Lunar Chance looks strongest of top-class field

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33964, 3 October 1975, Page 1 (Supplement)

Lunar Chance looks strongest of top-class field

The Gore-owned and trained Lunar Chance is expected to maintain his position as early favourite for the New Zealand Cup next month by winning the Ashburton Flying Stakes tomorrow.

The field includes nine horses eligible for the $50,000 race over 3200 m on November 11 and is brought up to 15 starters by six trying to qualify for a start in New Zealand’s premier pacing event. It will be a real boilover should one of the limit horses be the winner, and most expect another enthralling battle between Lunar Chance, Vanadium, Kotare Legend, Noodlum, Speedy Guest and Why Bill. The race has to some extent been robbed of interest by the absence of Robalan, but the material is available for another contest as memorable as that in the O. Hutchinson Free-for-all at the

By

G. K. Yule

New Brighton meeting on September 20 when Robalan, Vanadium and Lunar Chance charged across the line with less than a metre between them at the end of one of the most exciting races seen on the course. Lunar Chance had little in his favour at Addington, while Vanadium was held up at a vital stage of his powerful finishing burst. The long straight at Ashburton should help these two find pacers use their great stamina to the best advantage and only bad luck will prevent them being two of the principals to the finish. Kotare Legend, which won this race from 20m 12 months ago before beating all but Robalan in the New Zealand Cup, .is a much stronger horse this time. He comes in on 15m this time and, after a fifth and a fourth from his two starts so far this spring, he should be close to his peak for this race.

Noodlum has dropped from favour as a result of

his sixth in Robalan’s free-for-all last month. However, there was much more merit attached to his run than many realise and he will by no means be an outside chance in this race. In fact, it will be surprising if he is beaten out of the money and a win will be no real upset

Unlucky Speedy Guest was unlucky in the free-for-all and he, too, must be considered as a top chance. He was runnerup in this event last year. Why Bill has been taken along quietly in his build-up for his second tilt at the Cup. He has had only one start and went well when eighth in the Laing Handicap on September 6. He showed that he had trained on well with a fine win at the Methven trials on Tuesday, a run which should have brought him close to his peak for this big test, Kawarau Gold appeals most of the horses on the front, but he will find it hard to match Lunar Chance, Vanadium and Kotare Legend. Olga Korbut and Staveley could be the pick of an open field engaged in the second leg, the Dunbar Handicap, to be run over 2400 m.