Racing and trotting Grey Way should have track to suit today

Press, 16 April 1979, Page 14

Racing and trotting Grey Way should have track to suit today

By

J. J. BOYLE

Grey Way, one of New Zealand’s greatest crowd pleasers, will have footing to his liking when he tries for his second Great Easter Handicap victory at Riccarton today.

Riccarton should come up with a firm track for the opening day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Easter meeting, and Grey Way, With that brand of footing, Is expected to provide fresh materia] for the turf historians. Grey Way has won 45 races for Mr Peter South ini a career he embarked on with a victory against the I

> two-year-olds at Rangiora on >i Labour Day in 1972. ' He will carry 61.5 kg ; today. He had only one kilo r | less in one of the great , triumphs of his career, the Auckland Racing Club’s ’ Marlboro Easter Handicap I two years ago. And as recently as last January he was an unlucky third under i 60kg in the Wellington Racking Club’s George Adams II Handicap. i Riccarton would not have

had the good fortune to see: Grey Way in action today if the weather had been dry in Auckland last week. The Great Easter Handicap, at S6OOO, does not offer racing riches, but it will be a rewarding occasion for racing generally if the Grey William gelding today makes another contribution to a magnificent record. Grey Way’s Riccarton record for the present season is two wins and a third

!■— victories last November : in the Members’ Handicap i and the Churchill Stakes following a third under 62kg in • the Riccarton Handicap. Kevin Morton, who will ! ride Grey Way today, will ’ partner the Ashburtontrained Sir James in the ’ George Adams Handicap, 1 first leg of today’s T.A.B. double. 1 Morton won the George : Adams a year ago on Candy--1 boy, but that Wingatui six-year-old will have his trainer, Jim Pankhurst, up in today’s race. With Mr Ay Bee and Prodigal also in the race,) Otago’s hand is a strong) . one. I Mr Ay Bee will be ridden! ibv Michael Mein, who im-j ,| proved a splendid record ini (feature South Island races; iithis season when he won the; ißiverton Cup on Miles Bet- f Iter on Saturday.