MOUNT ON ASTRELLA

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 6

MOUNT ON ASTRELLA

Sydney Jockey Likely (N.Z. Press Association) , AUCKLAND. The leading Sydney apprentcie p. Cook, is a contender for the mount on Astrella in the Lady Norrie Stakes at Te Rapa on Saturday. Yesterday, Astrella’s trainer. K. Couper, said from Hastings that the mount had been offered to R. B. Marsh, but Marsh was uncertain whether he would ride at Te Rapa or Woodville. When he learnt that the Waikato Racing Club apparently had no objections to visiting jockeys booked to take part in next Tuesday's New Zealand International Invitation Stakes taking mounts on Saturday, Couper immediately became interested in Cook. Cook could well ride Astrella in the Invitation Stakes, as he is the lightest of the 14 jockeys concerned and at 7-8 Astrella is the most lightly-weighted runner. Couper said that if Marsh decided not to go to Te Rapa on Saturday he would ask the Waikato Racing Club officials about Cook. The latest advice from Sydney is that Cook will arrive in Auckland in the Canberra tomorrow. J. Gorton will come on Friday, and the other visiting jockeys are due on Sunday. The ballot for riders in the Invitation Stakes will probably be made on Saturday night. The race may be the second leg of the T.A.B. double, as the club is anxious to put the, race late on the programme t,o make it easier for local people to get to the meeting.