TROTTING Few Horses Eligible For N.Z. Trotting Cup

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29269, 29 July 1960, Page 5

TROTTING Few Horses Eligible For N.Z. Trotting Cup

Racing in the faster classes will be followed with tremendous interest in the opening months of the 1960-61 season as horses attempt to graduate to a 4min 23sec mark for two miles. This is the accepted limit for the New Zealand Cup run at Addington in November, although on occasions horses assessed at 4min 24sec have been eligible to give away time and start.

The horses at present assessed at tain 23sec and faster for two miles form a small proportion of the horses raced each season, but they are expected to provide the thrills of the year for lightharness followers. At present there are 13 horses assessed at tain 23sec and faster and there could be one addition in Highland Air, which did not start during the current season. Highland Air has been dogged by recurring soreness, but he is back jogging with G. B. Noble at Yaldhurst. However, there is a big doubt whether he will survive the searching preparation necessary for a race such as a New Zealand Cup. Assuming that Highland Air trains on, there is little prospect that the other 13 horses on tight marks will all be available for

the cup. During most springs there are at least one or two fastclass horses which go amiss before the cup. The list of horses, and their two-mile assessments is:—Auditor, Fourth Edition, Invicta, Lady Shona, Light Nurse, Mayneen, Showdown, 4min 23sec; Lady Belmer, Scottish Command, taiin 22sec; Gentry, Lookaway, 4min 21sec; Highland Air, 4min 20Jsec; Thunder, 4min 20sec; False Step, 4min 19sec. Four Qualified Only four of those 14 horses graduated to New Zealand Cup class during the whole of this season. They were Auditor, Fourth Edition, Light Nurse and Showdown, none of which improved their two-mile assessments after qualifying. It is not beyond possibility that the next cup winner, will come from among these four horses, but their performances to date hardly warrant serious consideration being given their chances. Auditor has raced most disappointingly since he beat a weak field at Addington last November, one third being his best effort from seven starts. Fourth Edition won the Easter Cup in the autumn after racing a little disappointingly at times earlier. Fourth Edition was an entry for the last cup, but he injured himself on the eve of the race. He will find it harder now that he has to race against horses of the calibre of False Step and Lookaway. Light Nurse was injured and put aside after showing good form last August. This daughter

of the 1949 cup winner, Loyal Nurse, will be a difficult mare to fit for the cup race, although she is a dour stayer. Showdown’s sole win this season was in August, one fourth placing being his best effort from eight subsequent races.

Invicta, Lady Shona and Mayneen, the other three horses on tain 23sec, have shown only fair form this season. Invicta and Lady Shona, which are rising 10 and 11 years respectively, are into the veteran class and their chances of winning over two miles against younger rivals do not look bright. Mayneen’s form this season was not encouraging beyond 10 furlongs. Lady Belmer and Scottish Command are two top-class pacers on 4min 22sec. Both are expected to be back next season and once again they should prove to be among the top pacers in the country. Fine Pacers Gentry and Lookaway, on tain 21sec, are two of the best pacers in commission. Both are being prepared for the cup. Gentry has compiled a remarkable record for consistency in New Zealand, but luck has been against him in Australia. He was injured a few days before the Inter-Dominion Championship series started last January and was returned home. He is back in work again and is reported to be training on well for R. Stockdale. Lookaway, after some indifferent efforts at trials early in the season, gained two brilliant wins later in the term. His performance to win at Addington in April was one of the highlights of the season’s racing. Lookaway at his best is a brilliant pacer and if he comes up as well in the spring he could easily develop into the top performer of the season. Highland Air is a doubtful prospect for racing because of refurring soreness, but at his best he is a grand pacer. Thunder is due to resume work shortly. This veteran pacer is a died-in-the-wool stayer and if he comes up as well as he was this season, he could still be a good winner. False Step, on 4min 19sec, completes the list of cup-class horses. He, has not shown his best form since he took a heavy fall at Addington last November, and he was a big disappointment at the Inter-Dominion Championship carnival in Sydney. He is back in work with C. C. Devine and it is to be hoped that this outstanding pacer fully recovers his confidence. False Step has already won two New Zealand Cups and he is ranked as the top stayer of recent years. Provided the cup limit remains unchanged, he will start from 48 yards in November. His two wins in the big Addington face have been gained in the style of a true stayer and such a long mark would be no impossible harried to success for him. Tike the other fast-class horses. False Step will have another major mission this season the Inter-Dominion Championship series at Addington in February. Wins in both the cup and the championship series should be within his compass. (To be concluded.)

[This is the first of two articles discussing the horses in New Zealand Cup class, and those ■ capable of reaching that company before next November. The second 'article will appear tomorrow.]