Intrepid fancied in Cup

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 6

Intrepid fancied in Cup

"The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND.

Intrepid has shown such great form so far at the meeting that he looks the one to beat in the $26,900 Auckland Trotting Cup at Alexandra Park today.

The race has drawn a grand ! field and the honours will not jbe easily won. Lap prizes, | introduced last year, should ensure the pace is on all the way. In last year’s cup • Stella Frost won in 4-11 4-5, more than 15 seconds faster than Leading Light took the previous year. The most (widely discussed candidates 'after Intrepid for today’s contest are the Australian star, Bay Foyle, G. B. Noble’s trio of Rain Again, Garcon Roux and Valencia, and the freelegged Christchurch gelding, Robalan.

But the list of possibilities does not end there. Manaroa and Radiant Globe are noted stayers and Sassenach, unlucky so far at the meeting, also has a sizeable following. Robalan seems likely to • make the pace. He lead ail ithe way in the M. G. Pezaro Memorial on Tuesday night and more than held his own in the run home. Intrepid was a fast-finishing second in that race after scoring a stylish victory in the National Flying Pace in better than 2-0 on the first night of the meeting. 'He has made splendid progress since, according to his itrainer-driver, M. L. Edwards, i Bay Foyle’s failure in the Pezaro Memorial can be (ignored. He was hemmed inj lon the rails near the tail 'of the field for the greater part’ !of the journey and finally’ was severely checked when: Globe Bay broke just after! ■turning for home. Bay Foyle; ihas shown himself to be a i top-class performer. The Yaldhurst trainer, G.; B. Noble, has such a fine’ record at Alexandra Park anyi horse he lines up is worthy of considerable respect. He] has three in the cup and all! have the ability to make bold! showings. The best of them; may be Rain Again, a fastfinishing third in the Pezaro Memorial and a rugged stayer.

! The cup is the first leg of Ithe T.A.B. concession double. (The second leg, the Au Re-; I voir Handicap, may be fought! out by Young Cardigan and Hoover. They were the! principals in the finish of the Committee Handicap on Tuesday with Hoover the winner by a narrow margin. Young; Cardigan is likely to turn thei tables today. He had anything but a good run in the Committee Handicap and Hoover had the last run at! ;him. 11.30 a.m.— KEMPTON HANDICAP, $1800: •trotters; 2:17 class; 13f. —Great Elect (5), Heroic (4). Packy Pocket! i(l), Promite 13), Tommy Atkins (2) It; Baffle Girl (2). Carsonellii (6), Clifford Bay (7). Flagon, i Wagon (8), Johnny Kowhai (5),i i Mysore (3), Parisian Duke (9). I . Taipari (1), Warrior Bold (14) • !24; Nui Acre (2), Our Prince • (1) 36. Balloted out with right of ire-entry: Mairo Lady (6) It. 12.10 p.m.— JUVENILE STAKES, $1400; two-year-olds; mobile start: Im. —Beedeecee (7), Hal Gent (6i, Jack Robinson (9). Lady Kempton (1), Little Smuggler (10), Marc Bohan (2), Marcellus (13). Quick Match (8). Royal Raider (12), Shannon’s Squire (4), Sir Armbro (11), John Robert (3) It. Balloted out with right of reentry: Jane Barry (5) It. Brackets: Beedeecee and Quick

Match, Hal Gent and Shannon’s Squire. Lady Kempton and Little Smuggler. Scratched: Sceptical. 12.50 p.m.— NEW YEAR FREE-FOR-ALL, $2300: 2:15 class; mobile start: 13f;—Ann Avander (8). Birthday Girl (11), Charlie Mack (10), Colonel Adios (2). First Batch (7), Mister Averll (6), Johnny Alone (1). Scottish Warrior (12). Shontelle (13), Sunshine Bov (5), Tartan Lad (14). Venfall (15), Three Jacks (4), Bachelor Star (3) It. Brackets: Bachelor Star and Colonel Adios. Scratched: Sweet Lue, Uncle (Torn, 1.30 p.m— FRYBERG PACE, $1500; 2:17 iclass; mobile start; 13f.—Celtic: .Lord (13), Dayvander (10), Desray! (18), Gallio (12), Jack Sprat (8), 1 Jade East (3), Last Regent (6). (Heather Royal (15), Mister; • Mundy (14), Normandale (7). (Quick Fire (4). Russlev Forbes (17), Stylish Forbes (2). Via Tanza (1) It. Balloted out with right of reentry: Single Hal (9), Strange One (11), Hi Rani (16), Cadmus I (5) It. Brackets: Dayvander and Desray. Jack Sprat and Quick | Fire, Strange One and Stylish i Forbes. !2.10 p.m.— EPSOM HANDICAP, $2000; three and four-.vear-olds; Um.Day Command (5), Grandborough (1), Knightly (2), Scottie Direct (3), Te Kao (4) It; Character (3). Hilo Direct (1). Lord Melrose (2) 12; Double Cash (1) 24: Bachelor Star (1). Yarlene (2), Sir Gentry (3) 36.

Bracket: Direct, Hilo Direct and' Double Cash. 2.50 p.m.— PRESIDENT'S PACE, $1800; 2:16 class; mobile start: 13f.— Beau Frost (5), Courtnal (7), Dark Imp (8), Fleet (1), Fleeting Forbes (11), Gay Hal (2). Goldric (14). Halo Jackson (12). Halter Hal (10). King’s Court (13). Morpheus (9). Vandameda (3), Van Garrison (4), Double Cash (15) It.

Balloted out with right j)f reentry: Sir Gentry (6) It. Scratched: Command Performer.

(T.A.B. Special Double Closes 2.30 p.m. Today) (T.A.B. Double Closes 2 p.m.) (T.A.B. Closes 2.20 p.m.) j (Bets on second leg horse I numbers which are scratched I may be exchanged up to ; 12.50 p.m. tomorrow.) 13.30 p.m.— AUCKLAND CUP ($26,500 and $4OO gold cup; 2:10 class; 2m ! 1 1495 BELLA'S COMMAND (1) It. Solid race in Pezaro Memorial and is sound stayer. But this looks a bit rich. H. Tifflmins. 2 7344 BLACK WATCH (11) It. Sound races so far at meeting but stamina suspect. E. Harding. 3 0034 GARCON ROUX (5) It. Fast-finishing third in National Flying Pace and solid race in Pesaro Memorial. Looks back to top form and must be respected. J. Noble. 3« 0903 RAIN AGAIN (10) It. Finished strongly in Pezaro Memorial ana looks to be at 'peak at right time. Must be tough. D. Mangos. 3b 0209 VALENCIA (4) It. Broke at start in Pezaro Memorial. Has plenty of ability, but too erratic to be given much chance. C. Hunter. 4 4970 GLOBE BAY (7) It. Races so far at meeting were first for two months. Looks to be improving all time and could surprise. J. Carmichael. 5 7412 INTREPID (3) It. Scored brilliantly in National Flying Pace (1:59 2-5) and finished fast for close second in Pezaro Memorial. Looks sure to be tough again. M. Edwards. * 945$ RADIANT GLOBE (•) It. Form has been disappointing since second in New Zea- , land Cup last month. Is bet- < ter placed in handicap here and being a fine stayer could be dangerous. J. Hampton. 7 3391 ROBALAN (•) It. Dashing ; all-the-way ’win in Pezaro 1 Memorial and likely pacemaker again. Distance may trouble. D. D. Nyhan. * 1547 SASSENACH (2) It. Has ( had bad runs so far at meet- , ing. Dual heat winner at Inter-Dominions earlier this vear and well up to this class. Fine chance. R. Butt. ; 9 46 SCOTTISH CHARM (9) IL Second in last year’s cup but has had interrupted preparation this time. Grand ; stayer but looks hardly sea- < soned enough. P. Wolfenden. 1 10 7220 BAY FOYLE (Aust.) (1) 12. Game second in National Flying Pace after fine form at Addington and had poor passage in Pezaro Memorial. , With good run will be one of the hardest to beat. C. : Parsons. II 8059 MANAROA (unruly) (18) 4. Making first appearance at 1 meeting. Latest form not good but tremendous stayer < and would be suited by strong pace. A. Harrison. Bracket: Garcon Roux, Rain Again and Valencia. 1

4.15 p.m.— i J. ROWE MEMORIAL GOLD CUP, $10,000; 2:13 class; trotters; (2m.—Anonymous (5). Easton Light (31, Hair’s Hoping (1). Light j Evander (4), Paulette (2) It; • Frosty Lass (1). Salvander (2) 12; • Waterloo (1) 24; Single Cash (1) 142. (T.A.B. Closes 3.45 p.m.) i 14.55 p.m.— AU REVOIR HANDICAP ' $3500, 2:11 class; 13f ! 1 4757 BIRDIE HANOVER (12) It. Made up ground after breaking at start on Tuesday. Sound efforts earlier. Chance. I. Thomas. 2 5370 BLUE DAWN (9) It. Weakened after being parked out on Tuesday. Some useful showings earlier and must | be given good chance. T. Knowles. 3 9090 CHARLIE CHAN (13) It. Form not good enough. Win | would come as big surprise. B. Hillis. ( 4 5045 FALSE DREAM (6) It. Solid races so far at meeting and better placed this time. Looks sure to go well again. I. Behms. 5 3000 HAL BRUNT (3) It. Disappointing showings since! splendid third at Claudelands. Hard to fancy here. D. Alex-j ander.

6 0001 HAL SCOTT (10) It. Form poor, no appeal. J. Smith. 7 8286 HEATHERLOCH (8) It. Moderate showings so far at meeting. Would need to im-j prove to have winning, chance. D. Mangos. 8 3721 HOOVER (7) It. Finished boldly for stylish win on Tuesday. Racing consistently well and looks one of topi prospects. R. Mitchell, jun. 9 0809 JOHN WATTS (4) It. Form poor. No appeal. A. Holmts. 9a 1932 YOUNG CARDIGAN (5) It. Another fine showing on Tuesday after racing wide most of way. Must be tough. J. Carmichael. 10 6503 MISS DEBRA (1) It. Came from well back for third on Tuesday and looks in top form again. Fine prospect. P. Wolfenden. 11 2713 VAN GLORY (11) It. Topclass filly which won North Island Oaks and was third in Great Northern Derby at latest starts. This is big test though. D. D. Nyhan. 12 5064 VIA VENETO (2) It. Weakened after trailing leader to turn on Tuesday. Seldom goes poor race and | must always be respected. P. Leek. • Brackpt: John Watts and I Young Cardigan..