Finger points to Wag

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33128, 19 January 1973, Page 1 (Supplement)

Finger points to Wag

Bv

W. R. Carston

Picking the favourite might be a lot easier than selecting the winner of the Timaru Cup at Washdyke tomorrow.

Recent sprint form — and that is the form which will count in the first leg of the Timaru Trotting Club’s T.A.B. double — will almost certainly assure Wag of being the popular fancy. Mrs W. T. Lowe’s Thurber Frost gelding has compiled an outstanding record over the shorter distances within the last two months. He has won two flying miles — bettering two minutes on both occasions — and managed 13 furlongs successfully. Two miles in the Auckland Cup proved a bit much for him. but back to sprinting again at Addington on January 2 he came up with another fine run to finish in the money.

BIG RIVAL Royal Belmer and Tuesday night’s Wellington Cup winner. Robalan. were the first two home in the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s Clarendon Free-for-all. Robalan was subsequently disqualified.

Neither of these will oppose Wag tomorrow, but Globe Bay. which ran third and was promoted to second, will be one of his rivals again.

Globe Bay’s latest race proved beyond anv doubt that this season’s New Zealand Cup winner has sprinting talents as well as staying ability, so the prospect of him being involved in the finish again looks pretty bright.

Another assured of strong hacking is Scottish Charm. Success in the “big" races this season has eluded this honest mare — she was second in both the New Zea land and Aiw kland Cups and had to settle for the role of runner-up again in the second of Wag’s two winning runs in Auckland last month. STABLEMATES The Mount Hutt stablemates Manaroa and Manawaru will also have their share of followers. The former’s last two starts have yielded thuds in the Auck-

land Cup and a flying mile at Cambridge. Although soundly beaten by Robalan in Tuesday night’s Wellington Cup, Manawaru was far from disgraced in finishing second to such a high-class pacer.

In view of their recent form, Morpheus and Noble Lord must demand some degree of respect, and the Templeton stablemates, Arapaho and Vanadium — despite lack of recent racing — would both be capable of a bold showing fresh.

If victory goes to Berk- ! leigh or Dreamy Morn it will ; be something of a minor up- ' set. The former is very capable on his day. but there is nothing — since his win at ' Forbury Park in October — to suggest another victory is close at hand. Dreamy Morn is quite a useful sprinter and about as honest as they come, but he is in a class now where wins do not come out of turn.

SECOND LEG On performances and ability the issue in the Tekapo Handicap, the second leg of the main double, should be between Hi Bee, Battenburg, and Averil’s Dream. Hi Bee, which outclassed the sprinters on the first day of the meeting, showed that he was just as capable over

two miles when he won at: Ashburton on Boxing Day. j Battenburg managed the same distance successfully at: Waimate last month, and Averil’s Dream was a twomile winner at Addington on January 2. FINE ABILITY It is hard to assess how good, or bad at times, Radiant Royal really is. but there is no doubting her abil ity, and if she decided to race generously —as she did against the sprinters last week — she may be involved I in the finish, even from the' back-mark of 24 yards. Others whose form is bound to bring them a fair! following include Den Hest. Helkeiwa. My Darling. Perlino, Why Bill, and Sam Carter