RACING BIG SMOKE SHOULD WIN AT WASHDYKE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31119, 23 July 1966, Page 6

RACING BIG SMOKE SHOULD WIN AT WASHDYKE

Big Smoke and Morris Francis will come strongly into favour for the major flat races at Riccarton in the next fortnight if they combine successfully in the T.A.B. double at Washdyke on Monday.

The double at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s annual meeting will be run on the First and Second Claremont Handicaps.

Big Smoke’s recent form will assure him of solid backing in the first leg. The last time he raced he beat a useful field of milers in the Maronan Handicap at Ashburton. Previously he was successful among the open sprinters on his home course at Wingatui. The minor place-getters in the Maronan Handicap—in a close group behind Big Smoke —were Careen, Even Chance and Sabell. Even Chance will be one of Big Smoke’s rivals again on Monday, but Sabell will be one last-start winner with which he will not have to contend. The’ latter is to be reserved for races at Riccarton.

Although a mile is generally considered short of Even Chance’s best distance, in his present form and in the hands of R. J. Skelton he could be hard to beat. E. G. Low, who rode Sabell to victory in the Fraser Memorial at Washdyke a fortnight ago and was to have ridden him again on Monday, will now ride Certain or Prince Callan. FOOT INFECTION

If Certain starts he will be one of the strong fancies, but his chance will depend on how he has recovered from an infection <n a foot which was lanced last weekend.

Fieldmaster will carry the top-weight of 9-2 in this, his first race since the Auckland Cup last January. Just Peter, J. R. Dowling’s mount, is the only last-start winner in the field beside Big Smoke. This Goretrained eight-year-old could take beating again if he has held the form which gave

him victory against the open sprinters at Oamaru last month. If victory goes to one of the light-weights, perhaps it will be Natter. This Riccar-ton-trained filly was soundly beaten in the Donald Grant Memorial on the course three weeks ago. But in that event she ran much too keenly, after a slow start, to last the mile and 35 yards. Morris Francis will try to improve a very good record in the Claremont Handicap when he contests the second leg. He has already won the last two contests for his Washdyke trainer, M. F. Billington, and his wife. HAT-TRICK On the strength of his recent form—two fourths and a second from three starts on a fresh campaign—Morris Francis has a good chance of completing a hat-trick. The other form runners from Washdyke stables will be Cranbrook and Etoile Este. Flying York and Azir will strengthen the possibility of a victory for Otago stables. Both are capable milers in winter ground. But the hardest for Morris Francis to beat might be Jester Jinks and Kalimera. from Riccarton, and the Gore-trained Summer Magic. Jester Jinks, the runnerup to Danny Kaye on this course three weeks ago, will be R. J. Skelton’s mount. Kalimera, the star hack miler at the C.J.C. autumn meeting, had her first test in open class among the sprinters at Washdyke a fortnight ago. A slow start cost her any chance. Summer Magic, which has now had two races since he resumed after an enforced spell, should be close to the form which gave him high ranking among the Dominion’s top three-year-olds earlier in the season.

1.25 p.m — CLAREMONT HANDICAP NO. 1, 1406 £430; Im and 35yds. Fieldmaster (10) st. lb. 9 2 3100 Certain (13) 9 1 6711 Big Smoke (8) 8 13 7178 Castle Gregory (2) .. 8 8 5621 Just Peter (16) 8 4 0633 Even Chance (15) 8 2 3340 Mogambo (14) 8 2 0000 Apache (9) 8 0 0009 Beginner’s Luck (3) 8 0 8066 Indian Briar (1) 8 0 7276 Limbo (6) 8 0 1700 Natter (4) 8 0 0083 Prince Callan (12) .. 8 0 9602 Sometime (7) 8 0 Scratched: Scent (5), Sabell (11). 3.20 p.m.— CLAREMONT HANDICAP NO. 2, 1240 £450 ;lm and 35yds. Flying York (16) .. st. lb. 9 2 8205 Cranbrook <4) 9 1 2442 Morris Francis (1) .. 8 13 2106 Summer Magic (11) 8 10 1266 Combination (2) 8 8 5167 Glenmorven (6) 8 6 7393 Etoile Este (8) 8 2 0382 Jester Jinks (9) ., 8 1 1213 Ataarangi (15) 8 0 9055 Azir (17) 8 0 5700 Filspar (7) 8 0 5164 Hawkins (12) 8 0 1110 Kalimera (3) 8 0 1230 Lorastan (13) '8 0 0707 Scribbler (5) 8 0 1950 Skeltheen (10) 8 0 7079 Underwood Lass (14) 8 0