Eight Northern Horses To Compete On Tuesday

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30591, 6 November 1964, Page 6

Eight Northern Horses To Compete On Tuesday

Eight North Island-trained pacers and trotters are down to race on the first day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s cup meeting at Addington Raceway on Tuesday.

Their numbers will be strengthened by Waiuku on the second day of the meeting, while several others may race at the two night meetings. Included in the latter category is the New Zealand Derby Stakes candidate, Lady Nugent, which is unbeaten in three starts to date. She is a candidate for the Manawatu meeting tomorrow.

Most interest in the northern horses will centre in the New Zealand Cup candidates, Waitaki Hanover and Gay Reel.

Spring Handicap won by Great Adios at Auckland on October 26. He was towards the rear until the half-mile and made up ground for fifth.

gade and Medieval at Hutt Park early in September. She has plenty of speed and could pay expenses on the trip. Highland Countess, too, has shown ability in her racing this season. She has been placed in three of her eight starts this season, including a third to Wairau King and Molly’s Report in a free-for-all in September. She is not always too reliable, but has sufficient ability to be placed on the trip. The only other northern trotter engaged on the first day is Scotleigh, a candidate for the Worthy Queen Handicap. Scotleigh is no stranger to Addington, where he has raced several times in the last eight months. However, he has yet to show his true form here. Scotleigh was a winner in the good time of 4min 22 3-ssec for two miles in the Mountain Handicap at Auckland on October 24. He started from 54 yards and trotted strongly all the way. On that effort, he would not be forlorn chance in the Dominion Handicap on the second day of the meeting. Need Wins

Waitaki Hanover was run-ner-up to Vanderford two days earlier in the F. J. Smith Memorial Free-for-all. He was handy all the way and was the co-leader at the furlong. Waitaki Hanover has always shown plenty of ability, but there is a doubt whether he is a genuine two-miler, especially if the pace is strong throughout. Gay Reel probably paced her best race over two miles when she came from seventh in the middle stages for a close fourth to Great Adios. Garry Dillon and Vanderford in the Spring Handicap at Auckland on October 26. She paced the distance in 4min 17 2-ssec.

Waitaki Hanover will be driven by his Pakuranga trainer, P. T. Wolfenden, who enjoyed a remarkable run with Cardigan Bay at the last cup meeting. As well as winning the cup, Cardigan Bay was successful In three other appearances at the meeting, including the Allan Matson Handicap in the world record time of 3min 18 l-ssec for 13 furlongs. Waitaki Hanover, which is owned in Dunedin by Mrs J. Smith, has had a splendid preparation for the cup. He has had eight starts for one win and three placings. His most recent start was in the

Her trainer, J. Butcher, said afterwards that he was delighted with her run and that she was more solid now than at any stage of her career. He is confident that Gay Reel will give a good account of herself on Tuesday. Butcher also intends bringing Spring Legs south. Spring Legs is in the Empire Handicap, in which she will be bracketed with Otikirama Boy. Spring Legs, a six-year-old mare by U. Scott from Spring Princess, has had a win and one placing from four starts this season. She won narrowly over two miles in 4min 22 3-ssec at Auckland in September, but failed badly at two starts on the same course last month when she broke in both appearances. Smart Trotters

Full Sovereign and Whaka, rivals in the Spring Handicap, complete the northern team which will race on Tuesday. Both are assessed at 2min 13sec and require two further wins to be correctly placed in the Auckland Cup next month.

Full Sovereign raced at the cup meeting 12 months ago, but he lacked experience and did not show his best form. The Hal Tryax four-year-old has had two wins and two placings from his four starts this season. At his most recent appearance he was second over two miles behind Lauder Scott at Auckland on October 26.

Forward March, a candidate for the Manawatu meeting tomorrow, and Highland Countess will represent the father and son combination of C. S. and J. S. Hunter in the Introductory Handicap. Forward March has had a win and two placings from her three starts this season, her win being over Oro Bri-

Whaka has previously shown worth-while form at Addington and this smart

four-year-old should again pay expenses on the trip for for his Waiuku owner, Mr W. Hosking, and Pukekohe trainer, J. K. Hughes. He was a last-start winner over 11 furlongs at Auckland on October 26.