Can Gray Retain His Good Lead?

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 995, 11 June 1930, Page 12

Can Gray Retain His Good Lead?

JOCKEYS’ PREMIERSHIP ELLIS AND MORRIS CLOSING UP With just over a dozen meetings to close the season, the position in. regard to the jockeys’ winning list has now reached an interesting stage, but at the same time it is problematical whether A. E. Ellis or B. H. Morris can overhaul H. Gray’s present lead of half a dozen. These three riders are the only ones in the tussle, their respective tallies being as follows: H. Gray £4 A. E. Ellis 58 B. H. Morris 57

Thus it is seen that the latter pair require six and seven winning mounts, respectively, to place them on terms with the leader —a severe task with onl£ half a dozen fixtures apiece and the fact that Gray will also be on the job. It would seem that Morris will cover the Hawke’s Bay, Egmont Hunt, Napier Park, Trentham, Manawatu (first day) and Canterbury meetings, while in addition to these Gray will no doubt be in attendance at Te Awamutu and perhaps Gisborne if inducement offers.

Ellis will have the monopoly on the southern meetings, and his services are

sure to be required at South Canterbury, Ashburton, Oamaru, Waimate Hunt and South Canterbury Hunt gatherings, while Trentham, too, will find him on hand. Ellis Has a Pull Whereas both Gray and Morris confine their riding to the flat, Ellis is not averse to piloting jumpers, and his chances of being on top at the end of the term will depend principally on his success in this branch. The riding from the Fordell stable gives Morris bright prospects, and the pick of mounts makes Gray’s position look all the more favourable. ' T ot far removed from this trio is E. A. Keesing, whose winning efforts on True Blood and Helium at Ellerslie last week placed him one above H. Goldfinch, whose unfortunate accident at Te Aroha over three months ago has kept him from almost a certain premiership. Light-weights IT. Wiggins and L. J. Ellis occupy a prominent position on the list, to be followed by A. Eastwood. Jockeys who have secured twenty winners or more this season are:

beenhi H. Gray 64 A. E. Ellis 58 B. H. Morris ...... 57 E. A. Keesing 47 H. W igains 44 L. J. Ellis 42 A. Eastwood R. Coveny , R. McTavish 36 K. Vo itre 35 T. Green H. Young H. Dulieu B. H. Brodie 27 L. G. Morris J. Barry . . . . , . . . J. M. Dooley R. S. Bagby W. Cooper 21 L. Dulieu .. . . 20 T. Webster