SOUTHERN WIN IN HAWKE’S BAY CUP PREDICTED

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN WIN IN HAWKE’S BAY CUP PREDICTED

The $lO,OOO Hawke’s Bay Cup stake to be raced for at Hasting tomorrow, has attracted a field of outstanding quality and promises one of the best races on the course for years. The stake, the richest in the history of Hawke’s Bay, has been made possible by the multiple sponsorship of 14 firms added to the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s contribution of about half the amount.

Just as history has been made with the size of the prize, so might a South Island galloper, Pole Star, make history and win the Hawke’s Bay Cup. Old timers who- know of winners of the Hawke’s Bay Cup going back into the early part of the present century cannot recall a South Island runner winning the race, but Pole Star, a Kurdistan four-year-old seems well equipped to make a bold attempt tomorrow. Actually it is as far back as 1888, when Mr G. H. Clifford’s Cruchfield won, since a South Island horse was successful in the race. Pole Star, a member of the powerful Hazlett team prepared by W. J. Hillis, at Riverton, has won his last five races and besides, he won another six last season.

He won the Riverton Cup and the President’s Handicap at Birchwood with ridiculous ease but his opposition was not particularly strong. However, in three previous attempts he easily beat the best sprint talent available in the south, which indicated

that he was a young horse with tremendous potential. The fact that the very considerable rain that has fallen during the last week or so has made the track soft, will not be a bar to success as far as Pole Star is concerned. He handles soft or hard tracks with equal facility.

Suttle, a light-weight which ran on strongly for second in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie, after showing excellent form in hacks, is another well fancied candidate, along with the topweight, Monastic. Monastic has drawn badly but he has such tremendous class and such outstanding form that he cannot be left out of calculations. Monastic is also a very good gal-

loper on soft ground. He is a proven weight carrier and a solid stayer. All these attributes combine to make him a formidable rival for the horses to which he is conceding weight.

Tomray, Silver Knight, Purdie, Watallan, Noir Filou, Trutone, Aristoc, Dunmoy, Sharif, Leon, Beatnik, Angel’s Smile, Dark Knowledge, and Anticipation all make considerable appeal. Some have drawn badly and this must prejudice their chances in such a big field, but they all have adequate credentials and invest the

race with great interest. Of them, possibly Trutone and Noir Filou might be hardest to beat. Kia Marea of course, is also worth consideration. She ran third in the Easter at Ellerslie but was hopeless in the going at her next attempt there. The recent form of Shelly Burford has been outstanding and back to six furlongs she could be the best prospect for the six furlongs Havelock Flying Handicap. She won the Manawatu

Mile and then took the sprint the first day at Tauherenikau. Over seven furlongs there the second day she was fourth. Six furlongs suits Shelly Burford particularly well and as she is at peak fitness she should be prominent throughout. Count Kererua and Ajasco are others with excellent form, and Stylish Pal, Brazen Lady, Blue Nile, Tauporae, and Phar Lace along with Patrida have to be taken into account.