Jones has day to remember

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 32

Jones has day to remember

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The Riccarton trainer, Peter Jones, thought he could win three races at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday, and with two wins and a second, his judgment was not far astray. Astral Gate was an easy maiden winner, rated by the trainer one of the easiest he could remember of more than a 100 wins on the course.

Ladysmith got up in the last stride to give Jones and rider, Paul Falvey, a double for the day but Aramist found the ground against him and had to bow on the day to Castletown in the Ham Handicap.

Castletown, a brother to Cardonagh, is raced by Paddy Busuttin in partnership with Barney McCahill and Kevin Morris.

“I was up at Barney’s one day looking at horses. I picked this one out and he said we’d better race it together,” said Morris of the grey, winner of two of his three starts.

“He shows nothing on the track and earlier on would jump out of the gates and want to pull up. But he does it right on raceday,” added Terry Bryden, Busuttin’s Riccarton foreman.

However Bryden has seen the last of the grey in the meantime. Castle-

town will return north and be prepared for the Ryder Stakes at Levin next month. He gave Busuttin his 99th win at Riccarton. Aramist will be freshened for the Grand National meeting while Ladysmith, raced by George Hutton, showed versatility rallying to head Bounce Back which had mounted a huge run from near last at the turn. Ladysmith was a maiden winner over 1400 m at Riccarton in February and was tried in filly races over 1600 m and 2000 m in the autumn before being freshened. Ladysmith was checked early yet was still good enough to run second at Timaru over 1200 m two weeks ago. She gave Falvey a bad moment about 80m from the finish on Saturday but had her head in front when it mattered most. Ladysmith may contest a $7OOO three-year-old handicap at Timaru on July 7.

The success of the Jones duo turned out to be a profitable result for Raewyn Grenfell who rides a considerable amount of trackwork for the stable.

Mrs Grenfell held a share in one of the four successful investments on the course jackpot which reached just over $26,000. Each successful ticket won $6546.