RACING GOLD CUP, GUINEAS AT TE RAPA Gitano And Castlerae

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 4

RACING GOLD CUP, GUINEAS AT TE RAPA Gitano And Castlerae

Favoured "TAie Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, November 24. The Waikato Gold Cup and Waikato Guineas are important events to be decided on the second day of the Waikato Racing Club’s spring meeting at Te Rapa tomorrow. Another race which is attracting widespread interest is the Sutherland Handicap. The Gold Cup field is packed with staying talent and there is an excellent sprint company in the Sutherland Handicap. For the Guineas the Otaki colt Castlerae is favoured.

Castlerae has already won the Wanganui Guineas and the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. It seems very probable he will win tomorrow’s big three-year-old race as well. But he might have to go harder than he has previously to hold such smart young horses as Cracksman, Catania and the up-and-coming Te Awamutu eolt, Santry. Castlerae has had seven starts this season for five wins and two seconds, taking second place among horses of his age only to his stablemate. Commanding. Both Castlerae and Commanding are raced-by their breeder, Mr G. S. Walton. Between them they have won every guineas race in the north this season except one at Avondale in which neither was a starter.

The Waikato Guineas was first staged in 1945 and as no colt or filly outside the local district has yet been successful a win for Castlerae would be especially notable. He is one of two visitors in the Guineas field. The other is Silver Pelt, from Awapuni. The mile and a half course of the Waikato Gold Cup is such a good test that whichever wins is bound to take a very prominent place in early discusions on the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Auckland Cup nominations have already closed and the handicaps are due to be declared on Tuesday week. Gitano. with 7-13, looks the pick of the Waikato Gold Cup handicap, his weight being the same as he won with impressively over a mile last Saturday. Old Parr, might be a light-weight prospect and Lampada, Daysun and Beauzami are other prospects. Last year Daysun won the

i Waikato Gold Cup and I finished third in the Auckland t Cup. Lately he has looked to 1 be past approaching good ■ form again. : The Waikato Gold Cup will i be the first leg of the T.A.B. i double. s Cabriere, from Stratford. • Gauntlet, Glen Count, Otei matata, Gold Raider and Kalamira are some of the i good sprinters in the second i leg. the Sutherland Handicap. ; If the dry spell continues f the going will be very firm. Selections:— 11.20 a.m.—Waimai Hlgh-

weight: Rugby. Stylish Son, Noel Fox. 12.5 p.m.—Ruakura Handicap: First Division: Tara’s Pride. Fair Court. Second division: Gold Chick, Prince Mahmoud. 12.55 p.m.—Frankton Handicap: Stradown, Sir Henry. Rycest. 1.35 p.m.—Waikato Guineas: Castlerae. Catania, Sentry. 2 20 p.m.—Waikato Gold Cup: Gitano, Old Parr. Daysun. 3.5 p.m.—Hamilton Handicap: Conference, Peterzaml, No Boy. 3.50 p.m.—Sutherland Handlcap: Glen Count, Cabriere. Gauntlet. 4.35 p.m.—Linley Handicap: Takina. Kllwuddie. Minionair.