Royal Amour Picked In Dominion Handicap

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31836, 14 November 1968, Page 5

Royal Amour Picked In Dominion Handicap

A training run over two miles in 4:19 3-5 last Sunday morning suggests that Royal Armour will make a bold bid to win the $7700 Dominion Handicap at Addington Raceway tomorrow. The field is an extremely open one and there will be plenty of room for a surprise.

Royal Armour had a meteoric rise to the top trotting class. He won at his first start as a peter at Methven in September, 1967, and he then carried on to win six times as a trotter, showing himself to have great potential.

1 Royal Armour has had only J two starts this season. He had to be put aside after finishing third in August, and then he made a fresh start at Addington Raceway on October 30. He met trouble in that race and did not prove a threat. His training run, in which he did not appear to be at I top, was most impressive and

if he races with the same dash, he should be too good for most in the field.

Stylish Major, the top trotter of last season, has had sufficient racing to bring him close to his peak for his first big test of the current term. He lost favour when he broke after about two furlongs in Tuesday's sprint race, but the extra distance win suit him as he will not have to be so rushed early. He looks ready to make a bold showing. Logan Count shaped pleasingly when he finished sixth on Tuesday. He was well back most of the way after drifting early and still had 10 horses in front of him at the half mile. He ran on stoutly over the final two furlongs and was much closer at the finish than at any other stage of the race. He is renowned

■ for his staying ability and I makes much appeal. Johnny Gee and Tony Bear . form a strong bracket, i Johnny Gee won on Tuesday, i There is no reason to doubt his ability to master two miles, added to which is his solidness. He should be to the fore throughout. From North The North Island has seldom been stronger in topclass trotters than at present and horses from there could play a big part in the finish in spite of rather dismal showings in Tuesday’s sprint. Scotleigh, Mountain Pride and Highland Flight are three proven stayers, with Scotleigh finishing second behind French Pass in this race 12 months ago. Mountain Pride trotted a useful race for third.

Inferno, a newcomer to the meeting, has a big reputation as a stayer in the north. He has yet to meet a field of this class, but high hopes are held that he will be prominent. Uteena could do best of the others in the. race, although Markalan will not be without a chance. He and Royal Armour are the only five-year-olds in the field. Markalan has had a win and a second over 10 furlongs at his two latest starts. Humphrey has drawn the second line in the second leg of the main double, which will not be run on a concession basis. In spite of his draw, the Morano seven-year-old will be strongly fancied to carry on his winning way in the New Zealand Free-for-all, a race which has yet to be won by a member of the Lowe family. I Humphrey is a great sprinter and in his present form he looks a good chance. The four-year-old, Cardinal Garrison, had little in his favour in the cup on Tuesday and there was much merit in his second behind Humphrey. He will again be the hardest to beat and could even finish in front of his speedy southern rival. Chief Command has drawn favourably and after his fourth in the cup on Tuesday, he will be in demand. He did not receive a good run then and did well to finish so close. Co Pilot, Chequer Board, Miles Gentry and Stylos will have their supporters, while Lordship, too, will be in demand as he tries for his fourth win in the race. He has no form this season, but a pacer of his undoubted class must be considered.