RACING Baloo Picked To Win Gold Cup

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31520, 7 November 1967, Page 4

RACING Baloo Picked To Win Gold Cup

Baloo’s record-breaking gallop in the Riccarton Handicap last Saturday probably assured him of favouritism for the Canterbury Gold Cup tomorrow. But with Min Flicka, Empyreus and Court Belle to oppose him he should not be a deminating favourite.

Min Flicka and Empyreus are brilliant newcomers at the meeting, and form from the Wellington spring meeting suggests they should be doughty rivels for Baloo in the first leg of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double.

Min Flicka brilliantly won the mile Pearce Handicap on Labour Day.

so far. and he will not be one of the top fancies. Segundo, a gallant third in the New Zealand Cup, might lack the brilliance to make an equally good showing at a mile and a quarter. Horses of the type of Feiramor and Manana could show to greater advantage If, as often happens in such a race, it becomes a stop-go affair. Middy’s Mission Middy was scratched from the Canterbury Gold Cup yesterday, and will run in the Jockey Club Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double. On his Stewards’ Handicap run he would be only one of the outside chances, but he is so much better at seven furlongs and a mile than at six furlongs that he could be one of the top contenders. Middy had the speed to lead the chase after High Delight to the straight in the Stewards’ Handicap, but his rider, F. H. Skelton, said later that the Mosgiel horse was not on “the right foot." He should get time to get balanced in tomorrow’s mile race, and he looks the strongest rival for Royal Chase, whose strongly-finishing fifth in the Stewards’ could assure him of favouritism. Jane Blithe, a newcomer to this class, but an impressive winner of her last two races, one of them on the first day of the meeting, should dominate the light-weight section of the handicap.

On the same programme, Empyreus showed an encouraging flash of his best form in running third in the weight-for-age Harcourt Stakes, won by Laramie. Laramie show’ed that Harcourt Stakes form was the right form in winning the New Zealand Cup under topweight of Bst 101 b on Saturday. Laramie again has Bst 101 b in tomorrow’s feature race, but this time he is running in a limited handicap and will be giving from 61b to 221 b to some good gallopers.

Laramie is 61b above Court Belle, runner-up to Baloo in the Riccarton Handicap on Saturday when carrying 121 b more than the nuggety Woodville speedster.

Improving Court Belle should still be improving with her racing and, in meeting Baloo 81b better tomorrow, she must be one of the more highly-re-garded prospects.. Court Belle is a stablemate of Tulson, another runner for Southland in the Canterbury Gold Cup. Tulson earned a start with his second in the New Zealand Derby, but this will be far and away more difficult than anything he has tried

Manana will also come in for solid backing here if his connections pass over a start in the Canterbury Gold Cup, which looks much stronger The handy size of this field would suit Manana, which gets back early in his races, but usually has a strong finish when given slightly easy footing. Canny Day appeals most strongly of the others.