N.Z. Cup May Go To Otago Horse

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30588, 3 November 1964, Page 5

N.Z. Cup May Go To Otago Horse

"The Press” Special Service INVERCARGILL, November 2. Southland and Otago stables may not have won the New Zealand Cup out of turn in recent years, but the stirring final trial of the New Zealand Cup aspirants, Kumai and Palisade, at Wyndham could be the forerunner to a change of pattern.

Kumai’s winning run and Palisade’s fine effort for second, both under big weights, were in line with the top form that these two fine stayers have shown themselves capable of. To have a chance In the Cup both had to make a bold showing on Saturday; their Wyndham efforts certainly showed the pair to be at their peak and there is a strong cnance that the 1964 Cup could fall to Otago stables. It would not be breaking fresh ground if a Cup winner turned in a winning trial on a Southland course—and if the records count for anything this would be something in Kumai’s favour. The last southern winner of the Cup was Jamell back in 1951 when he carried 8-5, as a six-year-old. At his start before his Cup win he won the President’s Handicap at Gore under 9-13 in 2min 5 3-ssec. Two years earlier Excellency had won the Cup as a five-year-old under 8-11. Her pre-Cup race was at the Southland spring

I .meeting when she won the . Southland Handicap under 9-9 over 11 furlongs in 2min ■ 19 3-ssec. 1 W. F. Ellis rode both Jamell > and Excellency in their sue- . cesses immediately before the Cup and also on Cup day. The year before Excellency’s Cup ' another Southlander in Sir 1 Garnish won the Cup—at long odds—and in his last start ' before the Cup he won the Soldier’s Memorial Handicap ■ at Winton. He was ridden by 1 C. M. Cassidy, who was on him when he won at Riccar- ! ton. The day that Sir Garnish i won at Winton, Full Play beat the sprinters. Full Play car- ■ ried on to win the C.J.C. Stew- : ards’ making it a Southland '■ double at long odds. I , FOXY BOY 01/T ! Foxy Boy was scratched > yesterday for the Riccarton i Handicap on the first day of - the Canterbury Jockey Club’s > New Zealand Cup meeting at ’ Riccarton on Saturday.