ROYAL ASCOT FAVOURED

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33200, 13 April 1973, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROYAL ASCOT FAVOURED

Bv

G. K. Yule

Easter Cup heats

A field of 12 or 13 will probably be selected to contest the $12,000 final of the Easter Cup on Easter Saturday. As a result the final two qualifying heats tomorrow at Addington Raceway will be keenly contested, especially as it seems that 17 or 18 points will be needed to qualify for the rich two-miler.

Twelve horses gained nine or more points in the free-for-all heats last week and most of them look capable of finishing in the first half dozen or so under invitation conditions tomorrow and so ensure them a start in next week’s richer contest.

Royal Ascot and Bomber Bill were beat winners last Saturday and they will not meet until the final. Both should race prominently again tomorrow when Royal Ascot will start from 36 yards in his heat and Bomber Bill from the limit in the other.

Royal Ascot’s handicap is unlikely to be enough to stop him starting favourite once more. He won very easily even though he had only a short length to spare over Arapaho. He was inclined to race lazily near the end and this enabled Arapaho to cut into his lead. The Mount Hutt trainer, C. J. McLaughlin, will have a worth-while second string in Manawaru, which will meet his talented stablemate on much more favourable conditions this time. Manawaru fought on gamely for his fourth behind Royal Ascot last week and he should again figure in the finish. Rauka Lad won the Easter Cup last year when handicapped on 12 yards. This time he will start from 24 yards, which should not be enough

to keep him out of the finish He had his second start after an enforced spell on the first night of the meeting and made a forward showing when third to Royal Ascot and Arapaho. If. as seems likely, he will strip a fitter horse this week, he should be a top chance. Globe Bay, too, should be all the better for his race last Saturday when he just failed to hold off Bomber Bill. There was much merit in that placing as he appeared to be hampered slightly when Robalan broke and ran in on him with less than a furlong left.

He will not be set an easy task from 30 yards, but should be close up. Hi Foyle’s first-night third to Bomber Bill will result in solid support for him, while Vanadium, Armbro Free and Adios Adieu should also be prominent. Eight points Adios Adieu gained eight points on the first night and he will need to finish in the first five to be certain of a place in the final field. Arapaho, to be driven by D. Mangos, will be a firm favourite for the second leg after his determined run for second to Royal Ascot a week ago. He looked as though he would benefit from the race. Bomber Bill looks favourably placed on the limit. After his fine finish to win a week ago, he will only need a reasonable run to be one of the hardest to beat once more. Robalan is the problem horse in this field. Until he broke inside the last furlong on the first night he looked to have the result in safe keeping. He will give away starts of up to 24 yards and will have to do everything correctly to increase the eight noints he gained last week bv a margin sufficient to get into the final field. Trolling slakes The $6OOO New Zealand Trotting Stakes will be a feature of the night. Edis Nova is the outstanding trotter of her age. being assessed on 2:15. As well she created a New Zealand record of 3:28 4-5 for 13 furlongs—the distance of tomorrow’s race —when beaten half a head by Grizzly Bear last Saturday. She is unlikely to have to trot anywhere near that time to eclipse this field, the majority of which are eligible for maiden events. If anx of her rivals can keep near her for a time, she should have little trouble breaking the race record of 3:33 4-5 estab hshed 12 months ago b\ the ill-fated Black Miller.