N.Z. CUP LOOKS CONTEST OF PROVEN STAYERS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30899, 4 November 1965, Page 4

N.Z. CUP LOOKS CONTEST OF PROVEN STAYERS

Even allowing for a few “doubtfuls” is seems likely that a near capacity field will contest the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.

There are so many proven stayers with strong form credentials engaged that it is no wonder opinions about the probable outcome of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s £5300 race should vary.

Northerners are naturally hoping for a North Island victory. They have very good reason to feel fairly confident with such good stayers as Alaska, Carnmor, Fleeting Moment and Midnight Kiss engaged.

But southerners, too, are optimistic. They are expecting big things from the likes of Eiffel Tower, Court Belle, Royal Bid and Fieldmaster.

Mr H. V. Spicer, whose first major task as the club’s newly appointed handicapper was to scale the cup weights, has certainly given every runner a chance. Those whose horses fail to get the two-miles will not be able to complain they were over-burdened with weight. The scale certainly favours the proven two-milers, and that is how it should be in the first major two-mile race of the season. Highly Rated The chances of Alaska, from Awapuni, and the Riv-erton-trained Eiffel Tower must be highly rated. Alaska, the New Zealand Cup winner 12 months ago and the Wellington Handicap winner the last time he raced, has come back to Riccarton looking ready to run the race of his life. Eiffel Tower, too, will lack nothing on the score of condition. His trainer, W. J. Hillis, has planned a campaign for the last Wellington Cup winner which should have him at peak on- New Zealand Cup Day. This good stayer's win under 9-4 in the Spring Handicap at Wyndham last Saturday was a fair indication that he will be trained to the minute.

On Saturday Eiffel Tower drops 19!b to 7-13, 31b more than Alaska.

Court Belle, although untried at two miles, will strengthen the possibility of a victory for Southland. This high-class and versatile mare has come through a sound preparation and could even be favourite.

Court Belle, which has won as a sprinter and up to a mile and a half, will be ridden by R. J. Skelton, who has an excellent “big” cups record. He rode Great Sensation to win three successive Wellington Cups and was on Oreka when that Hawera stayer took New Zealand Cup honours five years ago. The Top-weight The Riccarton trainer, V. D. Clutterbuck, will have the distinction of saddling Royal Bid, the New Zealand Cup top-weight. This season Royal Bid has certainly proved a class above the Canterbury stayers, but his form in the top metropolitan class at Trentham last month was below his best standard.

Last Saturday Royal Bid showed that his Wellington form was only a temporarylapse when he outclassed his field in the J. F. Buchanan Memorial. At his peak he has shown he can compete and match up to the best. The likes of Royal Duty, Palisade, and Eiffel Tower found this to be so in the George Adams

(Tattersalls) Handicap at the C.J.C. autumn meeting. Good Qualities Carnmor, from Trentham, and Fleeting Moment, from Woodville, will also have solid backing. Carnmor has all the qualities which go to make a good two-miler. He is a tractable type which will settle down anywhere in a field, but can raise a strong sprint at the end of his races. He showed gameness when he ran Alaska and Surging close in the Wellington Handicap and finished the race with a plate (twisted under his hoof. His trainer, T. G. Stokes, maintains that cost him a win.

: Fleeting Moment was the ! best behind Carnmor in the Wellington Handicap and that run, coming after sound preparation, brought him into favour for his second attempt at New Zealand Cup honours. Last year Fleeting Moment was fifth in the Riccarton marathon and was considered by some to be a little unlucky. On looks Midnight Kiss, a smallish but tough Ocean Spray gelding, could be easily by-passed. But looks are often deceiving and for all the other qualities he may lack he can certainly stay. He invariably wins all his races

with strong runs from the back. Of those further down in the weights, Birthright and Sparkling Maid, sixth and ninth respectively in this race 12 months ago, and the Washdyke light-weight, Fieldmaster, could be the best chances. Many good judges say that the cup winner must be racing and winning in August. Fieldmaster and Sparkling Maid were doing just that but the latter’s form meantime seems to have tapered right off. On the other hand, Fieldmaster has been kept racing and winning and has held his condition remarkably well. Another thing which makes him look like a potential twomiler is the way he runs out his races.