Western Music will create interest

Press, 19 May 1989, Page 31

Western Music will create interest

By

DAVID MCCARTHY

Western Music winner of the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington last September is the likely favourite in the Stoneyhurst Handicap at Riccarton tomorrow and is one of the number of “newcomers” to the meeting. Western Music, a stablemate of Phillipa Rush, has been sent south to Garth Jackson for a brief winter campaign after erratic running on right handed tracks, caused by a series of injuries, have blighted her more recent career in her home country. Western Music was due in Christchurch late yesterday afternoon and will be ridden by Chris Johnson. She was ridden by Brent Thomson in

her Flemington win, a listed race worth sAust4o,ooo. She ran 900 m in 52.5 then before finishing fourth in the Tricontinental Stakes at Caulfield last October 6 and then fourth in the sAustl 30,000 Maribyrnong Plate itself at Flemington on October 29 the winner being the brilliant galloper Show County which ran the 1000 m in 58.3. Another unusual Riccarton debut tomorrow is by Phoebe Gerard who has her first raceday ride not in a flat race but in a steeplechase. Gerard, apprenticed to Michael Pitman, is too heavy to have many opportunities on the flat but has a wide experience in point-to-points and school-

ing and has shown to advantage in trials at Riccarton over hurdles and fences. Miss Gerard rides Benlea Boy, trained by her father, Willie. One of Benlea Boy’s opponents, Graphic, has not raced for four seasons but has had extensive show ring experience both here and overseas in the interim as a member of New Zealand teams.

Graeme Swann from Matamata makes his riding debut at the track tomorrow also. He rides Dixie La Rue in the Second May Handicap and is considering shifting south if suitable raceday opportunities arise.

Swann rides work for Hec Tapper and the O’Sullivans in the Waikato but does not find raceday opportunities so easy.

He has ridden winners in Australia where he was based for some years, one of his winners being the former New Zealand Cup winner Andrew at Moonee Valley. He reckons to have won about 100 races. The Murray Baker acceptors for tomorrow have withdrawn because of travel difficulties. Look Twice and Icelette have both been scratched from the Busuttin stable and Associate is a doubtful runner in the Stoneyhurst Handicap. Royal Fling, the daughter of Queens Pal which had been expected to make her debut in the Stoneyhurst, has been troubled with a smallbone chip problem in the fetlock and her race debut has been delayed.