John Wayne favoured in Wellington Guineas

Press, 18 October 1980, Page 21

John Wayne favoured in Wellington Guineas

Special Correspondent Wellington Trentham has few equals as a racetrack in this part of the world and some years back it. was, as well, one of the leading training establishments.

That changed, and it was not long ago that only a handful of owner-trainers continued to fly the flag.

In the last six months or so there has 'been a welcome resurgence. Trentham may never again hit the great heights of the 30s and'4os. bu’ the centre is alive and well.

So today it would be fitting if one of the “locals.” John Wayne, won the 19S0 running of the Wellington Guineas. The challenge bv the Kir-

rama colt is a real one. He i has won a couple of races this season, his last being a success over Full of Grace in the Copper Belt Stakes at Hawera. It is 35 years since a Trentham-trained horse won the Wellington Guineas. And that win was only a half share. In 1945 Gigli deadheated with Master Robin. (Trained by Hughie Telford, iMaster Robin was raced by ■ none other than Peter Louis, j ;a man who has played a; Heading role in keeping Tren-1 Hham alive over the years. John Wayne is trained by i Jack O’Styke. He cost just ! $350, and that outlay has since repaid itself. A colt with a voracious appetite for work, his train'er has him at peak and

imakes no bones of the fact the Wellington Guineas is a race he would dearly love to win: Apart from his win at Hawera, John Wayne was fourth in both the Wanganui Stakes, when his rider, Dianne Mosley, lost the use of an iron, and fourth in the Hawke's Bay Guineas, when the run of the .race hardly suited him. Two colts from the north, ;Ring the Bell and Whittaker, and a filly, Astound, will present strong challenges, I while Flaming Arrow, from Wanganui, Ruling Bid. Es- : ! senbee and Amyl -will also be j-chances. : Ring the Bell won the IZH Guineas Trial and then gave a game display when favourI ite to beat all but County

Cork in the Great Northern! Guineas. He looks like en-! ding up the favourite if he; does start, but he does like good footing. Whittaker, after pressing Prince Majestic so hard in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, did not get much of a run when sixth in the Great Northern Guineas, according to his trainer, Kevin Cullen. He has drawn out here, but deserves a chance to atone. Astound worked as well as any of the Guineas runners at Trentham on Thursday. She was a close third in the IZH Guineas Trial and did. not get much of a run when second in the Lowland last week. Ruling Bid failed in the Great Northern Guineas, but he looks to be a nice colt.