TROTTING Four Australian entries for Cup carnival

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32736, 13 October 1971, Page 9

TROTTING Four Australian entries for Cup carnival

The 1971 New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting, which opens on Tuesday, November 9, at Addington Raceway, looks like developing into a miniature InterDominion carnival. So far, two Australian pacers have been entered for the New Zealand Trotting Cup and other feature races at the meeting, and two Australian trotters have been entered for the Dominion Handicap and other top races for horses of their gait.

The nominations of the two fine pacers, Bay Foyle and Celevale Van, the Sydney trotter, King Flex, and Just Money, a trotter from Melbourne, have been received by the New Zealand Metropolitan Club. Mr N. Johnstone, of Sydney, has advised the club that arrangements are being made for an aircraft to bring the horses from Sydney to Christchurch on November 4. They will be accompanied by the Auckland-owned trotter, Frosty Lass, which has been campaigned in Australia for the las( four months. She, too, will compete at the Cup meeting and strengthen the class in the main events for trotters.

The remaining space in the aircraft will possibly be taken by a galloper returning from a spring campaign in Sydney, but there is a possibility that another pacer or trotter will be included. Eight-week stay Although definite . plans have not been made, it is probable that the visiting horses will remain in New Zealand until early in January. Mr Johnstone has expressed high hopes that one or both his pacers will receive an invitation to nominate for the Stars Travel Miracle Mile at the New Brighton meeting on December 4, after which they will be reserved for the Auckland Trotting Cup carnival late in December, to be followed a day or two later by a return visit to Christchurch for the Canterbury Park meeting at Addington Raceway. The two pacers will be able to race for stakes of close to $lOO,OOO during their stay of eight weeks in New Zealand, while suitable races for the trotters will be worth about $50,000, far in advance of

anything available in Australia during the same period. Bay Foyle, a flve-year-old by Goose Bay from Glen Foyle, made a fresh start in the Whirlwind Stakes over one mile at Harold Park last Friday night. After starting from 12 yards, he finished fourth to Gold Tod, Welcome Advice, and Just So. He was hampered at the start, but ran on strongly to record 2min 3 2-ssec, equalling the time of the winner, which created a new race record from a standing start After the race, Bay Foyle’s trainer-driver. C. J. Parsons, said that the horse seemed to have lost some of his early brilliance. “He is much more a staying type now,” he said. Bay Foyle will contest the $12,500 Spring Cup at Harold Park on Friday week, his rivals probably including Celevale Van, which made an auspicious first appearance after a long spell at Harold Park on September 17 and ran out a decisive winner in the Pacers’ Invitation Stakes, rating 2min 8 4-ssec for 13 furlongs and 98 yards. Bay Foyle will start from 12 yards in the cup and Celevale Van from the limit. Celevale Van has a New Zealand assessment of 2:11, and a win in the Spring Cup will not affect his cup mark. However, Bay Foyle could earn a penalty if he is successful on Friday week. Top rating Just Money is rated as one of the top trotters in Australia. He has to miss the spring carnival as he was barred from racing at Harold Park for four weeks after he finished last in a race on September 24. Before that he had won at his three previous starts on the course.

Just Money, a nine-year-old gelding by Bank Note, was until his failure at Harold Park last month a member of the team trained by T. Dillon. However, after that run his owner, Mr E.

J. Dove, placed him with the former Christchurch trainerdriver, K. D. Murray, who is located near Melbourne. Australians rate Just Money as the top trotter in their country. He was to have competed at the InterDominion Championship series last February, but a misunderstanding arose over travel arrangements, and the

horse missed the flight to Christchurch.

King Flex has been entered for the $5OOO Trotters’ Cup on Friday night at Harold Park. His rivals will probably include the New Zea-land-bred horses Frosty Lass and Cardigan, Lass, second and third respectively to Odd Adios in the Trotters’ Mobile Stakes last week at Harold Park.