‘Home town’ win for Prince Cicero

Press, 7 April 1978, Page 1 (Supplement)

‘Home town’ win for Prince Cicero

By

W. R. Carston

If Prince Cicero conies up with one of his peak runs there cOuld he a “home town” victory in the Marlborough Cup al Blenheim tomorrow. .

In the first leg of the Marlborough Racing Club’s T.A.B. double, the Prince Bright six-year-old will be going for his third middledistance victory since he came south to be prepared at Waterlea by Kevin O’Brien. Prince Cicero made an encouraging start to his campaign down here with a second and a first in the main races for stayers at the C.J.C. summer meeting at Riccarton in February. Then there was a short bleak patch on his record before he was successful again at Rangiora the week before last. In that 2000 m event he was responsible for much of the pace. More than likely Prince Cicero will try for an all-the-way win again this time and around the turns at Blenheim he should be hard to peg back. Prince Cicero failed as a sprinter in a lone start at the have had a good record in nter in a lone start at the C.J.C. meeting but form from Riccarton last week will have proved valuable if

!’Sean’s Gift runs into the ; money. I Golden Gate was third j behind Mr Ay Bee and Ani drew in the Great Autumn .Handicap last Saturday and J two races later Sean’s Gift . finished brilliantly from the Tail of the field to take the i honours in the open sprint. I Over the years northerners I major races at Blenheim and lithe horse they will all be II looking to to carry the day i.for the north tomorrow will ibe the former southerner, Sir Troubadour. | Although Sir Troubadour’s ; I lone win this season was in the Bolton Handicap at Woodville in February, the, • Foxton-trained six-year-old i •kept a consistent record! .moving when he ran Fraxy close over tomorrow’s dis-1 , tance at Tauherenikau on . F.aste- Saturday. .) Whereas the north is not | ['numerically strong in form I' runners in the first leg the 1 combined efforts of Grand i , I Poppa. Trumpet Call and . Kanea'x Lad might make it, i an all-North Island finish for, ; rhe dividend bearing places! i'in the second leg, the Teach-' /■rs Whiskv Handicap The Paraparaumu-trained

Grand Poppa ran tomorrow’s distance successfully twice at Tauherenikau during Easter week-end and the Ma-tangi-trained Trumpet Call managed 1400 m successfully on the final day of the recent Riverton meeting. Kanga’s Lad, from Hastings, lacks recent form but he has invariable gone well on previous campaigns at Blenheim. If this race, instead of the Cup, is chosen as Sean’s Gift’s mission he could well carry the day for the South Island. In his absence the south’s brightest hopes are i likely to be Leroy Brown. ■ Duke of York, Rio Ribbon ■and Capriole.