TROTTING RUPEE SELECTED TO WIN N.Z. CUP

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27501, 8 November 1954, Page 5

TROTTING RUPEE SELECTED TO WIN N.Z. CUP

Hardest To Beat May Be Johnny Globe

INTENSE INTEREST SHOWN IN RIBANDS

The five-year-old Gold Chief stallion, Rupee, the youngest horse in the race, is selected to win the 1954 New Zealand Trotting Cup, the main race and first leg of the double on the opening day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s cup meeting at Addington tomorrow.

This year’s New Zealand Cup has aroused more discussion than any other in recent years, especially since the arrival of the Australian horse, Ribands. Yesterday morning at Addington between 2000 and 3000 persons watched Ribands and other New Zealand Cup candidates in their final trials. Ribands recorded a fine trial, which was quickly recognised by the crowd.

Rupee, owned and trained at Tinwald by J. Grice, will probably be favourite for the race. This briUiant pacer has yet to race over two miles, the distance of tomorrow’s race, but his many line performances over one mile and five furlongs suggest that the extra three furlongs will not worry him unduly.

Unlike most of the Cup candidates, Rupee has not had a run in public since the August meeting at Addington, when he beat Denbry and Johnny Globe in the Louisson Handicap and finished third to Denbry and Our Roger in the National Handicap. Only bad luck prevented his winning both races, as he was hopelessly hemmed in in the National Handicap until the straight entrance, where Denbry and Our Roger had a big lead.

Rupee has never been extensively raced, and in more than three seasons he has started on only 12 occasions for 10 wins and two placings. Rupee showed that he could stride along in front and still have plenty in reserve for his final sprint when he outclassed the field in the Louisson Handicap in August. If the same tactics are adopted again tomorrow and he does not allow himself to be hemmed in, he must be conceded a great chance of giving his owner his first win in the race. ,

Grice has had a very long association with trotting, and he has a record probably unequalled by any other trainer for winning races with horses that have been off the scene for some months. Rupee has usually had two' or three months between each race, and at each start he has been better than ever.

Tlie hardest for Rupee to beat may be Johnny Globe, one of the backmarkers. The Logan Derby stallion, the idol of the crowd at Addington, has been searchinglv prepared for tomorrow’s race. He looked well above himself when raced at Addington in August and at Ashburton on October 2. However, since then he has improved with each run, and when he won at Oamaru on Labour Day he showed that he was back to his brilliant best. That was in the Hannon Memorial Handicap, in which he made a high-class field, which included a number of his opponents in tomorrow’s race, look second-rate.

On the Thursday after his Oamaru race Johnny Globe paraded at the Addington trials and paced one mile and a half without any apparent effort in 3min 9sec. He has done well in the meantime, and will be fit for his fourth attempt to win the cup. He finished second to Van Dieman as a four-year-old, and the following year he broke down during the race. Last year he was badly checked at the start, and was beaten by only a length by Adorian. This will probably be Johnny Globe’s last attempt to win the cup, and a win for him would prove more popular with the crowd than that of any other candidate.

Soangetaha’s Prospects The dual Auckland Cup winner, Soangetaha, may prove a worthy opponent to Rupee and Johnny Globe. The Light Brigade stallion looks better now than he has for more than a year. He worked quietly at Addington yesterday, and seemed keen to increase the pace. Soangetaha was most impressive at Oamaru on Labour Day, when he finished brilliantly, once he worked clear, to dead-heat for fourth with Adorian. With a little luck, he would have been placed. Last year Soangetaha finished third in the cup, and it will not be surprising if he finished closer tomorrow. The Yaldhurst trainer, N. L Berkett. appears to hold a strong hand with the Josedale Grattan gelding, Denbry. He won the National Handicap at August and the same day won the main sprint. His record over two miles is probably not as good as those of some of the others he will meet on the front mark today, but he is a grand stayer and can race in any part of a field. He is very game in a hard finish, and must be conceded a better-than-average chance. Ribands, which*will be having his first start in New Zealand, is certain to be solidly supported as a result of his two brilliant trials at Addington. It is against him that he has never raced in New Zealand, and his driver will also be having his first race experience on a strange track. However, there can be no doubt about the ability of the Lawn Derby six-year-old.

Ribands lost several winning chances through breaking at the start of his races in Australia, but this season it is reported that his barrier behaviour is much improved. Ribands has never met horses of the calibre of Rupee or Johnny Globe, and how he will fare tomorrow is a matter for conjecture. If he races as well as he has worked at Addington he will probably be prominent in the finish. Three other horses share the froqt mark with Rupee x and Denbry, and of them Au Revoir makes most appeal. He has raced well this season, and his third in the Hannon Memorial Handicap after being at the rear at the straight entrance was full of merit. He is a .hardy pacer and should run out a solid two miles. Young Charles, a brilliant pacer when at his best, seems on the verge of good form. He is on his own on 12 yards, and will have prospects of being placed. w Laureldale and Petite Yvonne, both from the North Island, are very fit, and they should be in the thick of things at the final furlong. A better prospect may be the Methven-owned and trained Tactician, which will start

from 18 yards with them. Tactician has fine form to his credit at Addington. Adorian, winner of last year’s cup, and Thelma Globe, winner of last year’s Auckland Cup, are twd proved performers over the distance. Both are fit and well, and they should add interest to the finish. With Johnny Globe on 48 yards is Vedette, which will have to show marked improvement on his effort of yesterday at Addington to have any chance. In a very open race selections are: Rupee, Johnny Globe, Soangetaha. Slipstream May Win

Sir John McKenzie’s fine trotter, Slipstream, may gain his first win for the season in the second leg of the double, the Worthy Queen Handicap. Slipstream was rather disappointing in his races at Addington in August although he finished third to Fair Isle and Red Valley in the Christchurch Handicap. He showed to advantage at trials recently. Battle Cry recorded a fine trial for the race at Addington recently, and he looks a much improved horse. He showed good form at Addington in August when he won the Winter Handicap. He is a most reliable trotter, and if he begins well he will be hard to beat tomorrow.

Vodka seems to be regaining confidence, and he has been working keenly at Addington during the last fortnight. Few trotters can match him for sheer speed, and only a very poor beginning will keep him out of a place. The backmarkers, Dictation and Gold Horizon, are brilliant sprinters, and even from 42 yards they cannot be left out of calculations. Others likely to show up are Signal Light and Fair Isle. Another very open field will parade in the Final Handicap. The Dillon Hall gelding, Dancing Years, which has been placed in five of his six starts this season, is selected to gain an overdue win. With a little luck he would have- won before this. He will be bracketed with the speedy but unreliable Countermark.

an impressive winner at Hutt Park recently, appears handily placed on the front mark. He is a fine stayer, and seems to have done well since his trip to Wellington. Gay Lyric has not had much luck in his races this season, and he may be prominent tomorrow. He showed how forward he was when he’finished second to Johnny Globe in the Hannon Memorial Handicap last month at Oamaru. Gay Lyric is a sound stayer, and it will not be surprising if he wins. Lauder Lass, which has had three wins and one placing in her four most recent races, will form a strong bracket with Luckylast in the Canterbury Handicap. Lauder Lass is handily placed on 12 yards, and she should be one of the hardest to beat. Mighty Falla has shown good form this season, and he seems ready to run a great race. His track efforts have been of a high standard in recent weeks, and he has developed considerably. He may be the hardest for Lauder Lass to beat.

Brahman will be solidly supported after his recent wins. This time he has drawn No. 2 on the front mark, and it will be interesting to see whether he begins as well from there as he has from the outside of the field. If he starts smoothly, he will go close to winning. Beau Marie has done well since she arrived at Addington, and off the front she must be respected. Girl Black, Speed King and Douglas Derby are others expected to race prominently.

BARRIER REEF TO MISS CUP- MEETING

The U. Scott gelding, Barrier Reef, has been showing signs of soreness, and he has had to be eased in his work. There is no chance of his recovering quickly enough to resume serious work in the next few days, and he will miss the New Zealand Cup meeting. He had been showing plenty of dash. His trainer, D. G. Jones, took him to Nelson recently, where he worked one mile in company with Soangetaha in‘2min Bsec.

DRIVER SUSPENDED “The f Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. After the Featherston Handicap Park on Saturday, J. G. Crofts,* the trainer-driver of Lucky Scholar, which finished s ?ond, had his driving licence suspended for a month for interfering with Marathon. Lucky Scholar was disqualified, Packington being promoted to second, Surfman to third, and Dalise to fourth. Canterbury Jockey Club Acceptances Acceptances for all events on the final day of the New Zealand Cup Meeting will close at noon today 9 Advt.