TROTTING True Averil Emerges As Top Cup Prospect

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32395, 7 September 1970, Page 4

TROTTING True Averil Emerges As Top Cup Prospect

True Averil emerged as a top New Zealand Cup hope in November when he beat Friendly Forbes and Barrhill in a spirited finish to the A. E. Laing Handicap at Addington on Saturday evening.

True Averil, which covered much extra ground in his first start since joining F. E. Newfield’s Templeton team a week earlier, had to be good to win. Plans to take Mr C. L. Rhodes’s five-year-old to the Wellington meeting were dropped after Saturday’s race and he will probably be restricted to racing at trials before contesting the Ashburton Flying Stakes on October 3. He went away safely from 12 yards, but he was rather slow and it was not long before he was back with the tailender, Spry, in a fairly I spread-out field. Newfield’ started to improve with him with a round to go and he was tracked by Waratah, Radiant Globe and Stellai Frost, all three wide. Upper Class, which had to work hard to get to the front with eight furlongs and a half left, still bad charge racing to the straight, with Stylos, True Averil, Waratah and

Stella Frost showing up and Radiant Globe trying for a ran, as also was Intrepid. •Upper Class 'loked certain to take a prominent part in the finish starting the final furlong, but True Averil soon mastered him, with Waratah and then Stella Frost looking big dangers. Closer to home Fjtiendly Forbes burst through along the inner, with Stella Frost coming to the eijd of a grand spurt

True Averil fought on in bpld style to beat Friendly Forbes by half a neck, with Barrhill putting in a late bid for third, half a length back. Barrhill got away well, but he was pushed back until he was third last starting the final half-mile. His effort to finish so close was a feature of the race.

Stella Frost made a great first start for the season, finishing only half a head away fourth, with the same

margin to Upper Class and a neck to Waratah. Radiant Globe, another to receive a poor run, was a length away seventh, shading Bramble Hall and Intrepid, which should soon improve. The 1969 New Zealand Derby Stakes winner, Berkleigh, had little trouble justifying favouritism in the H. E. Goggin Handicap. The Johnny Globe stallion received a splendid run on the inside for most of the way and when J. A. Carmichael sprinted him up to be dose to Local Lie and Smokey Express at the straight entrance, he had most of his rivals well covered. Berkleigh, now eligible for the main race at the New Brighton meeting on Septem-

her 19, had plenty in reserve at the finish where he was a length in front of Smokey Express. Local Lie showed something of her true form when she held on for a close third. She sprinted hard to join Smokey Express in front on the home turn and was not disgraced. Royal Trump paced a sound

race for fourth, but he was two lengths from Local Lie and a short length in front of Loyal Adios, which had his chance. The others were beaten off.

Morano Lad, Sheer Delight and Hakim gave ground at the start Hakim broke again when handy at the straight entrance.