RACING Alaska Picked To Win Manawatu Cup

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30626, 17 December 1964, Page 6

RACING Alaska Picked To Win Manawatu Cup

"The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, December 16. The New Zealand Cup winner, Alaska; is first selection for the Manawatu Cup on Saturday.

Since his Riccarton success Alaska has had only one start He finished fifth, two lengths from the winner in the Metropolitan Handicap on the same course and it was a particularly good race in an event in which New Zealand Cup winners are notorious for their failures.

Alaska has done everything satisfactorily on the track since his return from Christchurch and his chance of taking the major share of the £3250 stake is bright. Alaska has one fairly short run, but it is a good one. It was used expertly in the New Zealand Cup when Riccarton apprentice J. A. Messent was up.

Circumstances dictated and Alaska had to move earlier in the Metropolitan and though he fought on he did not show quite the same dash under 7-12. No horse at Riccarton looked in better condition after cup day than Alaska, but he did not appear to be quite so good the day before the Metropolitan.

This week Alaska will be ridden by K. S. Cullen, who is having a successful season, specially in “name” races. It is a pity Tasman Lad did not get a run at Paeroa last week. His form, like Alaska’s, must now be assessed on Riccarton where he contested the same races as Alaska. In the New Zealand Cup Tasman Lad was one of the pacemakers from the mile and a quarter. In the Metropolitan Tasman Lad, from ninth on the turn, finished on for sixth, exactly a neck behind Alaska. He has not started since. Best on Weights

On the weights in the Manawatu Cup Alaska comes off much the better. He was two pounds below Tasman Lad at Riccarton and will be nine pounds under him at Awapuni. Formerly trained at Awapuni, Hi-Minx returns there from her new quarters, Te Rapa, with a sound fourth at her last start behind her. This was in Golden Defoe’s Goosman Handicap at Te Rapa and it was her first race beyond seven furlongs for the season.

The season before Hi-Minx won the Great Northern St. Leger, so there is no doubt about her ability over the distance of this week’s race, one mile and three furlongs. At Te Aroha Hi-Minx was always in the first four and if she can race similarly in the Manawatu Cup it will be a big help in the large field. Most fecent form available is from Otaki last week. Sparkling Maid was first and Trial By Jury a close second with a gap to the others headed by Prince Murat, Lionheart, Copy Boy and Trawlerman. All expect Copy Boy, which was eliminated, are in the Manawatu Cup. On Otaki running the best should again be Sparkling Maid and Trial By Jury with the latter 41b better off. There is a slight preference for Trial By Jury, which may have seen daylight sooner than desirable at Otaki. Prince Murat’s finish looked good, but so did Trawlerman’s. It was an improvement on his race the week before and he gives the Smith family a chance in a race which so far has been just beyond their grasp. Lionheart weakened at Otaki, but improvement is expected because he had had little racing before. He has won over the distance at Awapuni. Cup Top-weight Manawatu Cup top-weight is Richetta with 9-0. No mare has won with this weight or more since before the turn of the century and since Historic won with 9-9 in 1930 only Wild Chase (9-0), Robin’s Reward (9-4, 9-10, 9-0) and Deceptive (9-7) have carried 9-0 or more successfully. Two starts back Richetta was a close and unlucky third in the weight-for-age Foxbridge Plate and at her start after she finished well for fourth under 8-9 in the Waikato Gold Cup. Baloo And Weight

It is certain that Baloo will be running on. Whether he can handle 8-12 successfully is another question. He was second, first and third at Riccarton, the win being with 8-0 in the Canterbury Cup. His second was to Ichtar when he carried 9-2 over nine

furlongs and his third was behind Ichtar and Blyton, carrying 9-0 over one mile in the Churchill Stakes. Unlike Baloo, Apa will most certainly be near the front. He fought on strongly to win the Hamilton Gold Cup and was not disgraced when sixth in the Waikato Gold Cup. Cantus has shown up favourably in the few starts he has had over middle distances. His last resulted in a narrow but decisive win at the Woodville meeting. An interesting runner is Straight Irish, which has been racing in Australia. He came fifth in the last Melbourne Cup and his form on occasions in New Zealand has matched the best. Selections: Alaska, Tasman Lad, Hi-Minx.