TROTTING Cathpete Stakes Pick At Addington Tonight

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 4

TROTTING Cathpete Stakes Pick At Addington Tonight

If Cathpete comes up with one of his best staying runs, he should take beating in the January Stakes at Addington Raceway tonight.

The January Stakes is the only two mile event on a wellbalanced programme at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s summer meeting.

Although an expensive failure at Washdyke last Saturday he was the beaten favourite in the second leg of the main double Cathpete was far from disgraced in finishing fourth. He did not accelerate quickly and had to come from near the tail of the field in the last half mile for that placing. The mobile barrier it will be used to start this and seven other races tonight should assist Cathpete which is rather unpredictable at the start. The last time he raced from behind the gate he ran Demure to a neck in the Mobile Stakes at Adding-

ton Raceway on New Year’s night Two-mile races from a moving start make heavy demands on the stamina of contestants, but that should not trouble Cathpete, a proven two-miler. He was successful at that distance in the Waimate Cup last month. If recent form proves the best guide. Young Miss should be the hardest for Cathpete to beat She overcame a slow start to finish second to Norlight in the Winchester Handicap at Washdyke last Saturday. At her previous start she was successful over two miles in a mobile start event at Addington Raceway on December 30. Other strong prospects will be Diarac, which brought his record to three wins from his last six starts with a sprint victory at Washdyke last Saturday, and Command, which managed two miles suc-

cessfully at Greymouth the start before last. Main Double The major attractions tonight will be the Summer Free-for-all and the Flying Mile. The T.A.B. double will operate on these two events. Mighty Chief, Uteena and Stylish Major are likely to battle it out for honours in the first leg. In the second leg, favouritism is almost certain to go to Holy Hal or Fort Nelson. There will be a concession double for course patrons only on the Airways Stakes and the Harewood Stakes. Ten Grand, which won well at Washdyke last week, could be the first-leg favourite. In the second leg, the best prospects might be Halberg and Flying Nominee. If the fine spell continues —and that is likely, for the weather seems settled the track will be firm.