Strong Northern Contingent For Wellington Cup

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

Strong Northern Contingent For Wellington Cup

"The Press” Special Service

MATAMATA, January 17.

In the last eight races for the Wellington Cup, northern horses have won four times. The winners were Crimson King, from Matamata, Fox Myth, from Pukekohe, Yeman, from Takanini, and Jalna, from Te Aroha. In addition, Golden Galleon and Ark Royal were Waikato-bred, although trained in the south.

Nerula. from Rotorua, heads the list of northern horses this time and is the likely favourite. After he won at Pahiatua on Saturday he was rehandicapped 21b to 9-7. He is being asked to carry 21b more than Fox Myth when he won and 21b above weight-for-age. He is good enough to do it, but it is a surprise move by the handicapper. Dashing Star and Lavish Countess were among those beaten behind him on Saturday. Lavish Countess is useless in wet going but on a firm track could test the best with only 7-6. Her trainer, N. Crawford, has rarely gone to Trentham without good return, including a Wellington Steeplechase with Aligarh. He will leave Matamata on Wednesday to supervise her final work at Otaki. D. J. Arnott won with Jalna. He has Marwon in thi- time. After a bad run he finished just behind the placed horses in the Auckland Cup. The time before Marwon won the Queen Elizabeth Handicap. Jalna was beaten by inches in that race before her Trentham victory. Marwon is generally considered the strongest northern danger to Nerula, with one possible exception— Senor. This gelding loves Trentham and is top-class when at his best. He has needed his races this seasqp. He was fourth, beaten by inches, in the Wai-

kato Cup and was outfinishing everything over the last furlong. He was a nose behind Floutulla that day and now meet him on 151 b better terms

The good stayer, Beauzami, from Whangarei, will have been aided by/the rain last week-end to top off his preparation on ground with the jar out of it. Floutulla’s Auckland Cup win was no fluke, but the history of Auckland Cup winners at Trentham is unhappy Daysun stays well and he should support his bracketmate Marwon well. Northerners feel that Ruato, second without luck in the two feature races at Ellerslie including the Auckland Cup, will be the toughest for their strong contingent to beat. With Rochdale and Otematata, the north holds a strong hand in the Telegraph Handicap, but Shamrock Queen could upset. Dainty Girl is another runner ideally suited to Trentham.

On Ellerslie form, Cabriere and D Day are the ones from the south to beat. Khor azami, the brilliant former hack Sir Henry, and Gitano are the main hopes in the Anniversary Handicap, a race Khorazami won on his first trip to Trentham. Astrazami, a half-sister to Jalna and a stablemate of Khorazami, is an outside chance for the highMjreight. especially if the jar is out

of the ground. Torrid Time is nicely weighted on northern form. Pipe Dream, from Takanini, is the likely favourite for the Wellington Stakes but Tara’s Pride could test him. Straight Irish, bound to improve on his Avondale run, is one likely to do well in lesser races. Taumai and Blue Beard will be on hand for the later days of the meeting. They are v ell above average.

Betting At Avondale

The on-course turnover of £137,575 5s on the Avondale races on Saturday was up £27.657 15s. not down £80.225 15s as reported on Monday morning. The oncouree turnover at the meeting last year was £109.917 10s. When the differences between this year’s and last year's turnovers were being calculated on Sunday night through an error in transmission the Avondale figure was compared with the wrong total for last year.