TROTTING Gay Reel Arrives For Tuesday’s N.Z. Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 5

TROTTING Gay Reel Arrives For Tuesday’s N.Z. Cup

Ihe Pukekohe trainer, J. Butcher, arrived in Christchurch today with four candidates for the New Zealand Cup meeting, which will open at Addington Raceway on Tuesday. J le brought his New Zealand Cup candidates, Cay Reel, Caledonian Scott, Glen Ogle and Tobias.

Gay Reel has had a splendid preparation for the cup, a race in which she finished seventh last year after losing much ground at the start. She finished fifth in the Spring Handicap, won by Danny’s Pal at Auckland on December 25, and two days earlier ran Great Adios to a short length in the F. J. Smith Memorial Free-for-all. .

Gay Reel has more speed than many horses in the cup. but in many of her races she has been slow away. She has begun better this season and even- from six yards will have a reasonable chance on Tuesday.

Caledonian Scott is no stranger to Addington. He raced splendidly at the last Easter meeting, but had to he content with placings. He followed some sound racing with a win over Solemn in the Hillsborough Handicap at Auckland on October 25. He had had a win and a third from his other starts this season. Caledonian Scott has graduated to a 2min 13sec mark and will meet spirited opposition at the cup meeting. He will start from 12 yards in the Spring Handicap on Tuesday. Glen Ogle is assured of strong northern support in the Introductory Handicap. He has won at his last two starts and is regarded as one of the most promising trotters in the Auckland district. He is a five-year-old gelding by Paisley Lad from Catalina and is a half-brother to a smart trotter in Cat’s Luck. His meeting with Free Globe. Marshella and other smart trotters should arouse interest on Tuesday. Tobias, the fourth member of the team, will make his race debut in the Second Riccarton Stakes next Friday. Tobias qualified recently in 3min 22sec at Cambridge and in two appearances at trials since has proved a class above the maiden pacers to oppose him. Tobias is a eolt by Newport Chief from Mischievous and is a half-brother to Desiree, a good winner earlier for Butcher. Also In Cup Garry Dillon, from J. P. Baker’s Morrinsville team, is expected to arrive by tomorrom as he is booked to work

at Addington on Sunday morning. P. T. Wolfenden is expected to drive him. Danny's Pal will be the third Auckland-trained horse in the cup. He joined D. N. Hayes’s team at Kumeu after racing at the Auckland meeting in September. He was brought south by his owner. J. H. Hurring, after he had won the Spring Handicap at Auckland on October 25. He paced the distance in the equivalent of about 3min 24 sec for 13 furlongs. He streaked away to a big lead in the middle stages and lasted to beat Rannack Song by a long neck. Hayes is due to arrive tomorrow morning. He will drive Danny’s Pal in his final work-out at Addington on Sunday morning. The Trentham trainers, C. S and J. S. Hunter, are expected in Christchurch tomorrow with four or five horses, including Lowry Bay, Forward March and Lady Nugent. Lowry Bay, a gelding by Thurber Frost from Pleasure Bay, finished second to Tutta Tryax at the Masterton meeting on Saturday night, but failed at the Otaki meeting on Wednesday. He will contest the First Riccarton Stakes on Tuesday. Forward March is a form runner in the Worthy Queen Handicap, the second leg of the double on Tuesday. She trotted an outstanding race for sixth in the Masterton Cup on Saturday after starting from 48 yards.

Answer To Correspondent.— “Heated.” Christchurch. —R. A. Hamilton owned and trained Staraker when he won the President’s Handicap at Kaikoura last Monday.

Lady Nugent, one of the top three-year-olds of last season. has failed in her two starts this term. She is in the Spring Handicap on Tuesday. Cardinal Hanover, a placegetter at the Otaki meeting on Wednesday, is in the First Riccarton Stakes. He is trained at Upper Hutt by N. A. O’Halloran. The only other North Island-trained horse engaged on the first day of the meeting is Rocky Star, which is in the Final Handicap. He finished fourth in the Otaki Cup on Wednesday and must have recorded about 3min 11 sec for the 12 furlongs. Rocky Star has plenty of ability, but his form is not particularly strong. Sydney Official Cancels Trip The president of the New South Wales Trotting Club (Mr J. R. Reeves) has had to cancel his trip to the New Zealand Cup meeting at Addington Raceway next week. Yesterday he advised the president of the Metropolitan Trotting Club (Mr R. W. Saunders) that his club would be represented by its vicepresident (Mr W. McCallum), who would arrive in Christchurch on Monday evening.