Jackfrost recruit to hurdling

Jackfrost qualified as a hurdler with an impressive display over six fences at Wingatui on Wednesday (5/7/2017). Ridden by Stuart Higgins, who made the trip from Invercargill, Jackfrost had High Forty (Jacob Lowry) as a companion. Higgins said he was keen to ride Jackfrost over hurdles at Washdyke on July 13 when offered the mount by co-trainer Shane Anderton, but he had to check out if he was required for another mount.

"You wouldn't get any tougher track conditions,'' commented stipendiary steward Mark Davidson, who gave the ticket for Jackfrost in sodden ground.

Jackfrost was running on strongly for second to Gold'nguru (by Gallant Guru) over 1500m at Wingatui on Friday in his first start from the Anderton stable and his first race for four months. The 6yr-old Gallant Guru - Vital Note gelding won five races when trained at Levin by David and Emma Haworth for Murray Scott, of Kingston, Tom Treacy, of Christchurch, Michael House, the West Melton standardbred trainer, and Wellington trio Keith Gibson, David Wallis and Ron Dixon.

Jackfrost is now in new ownership, including Joe Jennings and standardbred trainer John (Coaster) Howe.

Jackfrost has returned to his birthplace. He was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton and bought privately as a yearling by the late Phil Bayly. He passed him on.

Vital Note was an unraced mare by Yamanin Vital out of Sound Note, by Sound Reason from Ararat Note (Kurdistan - Fair Note), a sister to the 1970 Melbourne Cup winner Baghdad Note, who was trained at Wingatui by Bob Heasley. Jackfrost is a grey like Baghdad Note.

High Forty will be entered for the steeplechase at the Timaru meeting.

"He is still being given 74kg by the handicapper although he has not won a race for close on two years," said Shane.

Gold Leaf, last start winner of the Great Western Hurdles at Riverton in May for the WRL stable, has gone amiss.  The Gallant Guru -Ciao gelding won four flat races and two over hurdles.

Patrick Erin, Coulee and Fascinate have resumed work at WRL. Patrick Erin capped a great season with success in the listed $60,000 Riverton Cup in April; Coulee won the group three $70,000 White Robe Lodge Handicap and g3 $80,000 South Island Breeders' Stakes and Fascinate won four races.

It was dejavu for Brian Anderton when Itemize chased home St Malo in a maiden race at Wingatui on Friday.

Anderton rode the great winter galloper Kumai to finish second to a horse named St Malo in the Donald Grant Memorial Stakes at Washdyke in June, 1964.

St Malo, at odds of 13 to one, was trained at Waimate by Phil Andrews. He carried seven stone eleven pounds (49.5kg) with Denys (Graham) Hadfield the rider in the feature race over a mile and 35yards run at weight-for-age with penalties and allowances.

St Malo won by a neck from Kumai with triple Wellington Cup winner Great Sensation a length away third.

St Malo won the Dunedin Guineas and J B Reid Cup in October,1963 when trained at Riccarton by Peter Jones and ridden by Noel Eastwood.

The gelded son of Dogger Bank - Mural was raced by J F Thwaites.

The present St Malo is a 5yr-old St Reims- Kashwood gelding trained at Riccarton by Pam Robson, who races him with K Peters.

The capable Raise The Flag mare mare Princess Brook is due to resume racing over 1200m at Oamaru on July 23.

"She will have one sprint as a lead up to the Winter Cup,'' said her Wingatui trainer Terry Kennedy. The group three $100,000 eStar Winter Cup (1600m) is at Riccarton on August 5.

Princess Brook won over 1400m at Riccarton in the spring in her second start back from a spell. She added wins over 2200m and 1600m at Wingatui and the Gore Cup (2000m) and a third in the listed Dunedin Cup to her record for owner Fred King. She was spelled after finishing eighth in the Riverton Cup in April.