Bruce praised
By DAVID MCCARTHY Peter Williams, a partner in the most successful racing stable in the country in terms of wins to starts, preferred to pay tribute to the skills of rider Raymond Bruce, rather than emphasise the role played by himself and wife Dawn in Argyll’s win in the Simes Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday. The Williams stable has produced 18 winners this season to date and leads all others in New Zealand in the National Strike Rate Award with a ratio of winners to starters of better than 22 per cent. The award was won last season by another Canterbury husband and wife training team, Dave and Jan Kerr. Argyll has improved from something of' a mystery horse to a consistent performer. Much of the credit, according to Williams, belongs to Bruce, the leading jockey in the country with 37 winners. “We tried to keep him in the open and not among a lot of horses. That was a top ride from Raymond today, because he sat and sat until exactly the right moment to ask the horse to go. Argyll is a useful galloper, but he does not have a long sprint,” Williams said. He is to set the son of the former top mare, Europium, for the Invercargill Gold Cup, all going well in the interim. Argyll had been in a number of stables before joining up with the Williamses. He is raced by John McCormack and Saturday’s win was his third on end after two victories in easier company in Southland.
Mr McCormack won a race at Riccarton earlier this season with Warden, trained by Roydon Bergerson. It was Argyll’s first win at Riccarton, a track where he was the scene of controversy ■last season over the attachment of a device to aid him in maintaining a correct course. Such devices seem no longer necessary and the Sir Godfrey gelding could be in for further reward over summer racing. The favourite, Robinski, was unable to hold out the 6kg advantage Argyll had in the weights after looking the likely winner 200 m out. Robinski will run in the Hazlett Stakes at Wingatui on Saturday, with the Manawatu Cup still his aim.
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Press, 11 December 1989, Page 37
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367Bruce praised Press, 11 December 1989, Page 37
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