RACING Gold Merit Likely For Manawatu Cup

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29390, 17 December 1960, Page 6

RACING Gold Merit Likely For Manawatu Cup

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, December 16. Gold Merit, an unlucky third in the Hone McMillan Memorial at Trentham last Monday, is selected to win the Manawatu Cup at Awapuni tomorrow. This race is the first leg of the T.A.B. double on the opening day of the Manawatu Racing Club’s summer meeting.

Gold Merit’s task will not be easy, for he will have opposition in Strength from several good stayers, including Picaroon, Port Wine, Arid, Kilroy, Repel, Prince Argon, and Ruve. Gold Merit had outstanding form earlier in his career and after a lapse he regained it last season which he rounded off with three consecutive wins, two thirds and a second. One Of those victories was in the Palmerston North Handicap at Awapuni in June. His minor placings were at the Wellington winter meeting. The Hone McMillan Memorial, in which Gold Merit was making a strong run but was cramped for room Inside the last furlong, was only his second race after a spell. It is almost certain that he will be improved and should carry the top-weight of 8-12 with distinction tomorrow.

Picaroon has produced some of his best runs at Awapuni. His record on the course in the last two seasons includes successive victories in the weight-for-age Awapuni Gold Cup. Picaroon has not yet regained his best form this season, but he has had the benefit of three races after a spell and should be close to his peak again. Port Wine was one of the top stayers at the New Zealand Cup meeting last month where his record in three starts included seconds in the New Zealand Cup and the weight-for-age Canterbury Cup. He showed his present neek of fitness at Trentham last Monday when he outran the open sprinters in the Huia Handicap. The form of his stablemate. Arid, could also stiffen with the prospect of firmer ground. He was not at ease on the yielding track at Trentham on Monday. Last season he had excellent form as a Stayer on firm tracks. Kilroy disappointed in the Hone McMillan Memorial but a check five furlongs from home cost him all chance. His earlier form was solid and included, two minor placings from as many starts at the New Zealand Cup meeting and a win in the St Andrew’s Handicap at Feildlng. He has previously raced well at Awapuni. . , „ , The Cambridge visitor, Repel, after several sound, placings in his home district, began an auspicious campaign further south by winning the Hone McMillan Memorial at Trentham on Monday. That run suggested that the extra distance this time will not be beyond him.

Prince Argon and Earl Robin may also shape well and the most solid backing for those further down in the handicap will probably be for Naughty, Sigh, Heythorpe and Ruve. Second Leg In spite of his defeat in the Huia Handicap at Trentham on Monday, Purdue appeals most in the Fitzherbert Handicap, the second leg of the main double. He has shown his best form on firm ground and should be better served in this respect at Awapuni. His bandy barrier position should enable him to capitalise on his ability to race close to the lead throughout. Purdue is one of the lightweights with 7-9. It is expected that two of his strongest rivals will come from the same section of the handicap. They are Astronaut (7-4) and Wakefield (7-0). Astronaut, one of the most promising juveniles last season, is taking time to regain peak form this term, but his last start for fourth at Woodville, in his third race as a three-year-old, was most encouraging and indicated that he was on the verge of top form again. Wakefield had his second race for the season in the Huia Handicap on Monday. He shaped particularly well to finish third to Port Wine and Wonderway. That race should have brought him a stage closer to his best. Sheonat and Minstrel Beau will to other solidly supported runners below 8-0. Sprinters There will also be solid backing for some top-class sprinters higher in the handicap. Among them will be the top-weight, Happy Warrior, which will be resuming after a spell. His recent training at Woodville suggests that he is well forward and he has previously shown that he is capable of producing a solid run when fresh. Happy Warrior has 9-5, 41b more than Lion, which paraded much above himself at Trentham on Monday. He showed good pace till his condition gave out, and should be capable of a better effort this time. No Boots, the Shorts Handicap winner on a heavy track at Trentham three starts back and one of the stylish trialists at Awapuni yesterday, could add interest to the finish, although she has drawn wide. Smoky Bay, the runner-up to Fondu in this race last year, Raydeen, Dalveen, Waitaha, and Warwick have all shown winning form over sprint distances this season and could contest the finish. Solepic, which has been racing well over longer distances but has mixed his distances successfully in the past, might do best of the others. 11.15 a.m.—Tokomaru High-weight: Kingdom, Gold Tie, Lord Kildare. 1155 a.m—Juvenile Handicap: Cavalier. Big Mac. Castlerae. 12.40 p.m.—Gillies Hack Handicap Kilt. Romantic Knight. Mare Nostrum. 1.35 p.m.—Eulogy Stakes: Doradeb. Moy. Extra Dry. 2.15 p.m.—Manawatu Cup: Gold Merit, Port Wine, Repel. 235 p.m.—Grandstand Handicap: Fils d’Or, Ruato, India. 3.45 p.m.—Fitzherbert Handicap: Purdue, Astronaut, Wakefield. 430 pm.—Tararua Hack Handicap: Golden Memory, Marcato, Teneriffe.