RACING GAY TOMMY FORM RUNNER

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 4

RACING GAY TOMMY FORM RUNNER

North Canterbury Club’s First Leg

Gay Tommy will be a solid form fancy for the President’s Handicap, the main race and first leg of the double at the North Canterbury Racing Club’s meeting at Riccarton on Saturday.

Gay Tommy has 8-3 in the President’s Handicap and is 121 b and 111 b respectively below Valaris and Shoal, the only stayers above him in the handicap. He has certainly earned that ranking after seconds in the Great Autumn and Sockbum Handicaps, both 12-furlong races at the Canterbury Club’s autumn meeting.

Valaris is a solid performer, but is probably better at a mile and a quarter than a mile and a half. Valaris, W. D. Skelton’s mount, will no doubt be one of the stronger fancies, but he might not run out a mile and a half as well as Shoal. Though now nine. Shoal ran up to something like her very best form at Riccarton at Easter for thirds in the Great Autumn and Sockburn Handicaps. Sockburn Handicap form also gives the light-weight Navarone a chance. He was fourth close behind Gay Tommy and Shoal in the big race the final day of the C.J.C. autumn meeting, and improvement can reasonably be expected at this stage of his campaign. With Fire Bar in the field the race takes on a good deal of southern interest.

This Wingatui-trained Defaulter gelding will be one of the strongest contenders if he runs up to his best form.

He has won up to a mile and a half, and he shapes as if he will do best on the big courses.

Top Weight Irrepressible, a stablemate of Fire Bar—they are trained by D. P. Wilson—is top weight and doubtless will be one of the fancied runners for the second leg, the Ronald Macdonald Handicap. She has run few bad races for Mrs T. K. S. Sidey. She did not manage to win a race at Riverton at Easter but she was twice second, once as a miler. Riverton form will take on further value if John Jameson runs into a place. He ■was Irrepressible's conqueror, but did not have much to spare, in the sprint on the first day of the meeting. Easter form at Riccarton points to solid races from Roman Maid and Minglow. Roman Maid was third behind Fairassan and Cadiz in the Great Easter, and Minglow beat all but Compensate over a mile on the second day of the meeting. Fields for the double are reviewed below:— PRESIDENT'S HANDICAP, Of £823; one mile and a half. ISM VALARIS (7) 9-I—Weak-ened slightly to fifth in Nelson Cup last week. Appears to be better at a mile and a quarter than a mile and a half. Won the Dominion Handicap. 11m. at Riccarton at Easter. 6433 SHOAL (13) 9-o—Went two solid races at Riccarton at Easter for thirds in the Great Autumn and Sockburn Handicaps. Will not be opposed this time by Navarro and Juventas. winners of these two races. Solid finisher and running over her favourite distance. *«2 GAY TOMMY (17) 8-3 Runner-up in the Great Autumn and Sockburn Handleaps at Easter, and on that form looks the hardest to beat. Versatile and will certainly not be inconvenienced bv any cha . n .<£. in track conditions. •3SS—GAYTANA (3) 8-2—Most of her form on metropolitan tracks has been only foto Weak run over l(m at Nelson on Monday so h* fancied here. •407 CORAL RING (8) 7-11— Ran sound race over this distance in CJ.C. Sockbum Handicap at Easter. Finished 7th. but close to placed horses. Galloped attractively in training on Tuesday. 4«M FDtg BAR (1) 7-11—Has winning form over the distance. Was impressive in winning against stayers at Wingatui in February Did not go so well on rainaffected tracks at Riverton at Easter. Should take beating if the ground is firm. 507 t KA ST ANT? A (5) 7-1 •—Latest form has not been encouraging. Well beaten in Nelson Cup last week. • OMAHA («) 7-7—Galloped on in her latest race, the C.J.C. Sockburn Handicap, in which she was close to the lead for a long way. Consistent mare, and not without a chance from her R-S* to eights. 2178 PHIL’S CHOICE (2) 7-7 Newcomer to open class. Failed twice in hack distance races at Riccarton at

Easter. Latest win was at Oamaru in March. 9583 WHIOHAU (•) 7-7 Plugged on for fair third to Baldy and Fair King over Um at Nelson on Monday. Can only be given a fair chance on that run. 6639 TAMABIBK (14) 7-7 Broke down in a gallop at Riccarton on Tuesday and not starting. N7B OLYMPIC FLAME (12) 7-7 —One of last to finish in Dominion Handicap. IJm, at Riccarton at Easter. Was disappointing after shaping well in training. 2311 FLAGON (11) 7-7—Was the top hack stayer at the CJ.C. autumn meeting, where he was unebaten in two starts. These wins followed sound efforts for minor placings at Trentham in March. May be one of the hardest to beat in the lower part of the handicap. 0006 KELP (14) 7-7—Did not make much Impression at Marlborough meeting. Substantial improvement necessary. 8904 NAVARONE (4) 7-7 Shaped like early winner in finishing 4th behind Juventas, Gay Tommy and Shoal in Sockbum Handicap at CJ.C. autumn meeting. Looks one of the stronger light-w*eight prospects in this field. 0900 THUMPER (6) 7-7—Well beaten in Sockburn Handicap at Riccarton. Chance here win brighten if the ground softens. 2374 HERBS (15) 7-7—Not starting. RONALD MACDONALD HANDICAP Of £500; seven furlongs. 1422 IRREPRESSIBLE (ID 9-0. —Solid sprint record at Riverton at Easter. Close second to John Jameson over six furlongs on first day; also runner-up to Osman at a mile. Runs her races out strongly and should take beating. 4537 ROMAN MAID (2) 8-11 Ran one of her best races for third behind Fairassan and Cadiz (xu Great Easter Handicap. Seventh in corresponding race on final day of meeting after having her chance. Has had time to freshen and should run well here. 1628 MINGLOW (6) 8-9.-Second to Compensate in mile Templeton Handicap in second of three starts at Riccarton at Easter Sixth in Great Easter with another meritorious run. Strong finisher In that race. Smart at seven furlongs. 2146 JOHN JAMESON (9) 8-1. —Signalised his start in open company with a win over six furlongs at Riverton at Easter. Car 7-7%. Beat Irrepressible (8-9) by a neck and the others easily. Weakened to 4th on heavy track on second day at Riverton, and sixth on last day. 5461 HOPEFUL (12) 8-I.—Re-sponded well to different riding tactics in coming from the back to win over seven furlongs at Nelson on Monday. Fast sprinter, but form has been patchy. 4536 BLONDE SPRITE (8) 7-13.—Fourth in mile Templeton Handicap, won by Compensate, at Riccarton at Easter. Third two starts back was over nine furlongs and a half at Marlborough. . Did not shape as well against sprinters on second day at Blenheim. 6082 LB CHEVAL (1) 7-11.— Soundly beaten by Hopeful over six furlongs at Oamaru in March. Fast front-runner, but not fancied over seven furlongs on roomy Riccarton course 75 HER EX (10) 7-7.—Made no immediate impression when started on another

campaign after long spell at Marlborough meeting. Beaten off in her latest race, on the final day at Blenheim. ÜBS PERSUASIVE (4) 7-?.— Won at three successive starts in lower grade before her Easter campaign at Riccarton. Beet there in three starts was third to Andalusia and Paua in Warstep Stakes. Did very well for sixth after being very wide in hack sprint on final day of meeting. Could take beat--6706 S&ADBROKE (7) 7-7. Open-class form so far hardly looks good enough. Last In Waltham Handicap at Riccarton at Easter 9654 MATAUWHI (3) 7-7—Fait fourth against middle distance performers on third day. at Marlborough. Run-ner-up to Valeria over 11 miles at Riccarton at Filter. 5363 RHYTHM REIN (5) 7-7. Last-start second was to Ocean Melody in mile high-weight at Oamaru. Two starts earlier finished brilliantly for third to Cadiz and vitamlse at Motukarara.