Great Adios Picked To Win Auckland Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30943, 27 December 1965, Page 5

Great Adios Picked To Win Auckland Cup

“The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND.

The young Albany trainer, R. P. Norton, is quietly confident that his brilliant five-year-old, Great Adios, will be a match for an

imposing array of topclass South Island pacers in the £5lOO Auckland Trotting Cup at Alexandra Park tomorrow night.

“He is ready to run the race of his life,” said Norton yesterday.

The field includes six southerners. Among them are New Zealand’s champion mare, Robin Dundee, and Orbiter, which is generally regarded as the best pacer in the South Island.

The other visitors are Garcon d’Or, Gay Robin, Disband and Avante. All have some splendid performances

to their credit. Great Adios looks to be every bit as good as, if not better than, he was at last year’s Cup meeting. He has done some outstanding workouts lately and in the Pezaro Memorial, on December 18, he was desperately unlucky not to have done better than fifth. A severe check with about two furlongs to go all but put him out of the race. Last year, Great Adie won the Pezaro Memorial, was a fast-finishing third in the Cup and, on the final night, scored in the Champion Freefor All. Heavy Support Orbiter and Robin Dundee, which were first and second in the Pezaro Memorial, are assured of heavy support. Robin Dundee is undoubtedily the best handicapped' in the field and is considerably better off than in the Pezaro Memorial. That race was run under invitation conditions and she started from the 30-yard mark. She is on 12 yards in the Cup.

Orbiter has won the Matson Stakes and O'liliver Handicap, at Addington, and the Pezaro Memorial in successive starts. Each

time he has scored stylishly. There was considerable merit in his Pezaro Memorial victory because he was one out without a trail nearly aid the way. Gay Robin and Disband may be the pick of the other visitors. Disband’s trainer-driver, D. G. Jones, won the Cup in 1951 and 1952 with Soangetaha. P. T. Wolfenden, who drives Garry Dillon, and R. Young (Avante) are the only others of this year’s drivers who have won the race previously. Wolfenden won with Damian in 1960 and Cardigan Bay in 1961 and 1963. Young’s success was with Victory Globe in 1950. The weather has been showery, but the forecast is favourable and the track wilil be fast. Selections: 6.15 p.m.—Dominion Handicap: Elegant Hanover, Frontier Maid, McTavish. 6.45 p.m.—Selby Handicap: First Division: Marshella, Apollo. Second Division: Irish Earl, Cover On. 7.30 p.m.—St. Helier’s Handicap: Herby Tryax, Glen Direct, Tutankhamen. 8.30 p.m.—Auckland Trotting Cup: Great Adios, Robin Dundee, Orbiter. 9 p.m.—Victoria Handicap: Tobias, Inky Boy, Lowry Bay. 9.30 p.m.—Bridges Free-for-All: Fourina, Light Oak, Ardleigh. 10 p.m.—December Handicap: Grande Garnison, Vista Abbey, Caught Napping. „ 10.30 p.m.—Summer Handicap: Full Sovereign, Anarca Direct, John Dee.

AUCKLAND TROTTING CUP. £5100; 2:11 class; 2m. 8318 Bobbinet (4) It. 0021 Disband (3) It. 006 Gipsy Hanover (7) .. It. 0003 Golcourt (2) It. 2421 Oakhampton (5) ]t. 2200 Rannack Song (1) It. 3019 Smokeover (6) It. 4008 Vai Averil (10) It. 0000 Avante (1) 12 0027 Garcon d’Or (6) 12 4504 Gay Robin (4) 12 415 Great Adios (3) 12 3111 Orbiter (2) 12 2812 Robin Dundee (5) 12 8000 Garry Ddlilon (1) 36 Balloted out with right of reentr 1770 r Glenurquhart (9) It. 1142 John Dee (8) It. Scratched: Waitaki Hanover. 10 p.m.— DECEMBER HANDICAP. £1000; 2:14 class; 2m. 000 AH Spirit (8) It. 0637 Caught Napping (13) It. 0824 Colours Flying (4) It. 0902 General John (12) It. 6066 Grande Garnison (15) It. 3103 Janies Evander (7) It. 8490 Modern Song <9) It. 0560 Nigger Minstrel (11) It. 7839 Scotch Bomb (2) It. 7608 Sonaga Boy (1) It. 1148 Southern Song (6) l.t 3000 Solemn (5) It. 8565 Spring Legs (10) It. 0101 Vista Abbey (3) It. Balloted out with right of reentry:— OOOS Globe’s-Mistake (14) .. It.