RACING OTAGO ENTRANTS AT RICCARTON

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 4

RACING OTAGO ENTRANTS AT RICCARTON

Irrepressible Second Leg Prospect Irrepressible and Minglow win offer solid Otago opposition for Canterbury’s best in the Ronald Macdonald Handicap at Riccarton today. The handicap is the second leg of the double at the North Canterbury Racing Club’s meeting. Irrepressible and Minglow are the only “foreigners’* in a tidy field of 12. Canterbury’s best, and the likely favourite, may be the Riccartontrained Roman Maid. John Jameson, from Washdyke, is another fancied runner.

Irrepressible did ber Easter racing at Riverton, and came through the meeting with two seconds in as many starts. The first of them was behind John Jameson over six furlongs on the first day of the meeting, when they proved clearly superior to the others and battled out a tight two-sided finish. Minglow did not have much luck in the Great Easter Handicap, her first of three starts at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting. She became hopelessly placed before the race was half over and did well to end up sixth. Next day she beat all but Compensate in the mile Templeton Handicap. Farm Horse John Jameson was a winner at his last start at Riccarton. That was in February, when be beat a strong field of hack sprinters over seven furlongs on a rain-affected track. He made an immediate impression in open class at Riverton, but had one of the hardest races of his career in coping with Irrepressible’s sustained challenge. W. D. Skelton rode John Jameson when he won at

Riverton, but not when he twice finished out of divi-dend-bearing places later at the meeting. The partnership will be renewed today and it will be a highly popular one. W. D Skelton, who has had an outstanding run of success in double races over the last two months, will ride the top weight Va laris in the first leg of the double today. Top Weight Valeria ia top weight in the President's Handicap, so he is set a formidable task at a distance probably a little beyond his best. Still, he is hardy and con-

sistent, and to all appearances he thrived on his racing at Blenheim and Nelson. Fire Bar, a stablemate of Irrepressible, is another form runner for Otago, and for D. P Wilson’s Wingatui stable. Having winning form at the distance, this Defaulter gelding looks one of the stronger prospects. Gay Tommy is the likely favourite, and a win for him would be popular after solid races at Riccarton at Easter for seconds in the Great

Autumn and Sockburn Handicaps. Gay Tommy has 8-3 and will be giving away up to 101 b.

Navarone will meet him on those terms, and this lightweight could be the hardest for the favourite to beat. Prospects of a start for Flagon, another light-weight, were not at all bright yesterday. He had some filling in a leg, and unless the trouble clears quickly would have to miss this race.