South well represented in rich metric mile

Press, 24 January 1986, Page 21

South well represented in rich metric mile

From

J. J. BOYLE

Wellington The Jarden Mile and its predecessor, the Adams Handicap, has South Island speedsters, Powley Polly Porter and the famous Grey Way, on its honours board. This year’s renewal offers a possibility of more South Island input. The Riccarton trainer, Garth Jackson, has hopes of putting two form runners, In the Glen and Harbor Flo, into the field, and Noble Note, also from Riccarton, is another capable of a big run at a metric mile from his position in the weights.

In the Glen is a newcomer at the meeting, but

a winner at her last four starts in the South Island and in splendid bright condition for her most daunting test so far. She could meet that test with an edge on many of the others if the ground eases slightly by tomorrow.

Harbor Flo made a very useful first appearance at this meeting with a close second in the Anniversary Handicap and a somewhat sensational second appearance with her record-breaking winning performance over 1400 m on Monday. She has thrived on those recent races and if she gets a start she will pose problems for them from her place in the

weights on 49kg. Noble Note carried 55.5 when third behind Harbor Flo on Monday and drops to 54 for what could be his best distance. Tanalyse, the Jarden Mile top weight, was equal to the task of coming from last in the shorter 1200 m Wrightson Handicap last week. In that kind of form he should go close again, but might need a little more luck in the running this time for a race in which he will have to race around two bends. Magnitude is one of the class metric milers of the field. His preference is for firm footing; on the

other hand Greatness lifts his performance rate when the ground is slightly easy, and went close to bringing off a big surprise in this race last year when he beat all but Atrapar. Mishare runs for the Marton stable of Evan Rayner and has completed the first leg of a notable double won for the same stable by Raywood Lass at this meeting six years ago. Mishare beat Harbor Flo narrowly in the Anniversary Handicap last Saturday and the Riccarton mare put more gloss on that form by running a record against the sprinters two days later.