RACING Golden Sam selected to win the Auckland Cup

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33112, 30 December 1972, Page 8

RACING Golden Sam selected to win the Auckland Cup

“The Press'* Special Service

AUCKLAND. Visiting horses, with Golden Sam, Ben Adhem, and Ribaldo foremost, seem to have a grip already on the $45,000 Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on Monday.

Whichever of the three comes through this week-end’s training best will almost certainly be favourite, but at this stage the favourite is Golden Sam, a five-year-old from Wingatui.

If he wins, Golden Sam will give the South Island its second success on end in the cup. Sailing Home, from Riccarton, won last season, and the 1971 winner, Artifice, was bred in the South Island even through it was trained in Otaki.

The chief hopes for an Auckland victory this time seem to rest with Rustler, from Ellerslie, and Apollo Eleven, from Takanini. Waikato representation is likely to be ineffective, although Father John, from Matamata, is a light-weight worth some respect. A chestnut, by Afghanistan

from Dilane, Golden Sam first! impressed himself on! northerners when he won the! inter-island event, over a mile! and a half, at Riccarton last! February. He came third over two miles in the Chalmers Handicap at Trentham the following month, and 1 second behind Duty Free in ! a fast 11 furlongs before iallowed his winter spell. RECORD A good second in the New Zealand Cup not quite two months ago and a win over seven furlongs • in good time at Riccarton and fifth in last Tuesday’s Christmas Handicap mile at Ellerslie suggested Golden Sam very likely improved between four and five. He ran home strongly on Tuesday and wpulled up as though very fit. Golden Sam claims a Kurdistan mare, Senna, as his second dam, and Sally Sage, by Lo Zingaro, as his third, so he is bred to stay. Ribaldo, by Ribotlight from Fleur from Massowa, is a born stayer too. So is Ben Adhem—by Gatekeeper from Innuendo, and a full-brother of Artifice.

A common tendency has been to write down Ribaldo’s Queen Elizabeth Handicap on Tuesday as a guide to the cup because he took 2:34 for the mile and a half. The pace was certainly slack, but as much against Ribaldo as any. The sprint he raised to take over about half-wav through and his stamina in the finish were greatly impressive. | Ben Adhem was in trouble on the inside just about all through the Queen Elizabeth Handicap. But he came clear in time to get third if good enough and it was a bit disappointing that he could finish only fifth. REPUTATION A four-year-old gelding from E. Ropiha’s stable at Woodville, Ben Adhem came north early this month with a great reputation. His remarkable performance to all but beat Bardall under weight-for-age conditions over 11 furlongs will stick with all who saw him at Paeroa on December 16. Apollo Eleven and Rustler are both racing well. It will be against their form lately if they do not run very prominently. Father John came through intermediate company impressively and it is reasonable to expect he will improve further. BARRIER DRAW The draw for barrier positions decided Lilt’s position as clearcut favourite for the second leg of the cup double, the $12,000 Railway Handicap. By the very worst luck for their connections, two, which might have been considered most against Lilt, Shifon, and St Crispian, drew so wide that their prospects of winning: straightaway diminished. Lilt ran away with a six furlongs sprint at Avondale on November 11 in her only race this season. With 8-9 she turned in a track record of 1:104 and from No. 8 at the barrier and under 8-13 she seems well nigh unbeatable in this one.

Bardall’s continuing success, the return to form of Kirrama and the Derby win of Corroboree promise a great race in the King’s Plate, a weight-for-age mile.

Bardall has been running middle-distance and the question is whether, over this shorter course, he will be able to contain Kirrama which won seven furlongs so well on Thursday. Selections:—

Noon.—Grafton High-weight: Master Cracksman, Intent, Attain.

12.45 p.m.—Resolution Handicap: Some Honey, Second Sovereign, Ric Rac. 1.25 p.m.—Great Northern Foal Stakes: Trumpet Call, Expeditious, Prepak. 2.S p.m.—Midsummer Handicap: First division: Prince Shlfnal, Madam de Pompadour.

I Second division: Pure Luck, I Syalbi. ’ 2.50 p.m.—Auckland Cup: Golden Sam, Ben Adhem, ’ Rigaldo. 3.55 p.m. King's Plate: Kirrama, Bardall, Corroboree. 4.20 p.m,—Railway Handicap: Lilt, Tashi, Shifon. 5.5 p.m. Queen's Plate: Grandioso, Kiwi Can, Aldona. Fields are:— ! Noon—i GRAFTON HIGH-WEIGHT, ’52200; Ilf.—Battle Fund (12) 9-13; Attain (1) 9-9; Intent (3) 9-7; Master Cracksman (4) 9-6; Whence (13) 9-5; The Saint (8) 9-3; Heramana (15) 9-2; Bonnybard (5), Big Shot (18), Supreme Lord (17), Tipler (10) 9-1; Dark Ronald (16). Nui Tau (2), Prince Darius (7), Roller Molls (11), Ruling Nector (14), Tanjie Fair (6), Terrestrial (9) 9-0. 12.45 p.m.— RESOLUTION HANDICAP, $2200; 7f.—Second Sovereign (10) 8-8; Golden Min (20) 8-6; Able Irish (14) 8-1; Big Dee (26), Matoko (11) 8-0; Fables (25). On Camera (24) 7-13; Alarmed (15), Hi Fu.jin (2), Some Honey (19) 7-11; Ric Rac (21), Wallaceville (8) 7-10; Basque (4), Kylie Maree (1), Maesta (6). Skite (17), Wilber(force (27) 7-9; Capital Gain (12), Distract (22), Fair Likely (7), Prince Centaur (23), Riff Kin (9) 7-8 Balloted out in order of reentry: Melodee D’Amour (3), Prineilla (18), Dreamlyke (13), Arista (16), Head Ruler (5) 7-7. Brackets: Riff Kin and Melodee D’Amour; Prineilla and Dreamlyke; Arista and Head Ruler. 1.25 p.m.— GREAT NORTHERN FOAL’ STAKES, $6000; two-year-olds; 6f. i —Expeditious (4), Show’s Pride (10) Trumpet Call (7), Young: Craig (1) 8-10; Battle Eve (2), En- ’ chanting Lady (12), Fine Praise’ (11) Harleigh Princess (3), Pre-’ pak (9), Princess Thalia (5), Silk Sari (6), Sweet Fleet (8) 8-7. 2,5 p.m,—

MIDSUMMER HANDICAP, $2200; 54f.—First division: Prince Shifnal (3) 8-3; Aurifer (6), Royal Contender (10) 7-12; Dionysus (8). Happy (14), Lord Marbet (7), Tassaby (12) 7-10: Drama Lass (11), Madame de Pompadour (2), River Belle (1), Top o’ the Wave (13) 7-9; Antemis (4), Danelaw (5), Janson (9) 7-7. Second division: Lord Aly (14) 7-13; Jackee (12) 7-12; Pure Luck (6) 7-11; Guest Star (11), James Angus (7), Syalbi (4) 7-10; Canora (10), Dorothy Dee (3), Nairobi (2). Queen’s: Crest (5) 7-9; Rich Command (9) 7- Carroll Brae (8), Edora (13), Sovereign’s Dream (1) 7-7. Brackets: Rich Command and Top of tlie Wave; Carroll Brae and Artemis; Danelaw and Edora; Janson and Sovereign’s Dream. See special cups double for Auckland Cup field. 3.35 p.m.— ! KING'S PLATE, $4000; Im.—i !Bardall (7) 9-5; Hi-Bing (6), Kai-, goorlie (1), Kirrama (3), Springloi (5) 9-2; Mr Sovereign (8) 8-11;i Corroboree (10) 8-7; Beau Dee (2) 8- Curly Wave (4) 8-1; Vapo-i retto (9) 7-10. SECOND LEG OF T.A.B. DOUBLE 4.20 p.m.— RAILWAY HANDICAP $12,000: 6f. st lb 1 Lilt (8) 8 13 1937 Patrida (6) .88 12 Sharif (12) . . .84 105 Tashi (5) .. .82 2 Nunui (9) .. .81 002 Gay Prince (3) .. 712 2450 Himself (16) .. .. 712 ' 3165 Montel (7) .. 7 12 161 Shifon (15) .. .. 7 12 1 Polperro (1) ..7 11’ 3339 Robin Roval (10) .. 7 10 2208 Pinotage <l3l .. 78 47 St Crispian (17) .. 7 7’ 0696 Corrandulla (11) .. 7 5 ’ 9185 Glad Eye (2) .. .. 7 5: 0040 Lorna Lou <4l .. .. 7 5' 007 Faireee (14) 7 4 j 5.5 p.m.—

QUEEN'S PLATE, $4000; Im.— Kiwi Can (22) 9-0; Robo Road (13) 8-9; Gold Ducat (10) 8-5; Aldona (9). Grandioso (18) 8-3; Strike Again (24) 8-2; Baliandine (4). Dawn Cloud (11) 8-1; Captain Peri (20), Cheiron (21),

Storming (7), King Roy (17) 8-0; Banker’s Joy (16), Somerset Shah (3), Wool Away (19) 7-13; Dilettante (15) 7-12; Umteen (2) 7-11; Sahrano (1) 7-9; Luigi (5) 7-8; Crystanni (12), El Cordobes (6), Game Advance (14), Valiance (23) 7-7; Roylyn (8) 7-6.