Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup won by Merrin

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32425, 12 October 1970, Page 8

Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup won by Merrin

Merrin, having his first start for several months, finished too strongly for his rivals when he won the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup, first leg of the T.A.B. double at the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, beating Precocious by a length and a quarter, with a- further length and a half to Water, 100, third. The favourite bracket, Tony Bear, Johnny Gee, and Briganelli, finished sixth, tenth,

and twelfth after appearing to have every chance. The Light View—Fair Play bracket, which started second favourite, never looked likely and finished among the tailenders. Rauka Lad, which has won three of his previous four starts, hung on in a tight finish to win the second leg, the Ellesmere Handicap. He beat the fast-finishing Globe Bay by a nose. There was a head to Monarrg and three-quar-ters of a length to Black

Label, which had every chance. The on-course double of Blackbeard and False Idea paid $159 while the concession double with General Demand paid $265.80. The on-course turnover was $107,177 compared with $94,262 last year. The meeting was hejd in fine cold weather before a very large crowd. The track was in very good order, but recent rain made it on the dead side.