TROTTING Some Cup Candidates Will Have To Improve

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29942, 2 October 1962, Page 4

TROTTING Some Cup Candidates Will Have To Improve

A number of the 12 New Zealand Cup candidates left struggling in the wake of Lordship in the Ashburton \Flying Stakes on Saturday, will have to show remarkable improvement if they are to justify a start in the £7OOO Addington race on November 6. Several of the horses which raced at Ashburton were making a fresh start, while others are. certain to do better over die extra half-mile at Addington. However, some horses which have had quite a number of, races this term performed disappointingly and their chances of paying much towards expenses in the immediate future look to be remote.

There have been some outstanding four-year-olds in the last 10 years, but none of them have achieved such heights as Lordship has in the first two months of the current season. Johnny Globe and Sun Chief were placed in the Cup at four years, while Lookaway won the Addington race ait that age. Lordship has compiled an outstanding record, his 14 wins to date including two in free-for-all company, . and three under invitation conditions. One free-for-all win and one under invitation conditions were gained ait three years, a feat that has never been approached by any other juvenile pacer in New Zealand; Lordship has had 13 other starts and has been imp! « 1 on only three occasions. His stake-earnings now amount to £10335, of which £3OBO has been won this season as a result of three wins and one placing from four starts. A feature of Lordship's racing has been his improved condition at each appearance. On Saturday, he looked even better than in his other three starts and it will not surprise if he improves still further before the Cup. r Grouse’s third placing at Ashburton was not without merit She tangled at the start and before she was pacing properly another runner cannoned into her. When she had settled down ahe had only Lady Belmer, Frown and Dandy Briar behind her She followed Lordship up when he improved and once into the straight she finished in grand style. Grouse, unbeaten in four previous starts this season, has improved considerably. She impresses as a determined stayer, particularly when her laces are run at a true pace.

First Attempt There was considerable merit in the bold showing of Grouse as ahe was making her Oat attempt in top company She has come through a strenuous campaign in grand style and will be certain to make a bold showing in the Cup. Falsehood’s fourth placing was also a sound Cup trial Thia consistent Greymouthowned pecer met trouble near the half-mile on Saturday and lost some six or eight lengths. Switched wide on the track in the straight, he made up a lot of ground aad he was far from disgraced. Falsehood is racing more generously this season than at any other stage of his career. He has had six starts for a win and five placings, a record he is certain to improve in the next few weeks. He has been driven this season by D C. Watts, who seems to get on particularly well with him.

King Hal, a stablemate of Falsehood, was a little disappointing on Saturday He paraded a mass of condition

-and might still need racing to get him into trim. King Hal lost a few lengths at the start. He improved a few places over the last mile, but did not took likely to reach a place and finished thirteenth. He is much better than his recent racing would suggest and he could improve sufficiently to be a threat in the Cup in which he will probably be driven by M Holmes.

Blue Prince paced a reasonably good race to finish sixth. He was back with Lordship just after the start, but appeared to meet trouble before the half-mile. He ran on reasonably well in the straight and could be returning to form. Vanity Scott was second out of the barrier, but she began to lose ground over the last six furtongs and finished fifteenth, two places in front of Diamond Hanover, which has been a big disappointment in recent weeks. Diamond Hanover was riow early, but he improved sharply to be second at the half-mile. He began to shorten stride soon after and was well beaten at the finish. Diamond Hanover will have to improve considerably to be an early winner.

Frown’s Run Frown, after giving trouble before the start, broke. He had only Dandy Briar behind him at the end of half a mite and made no impression from then on, finishing at the rear. Frown looks well, but he has not been racing impressively. Lady Belmer was much more impressive. The 11-year-olri U. Scott mare looked to be a spent force as a racing propoeijion when she went amiss last November. She had had only one ran at trials before Saturday’s race. She broke at the start and was third last at the mite post. She was running on bodly at the finish in ninth place, an effort on which she should improve at short notice. There could still be a win in her Samantha was far from disgraced when she finished seventh. She was handily enough placed for the first mile, but then was almost knocked down in a mix-up. Once she got going again she came home in grand style, finishing four places to front of Smokeaway, which looked to be squeezed up near the halfmile. He was still fairly handy at the furtong, but then dropped back a few lengths. Samantha has not had the beet of luck in some of her racing this season, but ahe is better than her

record suggests. Great interest was taken in the showing of the Oamaru six-year-old. Sun Chief He looked to have had plenty of aolid work when paraded before the race, but obviously needed the run to sharpen him up* He tangled for a stride or two, but recovered quickly. He was sent to the front at the end of tbe first quarter, but began to tire before the furking post where he was third. D. J. Townley did not knock him about when he began to tire and he was allowed to drift to* twelfth. Sun Chief will race next at Forbury Park. He te certain to have benefited from Saturday’s race and could pay expenses there. Tbe IMI New Zested Cup winner, Invicta, waa afi but

knocked down ait the halfmile post He was in the middle of the field at that stage and had paced a sound race. He did not recover from tbe knock and finished fourteenth. Invicta- has come up well for his Rakaia trainer, S. D. Edge, and he looks capable of another win. He will not be set an easy task in ordinary handicap events as he is one of the most tightly-assessed pacers in commission. However, it should not be impossible to place him to advantage.