CADUCEUS FAVOURED FOR DUNEDIN CUP

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27877, 27 January 1956, Page 4

CADUCEUS FAVOURED FOR DUNEDIN CUP

TROTT IN

Although Caduceus will start from the bacx mark of 48 yards in the DunCu P» tlie ma i n race and first leg Pu *" e aou ble on the opening day of the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s summer meeting tomorrow, his task should not prove difficult, and it will be surprising if he does not win. The U. Scott five-year-old has not raced since he was beaten into fifth P lace in the New Zealand Pacing Championship at the New Zealand Cup meeting on November 26. At his previous start he w r on the Ollivier Free-for-all in the world record time of 3 min 4 2-ssec for the mile and a half. Caduceus recorded a useful trial at Ashburton on Tuesday and he should be at his peak tomorrow. He has only nine horses starting in front of him and he should not have to cover too much extra ground to work into a handy position. The Charles Cross Stakes winner, Don Hall, which will start from the front mark, may be the hardest for Caduceus to beat. Don Hall is an outstanding stayer and if allowed to make his own rules in front, he will take catching. Don Hall was a good third to Ricochet and Compo Jack in the Tim: ru Challenge Stakes last Saturday. and he will be a much-improved horse this week.

Secure, runner-up to Prince Polka in the Auckland Cup last month and a winner in sprint company on the final day of the meeting, will have prospects of reaching a place. The Grattan Loyal pacer has good speed and he could easily surprise. Dancing Years, a winner over two miles ort the final day of the Auckland meeting, is capable of showing to advantage in this class of race. Brahman is the problem horse in the field. He has an abundance of speed, but seldom runs out a solid two miles. On a heavy track, which at the moment seems unlikely, the chances of Paia Royal and Direct Hall would be enhanced.. Chance for Spring Walk Spring Walk, which has been unplaced in two starts since she was narrowly beaten by the promising Roy Grattan in the Ashburton Cup last month, looks favourably placed on 12 yards in a field of 10 for the second leg of the double, the Summer Handicap. Spring Walk, a half-sister to Compo Jack, is a particularly good type of pacer, and with a reasonable run she should win tomorrow. Kingsdown Direct has had one win and seven placings from nine starts this season, and he will be in demand. He seldom paces a bad race and off the front mark over a journey of one mile and a half he must be conceded a great chance. It will not surprise if he is the doubles favourite. He is a member of W. R. Butt’s successful team.

Con Scott won at Ashburton last month, when making his first appearance from C. C. Devine’s stables. In that race he led from end to end, but in two subsequent appearances he was restrained in the middle of the field and be failed to run on. If he can get to the front without too much effort, he will take catching. Count Grattan, which has paced his best races on dirt tracks, King’s Order, and Pointer, will form a strong bracket. Count Grattan should do best of the three. He has a useful turn of speed and has proved his ability to handle'the Forbury Park track. Captain King, which has shown fair form in recent weeks, cannot be left out of calculations, but his chances would be better on a heavy track. With firm going. Spring Walk, Kingsdown Direct, and Con Scott should do best.

Cabra, a place-getter in his two •tarts at the recent Canterbury Park meeting, is selected to win the Otago Handicap, which has drawn a most disappointing field for a race with a stake of £lOOO. The two-mile journey

should suit Cabra, which is well known as a stayer. Trained at Gore by J. Walsh, he looks to have the best prospects of a number of Southland horses engaged at the meeting. Slipstream’s Prospects Slipstream, one of the most consistent trotters in commission, looks to have a great chance even though he will conceed starts of up to 96 yards to some useful trotters. Slipstream has some outstanding efforts to his credit, and if the pace is not too strong in the middle stages of the race, he should take part in the finish. Pylon, a winner at Addington on January 2, has a fair turn of speed and he may show to advantage. He broke in his race at Ashburton on Tuesday, but settled down quickly and finished close to the leaders. Fingal’s Cave, a speedy but unreliable trotter, is expected to do best of the others. Distant Star, a failure in his four last appearances, is expected to make amends in the New Year Handicap. The Sir Michael gelding showed good form earlier in the season and he was placed in stronger company than he will meet tomorrow.

Covrex had an exasperating run of placing earlier in the season and a win for him is long overdue. Covrex looks handily placed on the front mark and it will be surprising if he fails to reach a place. Merry Gold was an impressive winner over two miles at Addington on December 31 when making a fresh start for the season. The Gold Bar mare should be well suited by the distance of tomorrow’s race—one mile and five furlongs—and she is certain to be one of the hardest to beat. Reyleen Rail, a winner at her last two appearances on the Southland circuit, has a fair turn of speed and she may show to advantage. Rola Veyqr, a fair fourth in his race over two miles at Washdyke last Saturday, looks to be returning to the good form he showed several seasons ago. If he races as well as he did last week, he could easily upset calculations.

Luminous and Belle Renarde both raced fairly well at Washdyke and they make most appeal of the others. However, improvement would be needed for them to beat Distant Star, Covrex or Merry Gold.

Selections are:— 10.30 a.m.—Vauxhall Handicap: Margaret Scott, Sure Phoebe.

11.10 p.m.—Electric Handicap: Snowball, Great Dillon, Beau Cobra.

11.50 a.m.—Musselburgh Handicap: Princess Dillonia, Gay Cobra, Royal Minstrel, u l n’ 3s c p m ‘ — Dunedin Cup: Caduceus, Don

1-25 p.m.—Otago Handicap: Cabra, Slipstream.

,2-10 p.m.—Summer Handicap: Spring Walk, Kingsdown Direct, Con Scott. 2.55 pan.—New Year Handicap: Distant Star. Covrex, Merry Gold. 3.40 p.m.—Forbury Handicap: Roy Grattan, Caduceus, Johnny Globe. Fields, wtih form, for the doubles races are:—

DUNEDIN CUP, Of £2OOO. 4min 27sec class. Two ifailes. 3020 Black Douglas (1) .. .. scr 0143 Don Hall (3) .. .. . scr 0000 Direct Hall (2) .. .. ..scr 0012 Super Nurse (4) .. .. scr 0330 Brahman (3) .. .. ..12 0003 Lassoloc (2) .. .. ..12 0001 Secure (1) .. .. .12 0003 Paia Royal (1) .. .. ~ 12 4410 Dancing Years (1) .. ..36 0010 Caduceus (1) ..48

SUMMER HANDICAP, Of £9OO. 3min 20sec class. One mile and

0342 Bedivus (5) .. .. scr 4000 Catkin (1) .. .. ..'scr 0100 Con Scott (4) .. S cr 0033 Count Grattan (8) .. .. scr 0212 Dun vegan (3) .. .. scr *4OOO King’s Order (6) .. scr 1232 Kingsdown Direct (2) .. scr 0300 Pointer (7) .. .. ’ ger 0010 Captain King (1) .. ..12 1200 Spring Walk (2) .. ..12 Bracket: King’s Order, Pointer and Count Grattan.