Racing and trotting Royal Cadenza hard to beat if a starter

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 20

Racing and trotting Royal Cadenza hard to beat if a starter

Special correspondent Auckland The bad luck which has been so much against the present Auckland Racing Club meeting might prevent Royal Cadenza starting in today's feature event, the Alison Stakes.

The horse has filling in a leg, not serious but sufficient yesterday to make him a doubtful starter. With a win last time out in the New Zealand Cup and the known ability to race well under the -weight-for-age conditions of the Alison Stakes Royal Cadenza was entitled to be favourite. The trainer, E. S. Dromgool of Cambridge, said yesterday that he had been able to get Royal Cadenza through a couple of rounds> of pacework without further trouble. The swelling seemed to have subsided a little and Dromgool was hopeful that with further poulticing the leg would be all right for the horse to start but he could not be certain. The injury to Royal Cadenza follows Orchrida Chinkara then, at the last minute. Silver Liner, having to be taken out of the Great Britain-New Zealand Stakes last Saturday, scratchings which must have proved very expensive to the club. If Royal Cadenza goes to the post it can be taken he has quite recovered. In that case he would surely be

hard to beat. Otherwise) Happy Union, Fraxy, Golden' Key and Big Gamble might dispute the finish. Happy Union is in solid form again with a second then a third placing in his: last two attempts, a 2000 m at Te Rapa and. last time, the Waikato Cup. He has the pace to keep close to the leaders and there is no doubting his stamina for the 2000 m. Golden Key, a three-year-old, has a fair pull in teh weights, from al! his older opponents. With his 50kg he will received B.skg from Royal Cadenza and Happy Union so if he is of the quality he seems to be he’ will be very hard to beat. Last Saturday Golden Key battled home well behind Braless, Fraxy, and Blue Rula in the 1600 m Great Britain-New Zealand Stakes. The previous time he won, the Canterbury Gold' Cup, a weight-for-age’ 2000 m during the New Zealand Cup Car-’ nival, not by much but in impressively dogged style. Fraxy came very fast right at the finish of the Great Britain-New Zealand Stakes, as though ready to!

make a showing over this’ 400 m longer course, Big Gamble has the class but if I one Of the others happened to be successful it would be a big surprise. A , stablemate of Big: Gamble, the four-year-old gelding Sugar Lu, could be) the one to beat in the main sprint and second leg of the i T.A.B. double the Cheltenham Handicap. Sugar Lu has I several smart gallopers to contend with, Oranmore one: of them, but if he runs as! freely as he is able he will! certainly make a bold showing. Sugar Lu failed to run out, 1600 m at weight-for=age last) Saturday but he has 400 m less to go this time, with 5.5 kg less to carry. Two starts back Sugar Lu managed a close third; behind Varnatno over 1400ni at Te Rapa and he had a game win over 1400 m at Matamata on October 10. Oranmore, a great speedster. is back in form. Pennyshima, Oakvale and Hasty Amber are racing well and Regal Edition has to be re-! spected, she looked so prom-, ising as a two-year-old last season.