Arwon favourite for Sydney Cup

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 20

Arwon favourite for Sydney Cup

NZPA Sydney Weights and wide barrier draws could count against the strong New Zealand challenge in today’s $150,000 Sydney Cup (3200 m Seven New Zealand-owned and trained horses all among the top 10 weighted acceptors are in the 23-horse field, but it is the former New Zealander and Melbourne Cup holder, Arwon, which was yesterday the 5 to 1 favourite for the cup. Arwon, which briefly raced in New Zealand under the name Flash Guy. rounded off his Cup preparation with an impressive finish for third behind Shivaree and March Legend in the weight-for-age Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000 m at Randwick on Monday.

He was just edging the Wellington Cup holder. Our Big Gamble, which races in New Zealand as Big Gamble, in yesterday’s market. The leading Sydney bookmaker, Terry’ Page, had Our Big Gamble at 11 to 2.

All the New Zealand trainers are reported to be satisfied with the fitness of their horses and have predicted they will run well. But the barrier draws are a concern to some trainers, particularly Alan Jones, who

has Northfleet running as a 20 to 1 chance. p Northfleet, to be ridden by ■ Jones’s wife, Linda, has! drawn No. 15 and from that , position he is likely to pull ] strongly in the dash to the , first turn. Happy Union (No. 13), Big ; Skipper (No. 16), and Kindled i (No. 9), are three other New Zealand horses which may ] have trouble settling down. ( And Our Big Gamble has , drawn wider at No. 22 and | could find himself well ’back in the field during the early ; running. Happiest of the New Zealand trainers was Ray Cleav- 1 er. His hope, My Prancer ' (who races as Prancer in New Zealand) is drawn at ! No. 7, and Cleaver has said ; Wednesday’s run for sixth in ' the weight-for-age All-aged ; Stakes (1600 m at Rahdwick

topped My Prancer off nicely for the Cup.

My Prancer. at 8 to 1, is fourth favourite, but his preparation for this race has some observers puzzled.

Cleaver was at one stage said to consider the $150,000 H. E. Tancred Stakes (2400 m at Rosehill in April 7 as My Prancer’s main mission, but that plan fell apart When the five-year-old gelding was balloted out of the field.

The Bill Winder-trained ■Happy Union is the topweight with 58.5 kg. Although Happy Union has never won a 3200 m race, he has plenty of experience over the distance and ran second in this year’s Auckland Cup and fourth in the Wellington Cup 19 days later. Two year’s ago Winder’s hopes of a Sydney Cup success with Happy Union were thwarted by a hoof injury, but the six-year-old Zaniazaan gelding has done little ■wrong this time. Happy Union is sure to be near the front at the finish, and his prospect of success will depend on whether his jockey. Peter Johnson, can settle him down behind the pace, which is likely to be set by Northfleet. The other New Zealand horse in the field is Bermadez. The Matamata trainer. Dave O’Sullivan, will be hoping that Bermadez. can do what Oopik achieved for him three years ago. but the bookmakers have their doubts and have made the six-year* old gelding a 20 to 1 prospect. The field is: —

5 p.m. (N.Z. time)— SYDNEY CUP £150,000 3200 in. 1234 Happy Union (13) P. Johnson 58»5 l 3 0763 Arwen (2) H. White 56.0 7166 Lefrcy <17) J. Miller 35.0 ! 4 5184 Our Big Gamble 55.0 <22> S. AutridSe (A.) i 3 1106 My Prancer (6) D. Peake 55.0 ; 6 1238 Northfleet <15) L. Jones (A.) 53.5 7 3346 Kindled <9i R. Franklin 53.0 8 5039 Big Skipper (16) E. Didham 52.5 9 7000 Boogie Woogie (8) C. Clare 52.0 10 0277 Berniadez (10) C. McNab 51.5 11 5720 Free Enterprise (11) P. Cuddihy 51.0 12 4900 Miner's Inn (19) N. Campton 51.0 13 9500 Felony (3) J. Duggan 50.5 14 6053 Rhalif (7) P. Cook 50.5 15 5832 Double Century (21) R. Mallyon 49.0 16 0104 Popular Demand (4) 49.0 B Thomson 17 3341 Ladv Oignitas (1. TL Quinton 48.5 18 3088 Plav The Game 48 W. Harris 48.0 19 0160 Arcibaldo (12) S. Lake 47.5 20 3114 Barbero (23) G. Horselman 47.5 21 1313 Lyracus <20 R. Johnston 47.0 22 2800 Pav The Purple <5» J. Thompson 47.0 23 2111 Blarney Prince 44) W. Camer 46.0