Open look about Pukekohe race

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34012, 28 November 1975, Page 3 (Supplement)

Open look about Pukekohe race

(“The Press’' Special Service) AUCKLAND. Any one of half a dozen horses could win the \ South Auckland Cup at Pukekohe tomorrow without causing an upset, but it will be surprising all the same if Heaven Bless, Kutali and Skite are not somewhere in the placings. Heaven Bless, a five-year-old mare by Patron Saint, has only lately come back into form—at a good time with this big race at stake and the Avondale Cup to follow before the big staying events of the Auckland summer programme It will be a help in more than one way if she wins to-

morrow because without a bit more in her handicap she would seem only a slight chance to escape an alniost-certain ballot in the Avondale Cup and Ellerslie’s big races as well. She is a light-weight this time with 49kg, Fust above the bottom of the handicap. She looked promising on occasions last summer—one of her good performances won her a C 4 2000 m race at Avondale- and her showings at Dargavillc recently for a first and second over 2000 suggested she is con siderably better this season than last.

Then again she was greatly Im-' pressive when galloping at Taka ! nini yesterday and it will be al great encouragement to her backers that David Peake has taken' her as his mount. Kutati is due to win another good race—his last one was at Rotorua back in May—and the way he went when second last time, behind Skite, in the Wai kato Cup, suggested it could come at any time. He chased Skite gamely right to the finish. That was over 2400 m and it is in no way against him that the course for Saturday is 200 m shorter, GOOD GIFT FANCIED While it is hard to pick the favourite for the South Auckland Cup there is no such uncertainty regarding the second leg of the double, the Regional Handicap. Good Gift, freshened well since lus trip from Trantham, seems sure to be at short odds. Good Gift won a 1200 m event at Trentham in 1:9.5 Ho has had a stone bruise meanwhile but seemed well over the trouble when moving along at speed in his training this week