Mantovani Picked To Win Avondale Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30847, 4 September 1965, Page 7

Mantovani Picked To Win Avondale Cup

“The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND.

Only his seven furlongs in Imin 29sec when galloping on Thursday was needed to assure Mantovani of favouritism for the £3OOO Avondale Cup today. Mantovani has long been one of the foremost handicap horses and he has come right into peak form again.

A good performance would very likely clinch the plans of his owner-trainers, Messrs Winters Brothers, for n campaign in Melbourne this spring. A win would almost certainly elevate the gelding sharply in favouritism for the big handicaps in Victoria. In recent betting lists Mantovani has been an outsider, on the tenth line of favouritism for the Melbourne Cup and ninth line for the Caulfield Cup. A win today would make him liable for rehandicap in both these rich races. In the Caulfield Cup, a mile and a half on October 16, he already has 8.5 and in the Melbourne Cup he was given 8.7. His handicap in the Avondale Cup is 8.11—71 b less than he would be carrying at weight-for-age. Mantovani won the Mitchelson Cup, a mile and a half, at the Auckland spring meeting last year under 8.3 and a middle distance at Te Rapa soon afterward under 9.9. Meanwhile, he has managed several very worthwhile minor placings and, at his very last start he won the Jellicoe Handicap, a mile, at the Pakuranga Hunt races on August 25. GOOD PACE LIKELY The Avondale Cup is a mile and three furlongs and if the fine weather continues it will very likely be run at a good pace. The track firmed quickly under a drying wind early this week and it is carrying an excellent sole of grass.

If Mantovani is beaten it may be by Crojack, Rainfall or Kiwi Fox. If the weather becomes wet again in time to make the ground very soft or heavy Smoke Ring will be a dangerous light-weight. The Avondale Cup will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double. Claroch and Wonderbar are notable sprinters in the second leg, the Sheriff Handicap.

The weather became overcast today and the forecast is for showers. Selections: 11.0 a.m.—September Handicap: Danny Molloy, Repeal. 11.40 a.m.—First Corn-

wallis Handicap: Corumba, Cigarro, King of the Castle.

12.20 p.m.—Avondale Stakes: Freehold, Coronita, Mala Marina.

1.10 p.m.—Henderson Handicap: Ursinus, Fair Crest, Mighty Fair. 1.40 p.m.—Second Cornwallis Handicap: Julius, Gold Ruler, Kisib. 2.25 p.m.—Avondale Cup: Mantovani, Rainfall, Crojack. 3.10 p.m.—Swanson Handicap: Red Filou, Playday, Town Guard. 3.55 p.m.—Sheriff Handicap: Claroch, Wonderbar, Gold Chick. 4.40 p.m.—Borough Handicap: Old and Bold, New Tiki, Forebrace. Fields are:— 11 a.m.— SEPTEMBER HURDLES, £750: 15f.—Danny Molloy (3) 10-3: Repeal (1) 10-0; King's Mill (6) 9-10; Riglaw (2) 9-4; Nickel Pot (5) 9-3; Norton (4) 9-0. 11.40 a.m.— FIRST CORNWALLIS HANDICAP, £700; 6f.— Corumba (2) 8-10; King Of The Castle (5) 8-9; Cigarro (4) 8-7; Achates (6), Bloodhound (21), Jeenie Bee (12) Little Stranger (10), Lucks A Fortune (9), Nukinuki (24), Whispering Hope (19) 8-6; Able Queen (13), Balalaika (20), Golden Choice (16), Golden Surprise (1), Meadowlands (8). Mr Fagan (11), Red Sahara (14) Supreme One (22), Tabulate (15), Talaheena (23), Tirteen (13) Venturer (17) 8-5. Scratched: Flander’s Ridge (3), By Plane (7). 12.20 p.m

AVONDALE STAKES, £1000; two-year-olds; sf.—Animate (10>. Bostock (12), Court Rapid (9), Fair Account (7), Freehold (2), Persian Fox (8), Regal Consort (17) Reottered (16), What You Will (IS), Youanme (6) 8-5; Coronita (1), Janie Kay (3), Mala Marina (-14), Pelsen (15), Sylvan Spi (5), Tellaelanlon (11). Unpainted (4) 8-0. Scratched: Ana Rose (13). 1 p.m.— HENDERSON HANDICAP, £800; 7f. —Fair Crest (6) 9-0; Ursinus (18) 8-9; Sonya’s Pride (23), Vai Vua (3) 8-2; Kurrewa (15) 8-1; Stradella (9), Swift Chick (19) 7-13; Draco Cl), El Cid (24) 7-12; Pacific Prince (10). Queen’s Pride (12), Silent Night (5) 7-11; Mighty Fair (13), Special Request (20) 7-9; Carolyn Rose (4), Donna Dee (26), Dormer (8), Explanation (17), Gerry (16) 7-8; Make Way (11), Mombasa (14), Skymaster (22) 7-7. Bracket: Make Way and Mombasa.

Scratched: Strawberry Fair (21), Fair Linda (25), Beau Coup (7), Nandana (2).

1.40 p.m.— SECOND CORNWALLIS HANDICAP, £700; 6f.—Julius (7) 8-10; Baroque (22), Surgaway (20) 8-8: Just It (12) 8-7 ;Fair Last (6), Gold Ruler (21), Kisib (19), Lom bardy (16), Naval Cadet (10), Peterman (1), Soondarranl (14) 8-6; Arragon Queen (17), Doctor Simon (2), Fair Kingdom (9), Fleet Filou (4), Nandana (5), Powelka (18), Ring! Kltea (8), Takeda (13), Theatre Royal (15), Triple Wyn (24), Why Wait (11) 8-5. Scratched: King’s Inn (3), Summer Fury (23). FIRST LEG OF T.A.B. DOUBLE 2.25 p.m.— AVONDALE CUP, £3000; Ilf. st. Ib

Lodge (12). 3.10 p.m.— SWANSON HACK HANDICAP, £800: Ilf.—Playday (7) 8-8; Town Guard (13) 8-10; Red Filou (14) 8-3; Capella (1) 8-0; Regal Minstrel (8) 7-13; Bright

Chief (6) 7-12; Heather Isle (4), Placidus (10) 7-11; Helenpheus i 5), Kuddles (9), No Regrets (2), Sir Countax (11) 7-10. Scratched: Lou Fair (3), Tamatahi (12). SECOND LEG OF T.A.B. DOUBLE 3.55 p.m.— SHERIFF HANDICAP, £1100; 6f. St. lb 0424 Gold Chick (1) 8 10 3125 Wonderbar (12) .. 8 0 1161 Claroch (8) .. 7 12 5775 Blue Bay (2) ..7 6 0339 Fair Fury (7) ..75 1954 First Tax (6) ..7 5 0005 Loyal Ruler (10) .. 7 5 7741 Mo-I-Rana (9) ..7 5 4069 Travel Alone (4) ..75 Scratched: Urapukapuka (10), Seasonal (13), Surco (5), Otematata (3). 4.40 p.m.— BOROUGH HANDICAP, £1000; Im. —Markable (3) 8-13; Forebrace (5), Leawayne (2) 8-0; Caballero (10), Mali Peter (13), Misere (4), Queen’s Poet (6) 7-12: New Tiki (1) 7-11; Foxskin (9) 7-9: Old and Bold (8) 7-8; Chui (7), Viti (12) 7-7. Scratched: Gold Chick.

1303 Craddock (4) 8 12 2421 Clarendon (11) 8 11 0031 Mantovani (2) 8 11 0013 Regal Ruler (12) .. 8 7 1131 Rainfall (6) 8 3 6515 Crojack (15) 8 1 2614 My Contact (5) 8 0 1026 Weatherly (9) 7 9 0123 Kiwi Fox (3) 7 8 4701 Midnight Kiss (1) .. 7 8 0082 Captain Lancaster (14) 7 5 1154 Smoke Ring (10) 7 4 4552 Corbassiere (18) 7 3 1550 El Khebira (8) 7 2 5343 Red Crest (13) 7 2 1541 The Prophet (17) 7 0 Scratched: Old Parr (7), Blue