TROTTING Cup favouritism for Arapaho?

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33067, 7 November 1972, Page 8

TROTTING Cup favouritism for Arapaho?

Twelve months ago Garcon Roux and Radiant Globe were favourites for the second leg of the two New Zealand Gups double and they vied for favouritism with win and place betters on the New Zealand Gup at Addington Raceway. Radiant Globe was the win favourite on cup day, being preferred slightly more strongly than Garcon Roux.

If the same pattern emerges today Arapaho and Rauka Lad will be the two favourites for the $10..3 00 New Zealand Cup, with Royal Ascot, Robalan. and Hundred Pipers being among the fancied runners.

Arapaho was the early favourite for this year’s cup after he won 10 races and $31,740 in stakes, proving the top four-year-old of last season. His successes included the Stars Travel Miracle Mile in 1:59 in December at Addington. He has had only three starts this term, recording a third at Ashburton, a second and a fifth at Alexandra Park. He finished his cup preparation with a run at last week’s Addington trials where he went quite well and to the satisfaction of his trainer-driver, J. W. Smolensk!, who will have his stables represented for the first time in the cup. He will also have Royal Belmer, which will be driven by M. Holmes, who drove Wrackler to win the race in 1930, Chamfer in 1950 and Lookaway in 1957 when he became the first four-year-old to succeed.

There is a feeling that Aarapho might not be quite at the peak of fitness considered essential to win the cup, his preparation having been checked early in October when a crack developed in a hoof. Fit candidates Rauka Lad is entitled to be one of the favourites not only because of his fine racing this spring, but because of his wins in the New Brighton Cup and Easter Cup last autumn on the course. His

cannot be faulted, nor can that of Robalan or Royal Ascot. Royal Ascot has had a tremendous prepartion for this race starting with fine racing back in August, followed by a win at Oamaru at Labour week-end, a fourth in the Kaikoura Cup and a win at a non-totalisator meeting on Saturday at Pleasant Point. Rauka Lad and Royal Ascot have both shown front-run-ning ability, an attribute not obvious in the make-up of many in the race. Hundred Pipers and Wag have at times shown courage in hard finishes after pacemaking, while Scottish Charm won the two lap prizes in the last Auckland Cup. The lack of a free-running pacemaker might result in the cup being run at a muddling pace, which would tell against some of the horses more generously endowed with stamina. Nevertheless, Royal Ascot, Rauka Lad and Robalan should be in the thick of things no matter how the contest develops.

While the New Zealand Cup field will be the centre of main interest today, fields in supporting events have filled well and include the majority of the most highlyregarded up-and-coming pacers in commission. The North Island contingent of close to 20, three of which will contest the cup, ensures that there will be keen inter-island competition in almost all races.

Some New Zealand Derby Stakes candidates will be furthering their preparations for their big test on November 18 with its stake of about $17,000. Some of them are in the First Riccarton Stakes, but Hardcraft (Addington Handicap) and Speedy Guest (Flying Handicap) are two which will contest open handicaps.

As well as Hardcraft, the Springston trainer, R. H. Negus, will have Willie Win in the Riccarton Stakes today. Willie Win showed that he was ready to open his winning account when he was successful in impressive style at last Thursday’s trials. Easton Light, Precocious and Royal Forbes will give the Auckland province worthy representation in the Worthy Queen Handicap, which is the second leg of the T.A.B. concession double. Royal Forbes has compiled a fine record in his home district and he could prove more than a match for his southern rivals, the best of which might be Good Admiral and Al Mundy, although Merrin, Philemon, Black Frost and Bambi have all gone well enough at times to be a danger.

Classy trotter Particular interest will centre in About Time, a four-year-old which qualified for this event with a dashing win last month at Forbury Park., He is a classy young trotter expected to measure up to this strong field. Another top-class field will meet in the Canterbury Free-for-all, the second leg of the on-course double. Armbro Free, Bachelor Blue and Lightsey have splendid form to their credit this season and they will be three of the better chances, although they might be hard pressed by Dreamy Morn, Noble Lord and Van Glory. Individual, a stablemate of Van Glory and one of a very strong team to be produced by D. D. Nyhan, Bomber Bill and Stroll Away are three fancied runners in the first leg, the Spring Handicap, in which Command Performer, from I. M. Behrns’s Kumeu team, is expected to make a bold bid.