim (Falvey) with Red Hawk (Moir) 800 m in 52 (38.5); Cochineal (Duff) with Starlight Serenade (Davison) 800 m in 50 (38.5); Kowhai Groom (Walter) and Medbury Lass (Oakeshott) 800 m in 51.7 (38.4); Sertaw (Falvey) last 600 m in 39; Extra Bright (Pemberton) with Claire’s Reason (Duff) 800 m in 50.8 (38.8).
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Press, 19 April 1989, Page 45
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505Stablemates could dominate feature Press, 19 April 1989, Page 45
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