TROTTING ASIA MINOR WELL PLACED

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30947, 31 December 1965, Page 10

TROTTING ASIA MINOR WELL PLACED

£3050 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup

Asia Minor looks favourably placed on the limit to give his Leeston owner-trainer, W. J. Doyle, one of his most important wins in the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway tomorrow evening. The £3050 race is the richest on the calendar for trotters and has drawn an outstanding field of 14.

Asia Minor was an impressive winner over 12 furlongs under invitation conditions at Ashburton last Monday against opposition similar to that which he will encounter tomorrow. This time, under ordinary handicap conditions, he returns to the limit, a factor which suggests that his chances are second to none.

Harbour Light heralded an early win when she finished gamely for a close third to Asia Minor and Flaming Way at Ashburton. She meets Asia Minor on 12 yards worse terms, but that will not stop her offering spirited opposition again.

Harbour Light has been prominent in the finishes of the two contests for this race since the club raised its stake to £3050 in 1963. In that year she dead-heated for first with Flaming Way, and a year ago she was second to Queen’s Cord. Mighty Chief is the problem horse in the field. Last month’s Dominion Handicap winner has broken badly in his two starts since that race,

the most recent being at Ashburton last Monday. If D. J. Townley can get him over the first furlong without making a mistake, he could be one of the better prospects.

Queen’s Cord showed that she will make a bold bid to win the race for a second time when she overcame difficulties to finish fourth at Ashburton on Monday. She is a grand stayer close to her peak. If she is to justify a trip to the Inter-Dominion Championship series, she will have to be close at the finish. Forward March trotted her best race for some months when she came from well back at the half-mile to finish seventh at Ashburton.

She could easily surprise, especially if she trots as well as she did last autumn. Castleton’s Gift, Acquit, Poupette and Flying Maiden are others capable of racing prominently. The Canterbury Park Trotting Cup will be t’he first leg of the T.A.B. double, with the second leg on the New Year Handicap. Cloudy Bay, Wendy Dawn and Fielder form a likely trio for that race, although the chances of Happy Ending, Peerswick, Terrace Dale and Gay Gordon cannot be overlooked. There will be an on-course double run on the Welcome Handicap and the Plumpton Stakes. Fine weather is forecast and the track will be fast. COURSE DOUBLE FIRST LEG 6.15 p.m.— WELCOME HANDICAP, £450; trotters: 2:18 class; 13f. 010 Johnny Gee (6) .. It. 0964 Madam Scott (9) .. It. 4360 Melissa (5) .. .. It. 0025 Notulas (7) .. .. It. 8364 Peterborough (3) It.