NEW ZEALAND CUP DAY AT RICCARTON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27191, 7 November 1953, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND CUP DAY AT RICCARTON

RACING

Finito-Declare For Big Double OVERBOARD A GOOD DERBY PROSPECT The result of the 1953 New Zealand Cup will cease to be a matter for Dominion-wide speculation, as it has been for some weeks, a few minutes after 1.17 p.m. today. It is almost certain that 20 runners will face the starter to contest one of the most open Cups for many years. Stayers have come from as far north as Te Rapa and as far south as Invercargill, but it is doubtful whether the favourite is among them. That position will probably be filled by the Riccarton-trained Gold Scheme, and it is a position he has held since he brilliantly won the Wellington Racing Club’s Watkins Handcap a fortnight ago. Gold Scheme, the St. Leger winner last season, is the only Cup candidate that has won beyond a mile and a half. But he will have a formidable rival in Finito, which came within an ace of winning over a mile and a half in the Wellington Handicap at Trentham three weeks ago, and then finished within a head of Gold Scheme in the Watkins Handicap. Finito is a five-year-old gelded son of Finis and the Solario mare Fiesoli. so he is bred to run two miles solidly. With a pull of about 51b in the weights from Gold Scheme, this North Island stayer could be Gold Scheme’s stumbling block. Silver King was scratched for the Cup yesterday, allowing Lancaster to re-enter the field.

In the last 20 Cup contests, six four-year-olds have been successful. Gold Scheme, Valescure, Programme, First Degree, and Tyro are horses of that age in the field this year.

A year ago Programme, Valescure, and Gold Scheme finished in that order in the New Zealand Derby. Programme went on to win the Great Northern Derby, but the Riccarton horses made their mark later, Valescure winning the Gloaming Stakes, one mile and a half, and Gold Scheme confirming earlier impressions about his worth as a stayer with his success in the New Zealand St Leger, in which Valescure ran third.

The form of Programme and Valescure this season has been good enough to give them Cup chances. The New Zealand Cup is one major handicap that has not been won by one of Mr W. S. Goosman's horses, but New Zea* land’s leading owner has good reason to hope for better fortune this year with Programme. As a dual Derby winner which has also made his mark this season, Programme has not been badly treated in the weights with Bst 31b, 111 b below weight-for-age. Fersen. Happy Ending, and Excellency have been the only successful five-year-olds in the last 20 years. Horses of that age engaged today are Finito, Silver Bang, Reigning King, Golden Jest, Indian Scholar and the two Invercargill light-weights Chief Light and Formal. Of that lot the chances of the North Islanders, Finito, Reigning King, and Golden Jest look brightest. Reigning King made a good impression in his final trial and he may be the improver in the field. Six and seven-year-olds have, in equal shares, won 10 of the last 20 Cups. The six-year-old group this year lacks an outstanding form horse, but the seven-year-old Contact gelding Roka has the combination of a good form background and stout breeding to raise the hopes of his admirers. Roka is a three-quarter brother to Calibrate, which won the Centennial Cup at Riccarton three years ago. The Lum is another seven-year-old which could be well in the picture at the finish. She has come through a steady preparation in most encouraging style and none of the other Cup horses was more impressive in the final trials. The Orari trainer, L. H. Pratt, will have two runners. Royal Voyage and Mar jo, in the Cup. The Skelton brothers, W. D. and R. J., will do the riding, but it will not be decided until today what their respective mounts will be. Strong Field for Stewards

Doubts can and are being held about the class of several of the stayers in the New Zealand Cup, but there is no doubting the class for the Stewards’ Handicap, the second leg of the big double. The race can hardly fail for lack of the spectacular in the dash of top-class sprinters down the “straight six.” A soft or a heavy track would have probably put an end to the chances of Lord Fort and Kingship, but these conditions are unlikely. The track yesterday was in perfect order, and it would take a heavy fall to make the going anything but good. That seems unlikely. Declare has never been able to win a race on his home course for Mr D. W. J. Gould, treasurer of the Canterbury Jockey Club, but that may no longer be the position after toady. Declare brilliantly beat a strong field of sprinters in the Awatea Handicap at Trentham a fortnight ago, and it is doubtful if he has ever been better than he is at present. Declare ran Impress to a narrow margin in the Stewards' Handicap last year, and he will again find this well-performed Awapuni sprinter, a Riccarton specialist, one of the hardest to beat. Mr J. P. O’Brien’s five-year-old Silence, a great weight-carrier and a bold finisher, may do best of the others in a race that may be the best on an interesting programme. None of the Derby candidates is likely to drop out of the classic, for which Overboard and William Hyde are the early favourites. AH the horses balloted out with the right of re-entry in the Suburban Highweight have been able to return to the field, withdrawals being Wessex, Associate, Bronze Ingot, Cheerful Lad, and Pretender. There will probably be 13 runners in the Welcome Stakes, in which Joss has been the only scratching.

Sublime, Melinda Jane, and Macduff have dropped out of the Spring Plate. Freddy. Barrow Boy, and Writer have reentered the field, with Late Fee, Camaval, •nd Sheriff still on the reserve list.

Hunter’s Choice. Denominate, and Balloch Prince were scratched y eiterday tor the Hagiey Handicap. That allows Ngahuia. All Ataunt, and Solstice to re-enter the field. Doctor Pippin is unlikely to run, and Tiles is a doubtful starter.

The Wingatui trainer, J. A. Wilson, has Milton and Lochlisten in the Riccarton Handicap, but he said yesterday that Milton is a doubtful starter. RIDERS SUBURBAN HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP.—Ash (B. J. Langford), King Simper (H. W. Skinner). Lovelock (H. J. Ford), Detroit (A. J. Williams), Cristatus (J. W. McDonald), Ambrose (K. Nuttall), Mightgo (G. W. Meirr), Royal Monarch (P. Fraser), Trustworthy (G. G. Hampton), Miss Chase (E. G. Rosewarne), Poilu (P. Hill), Appealing (B. R. Thomson).

WELCOME STAKES.— Assembly (H. W. Hibberd), Captain Hawk (F. Rosewarne), King’s Lace (J. M. Cappie), Magic Carpet (D. J. Thistoll), Mijiji (L. W. Hare), Passchenedaele (C. McDonald), Privy Council (W. J. Broughton), Quick Time (W. F. Ellis), Ray Ribbon (J. W. McDonald), Hush Money (A. J. Stokes), Ma Reine (JDidham), Merriment (E. G. Low), Net (C. H. Mackie).

SPRING PLATE.— Fulgent (E. G. Low), Sir Galahad (L. W. Hare), Accountant (K. Nuttall), Master Penfold (W. D. Skelton), Mighty Dollar (J. Didham), King’s Fair (C. McDonald). Referee (W. J. Broughton), Bon Soir (F. H. Skelton), Scotch Gift (T. J. Smith), Dahlia (J. T. Anderson), Quartet (R. McSeveny), Style (C. H. Mackie), Royal Charm (G. Lee), Hickory Stick (N. Eastwood), Night Glare (J. M. Cappie), Mainmast (B. Hillis), Janton (M. J. Wadley), Merry Medley (N. A. Dempsey). Aphelion .(G. W. Mein). Freddy (R. L. Gibson), Writer (W. F. Ellis), Adaris (A. J. Stokes).

NEW ZEALAND CUP.— Valescure (C McDonald), Programme (J. W. Harris), Reigning King (W. J. Broughton), Roka (J. T. Anderson), Gold Scheme (A. J. Stokes), First Degree (A. C. Messervy), Golden Jest (C. H. Mackie), Indian Scholar (W. L. Aitken), The Lum (G. W. Mein), Lord Milling (F. H. Skelton), Dreenagh (E. G. Low), Finito (K. Nuttall), Kettledrum (T. J. Smith), Tyro (N. Eastwood), Chief Light (J. M. Cappie). Formal (W. F. Ellis), Lagonda (R. L. Gibson). NEW ZEALAND DERBY.— AIb (F. H. Skelton), Americus (R. J. Skelton), Bahrein (D. J. Thistoll), Bretton (J. W. Harris), Copenhagen (A. J. Stokes), Haughty Chief (B. S. Finlayson), Havelock (E. G. Low), Idaho (J. Garth), Moidore (C. McDonald), Naval Treaty (C. C. Stokes), On Parade (A. C. Messervy), Overboard (H. W. Hibberd). Prince Jordan (C. H. Mackie), Strathcarron (B. J. Langford), Wait a Bit (W. F. Ellis). William Hyde (W. J. Broughton).

STEWARDS’ HANDICAP.— Lord Fort (B. J. Langford), Silence (L. W. Hare), Impress (W. L. Aitken). Declare (A. J. Stokes), Regardless (W. F. Ellis), Kingship (C. McDonald), Dashing (R. J. Skelton), Tesla (W. J. Broughton), Royal Symbol (W. D. Skelton), Test Flight (J. M. Cappie), Gold King (B. J, Anderton), Pleasure Bent (E. G. Low), Battle Ensign (N. Eastwood), Millrace (R. McSeveny).

HAGLEY HANDlCAP.— Pharaoh’s Castle (C. H. Mackie), Chief Mate (E. Fraser). Balveine (A. J. Stokes). Toparoa (J. W. Harris). Ptarmigan (W. D. Skelton). Surprise Ending (D. J. Thistoll), Ra (H. W. Hibberd), Paulette (C. C. Stokes). Locherbie (R. J. Skelton), Weewyn (F. H. Skelton), Tom Bowling (C. McDonald), Peter Bruce (W. L. Aitken), Hushah (W. J. Broughton), King Charles (G. W. Wright), Zingabo (J. T. Anderson), Sawdust (N. A. Dempsey), Canyon Maid (G. W. Mein), Maid of the Woods (T. J. Smith), All Ataunt (P. Rosewarne), Fluent (K. Nuttall). Solstice (J. M. Cappie), Ngahuia (N. Eastwood). «■

RICCARTON HANDICAP.—Te Kooti (C. McDonald), Ngapunawai (C. C. Stokes), Wally French (J. W. Harris), Lord Lothian (W. D. Skelton), Poetical (W. J. Broughton), Desperado (E. G. Low), Entrancing (D. J. Thistoll), Lochlisten (R. J. Skelton), Milton (W. F. Ellis). Gold Tip (A. J. Stokes), Cash (C.H. Mackie), Commodore (W. L. Aitken), Danger Point (G. W. Mein), Roue (K. Nuttall), Bowling Green (R. McSeveny), Bosky (N. Eastwood).

Canterbury Jockey Club Acceptances Acceptances for all events on the second day of the New Zealand Cup Meeting will close at Noon on Monday, November 9. Advt.