Wellington Stakes Tests Youngsters

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 4

Wellington Stakes Tests Youngsters

“The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND, January 17. Auckland two-year-olds generally run very prominently at Trentham at Wellington spring and summer meetings, but one of the events that has escaped them during recent years is the Wellington Stakes. It takes a good one to win the Wellington Stakes. If Pipe Dream, from Takanini, is successful in Saturday’s running of the race he will show himself to be a colt of real class. Judging by their form the best of the two-year-olds which will be opposing Pipe Dream and his stablemate Gold Chick are unusually smart. Two or three are bred to be really good. Pipe Dream has been successful in each of his last four attempts. Last time he won the Great Northern Foal Stakes decisively, being too quick altogether for Oold Chick and the other seven against him. Two starts back he won the Breeders’ Plate in a very fast gallop for five furlongs. In the Great Northern Foal Stakes he went Imin 12 sec for six furlongs, only a fraction outside the race record. Return To Form When he competed at Trentham in the spring, Pipe Dream was nowhere near himself. Afterward he was blistered and set aside. In no time he returned to his best. Where Pipe Dream has been excelling lately is in his speed from the start. On Saturday his admirers will be expecting him to lead the rush over the first furlong or so. It will be disappointing if he does not run the race right out as well. The Wellington Stakes is six furlongs, but it has been run that far only since 1946, when the course was lengthened from five. Only two and three-year-olds are eligible to run and under the conditions of the race they carry 9-0 (three-year-olds) and 7-6, with an allowance all round for fillies of 31b. Since the distance was increased the success has been with the older horses. In that group Fountainhead (1959) and Yahabeebe (1957) have been particularly notable. The three-year-olds in the Wellington Stakes on Saturday do not appear to be anywhere near their class, but Key, from Hastings seems to be pretty good. Certain Favourite The return to peak form of the Rotorua six-year-old Nerula, with the Wellington Cup close at hand, is particularly pleasing. His latest success at Pahiatua on Saturday was so impressive as to make it certain that he will be one of the favourites on Saturday. Since the distance of the Wellington Cup was increased in 1942 from a mile and a half to two miles no horse has won with 9-7, which is the amount Nerula is being asked to carry.

One of the good stayers to which he is required to concede a very considerable amount is Senor and another is Marwon.

Senor, a four - year - old gelding from Matangi. is in receipt of 331 b from Nerula Marwon, a five-year-old from

Te Aroha, has 211 b less than Nerula. Marwon had no luck during the running of the Auckland Cup, nor was Senor in any way favoured at his last start, in the Queen Elizabeth Handicap, a mile and half, on the first day of the Auckland summer meeting. Senor’s Record In the end Marwon came fifth and Senor ran ninth. They were creditable efforts in the circumstances. This time last year Senor had three starts at Trentham for two firsts and a third. His wins were in high-weights and his third placing came behind Stipulate and Dashing Star in the Gloaming Stakes. Besides his good run in the Queen Elizabeth Handicap, Senor managed a very good fourth toward the end of last year in the Waikato Gold Cup, a mile and a half, so he is in form which suggests he might win one of the big handicaps before the summer is through. On the handicapping figures two northern visitors which should acquit themselves well on Saturday are Jan Beebe and Rochdale. Except for Silver Theme, the opponents against Jan Beebe in the Fitzherbert Handicap seem to be fairly moderate. Jan Beebe, on the other hand, is speedy and game. She seems nicely placed as well with 8-7, which is 31b less than what Silver Theme will carry. At her last start Jan Beebe ran third with 9-0 in the Midsummer Handicap, five furlongs, at Ellerslie on cup day behind Forever (8-7) and Fulgar (7-13). That was from No. 15, which is sufficiently wide to settle most chances from the five furlongs barrier at Ellerslie. Ellerslie Form Rochdale and Otematata were the principals in the finish of the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie on cup day, Otematata being first and Rochdale second There was only a nose between them and from the weights they carried on that occasion Rochdale is down 2lb to 9-6 and Otematata is up 71b to 8-7 in the Telegraph Handicap on Saturday. On those figures Rochdale should beat Otematata, especially as he is a fine finisher likely to be well suited by the big Trentham course. The form of Sir Henry, a Te Awamutu four-year-old, in the Anniversary Handicap is going to be interesting because he has yet to try open company. In the hack class he showed himself to be fast and a game carrier of big weights. From No. 6he is bound to run the Annivensary Handicap course very prominently, even if he does not run it right out.