RACING Betting record probable

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 8

RACING Betting record probable

One of the safest bets for New Zealand Cup day at Riccarton today is an off-course betting record for the Canterbury Jockey Club.

Th* strength of the North Island representation in the $20,600 New Zealand Cup, the $13,000 New Zealand Derby, and the $4OOO Stewards’ Handicap practically assures the club of an improvement on the record of $475,623.50 on cup day in 1964. With the extra interest created by the first national cup lottery, the club can also

reasonably expect an oncourse turnover close to its previous best for a cup day —the $376,899 put through totalisator windows on the course in 1951, the first year of the T.A.B. Kartika and Dyak, the last of the cup horses to arrive from the north, were exercised at Riccarton yesterday. B. F. Deacon, the Hawera trainer of the Wellington Handicap winner Kartika, said he was pleased with the mares progress in the meantime, and confident of a good

run. He showed signs of special interest in the forecast for some showers with a south-westerly wind change. Kartika has the respect of most of the connections of northern owners. One such is Monition’s Wanganui part-owner and breeder, Mr E. L. Healey, who is confident he has one of the top light-weight chances in the race but has been impressed by Kartika’s spring form. Mr Healey flew from Christchurch on Thursday on the first stage of an overseas trip, but he will be keeping in touch from afar with what develops in the first of the big two-mile races of the year today. Confidence remains high m the Mediate camp. The Takanini stayer, which would have been tilting at Melburne Cup honours next Tuesday only for the risks facing a horse which had an almost crippling break-down two season ago, has given no concern on the trip.

There was obvious appeal in Mediate’s victory at the Banks Peninsula meeting, and his connections’ hopes took another lift after the Better Honey gelding’s good final trial with three cup rivals. TRELAY READY The Wingatui trainer, H. A. Anderton, who wrote fresh records into New Zealand Cup history when Princess Mellay and Trelay took the first two placings in the race in 1970 and again last year, has Trelay looking strong and bright to meet all the demands placed on a topweight. “Let it rain, but not so that the track will be slippery on top and hard underneath,” Anderton said yesterday. Trelay’s biggest danger? Ribaldo, in the opinion of the veteran trainer who has followed a careful programme framed many months ago to have Trelay at his peak today.