Ay Em logical choice for Centennial Cup

Press, 15 May 1981, Page 17

Ay Em logical choice for Centennial Cup

By

J. J. BOYLE

Ay Em, the South Island’s best when third in the Great Autumn Handicap last month, is one of the m ore obvious choices in the Amberley Centennial Cup tomorrow.

He will be coming back from 2500 m to 2000 m in the first leg of the Amberley club’s T.A.B. double and will not have northern rivals this time.

Ay Em was caught by Zazanne and Four Crowns almost in the shadow of the post in the Great Autumn Handicap, a race run at a cracking pace, for which Aramis was largely responsible.

Aramis tired to sixth in the Great Autumn, but has since won the Marlborough Cup, and his dashing style of front running should leave its character on Amberley’s big attraction of the year.

Aramis won the Marlborough Cup under 53.5 kg and has 57kg this time. Again he will be the mount of Phillip Smith, who started on a rewarding partnership with the Azemann gelding in the $30,000 feature 2000 m race at Riccarton on Easter Monday.

Smith will be hoping for free play in the lead for the first 1400 m or so, to be able to nurse Aramis for a sharp finishing kick. But he can not hold any strong confidence that he will be allowed to dictate the pattern of the race as positive-i ly as he did in those Riccarton and Blenheim victories.

Scotch Mist and Spy Force are well-pei formed sprinters being stepped up to a middle distance for this special race in the history of the club, and they should be close at hand when the action really starts. However, hopes held for Firefly and Good Way will be identified with hopes that these back runners will be able to capitalise on any cutthroat tactics likely to develop up front.

A start for John Peel was not certain. yesterday. If he does not run, the Wing-atui-trained Piparyl should be one of the most interesting runners in the lower

half of the handicap. He was a good second to Waideene in the Riverton Cup at Easter, lasting doggedly after he had a battle with another for the lead for a good way.

In the Clear will take beating in the second leg, the Canterbury Timber Products Handicap, if he has held his sharp edge of form since he won over the same distance on this course in April. He is usually quicker than most to accelerate, but at his last appearance, his only appearance at the Marlborough meeting, he lost a length at the start. In the circumstances his fifth was not all bad.

Lover Boy will come in for much attention in this, his first start from the Harris stable at Tuahiwi.

He did his early racing, and winning, as a member of Tony Prendergast’s Wingatui team.

Then he was sent to Sydney to join Sid Brown’s

team, and in the early part of this season he was the successful favourite in two 1000 m sprint races, one at Wyong and the other at Gosford. Besides he recorded a fourth over 1400 m at Randwick. Of more immediate interest to Tony Prendergast in tomorrow’s race will be his stable star, Mr Ay Bec> which will have his second race after the freshener that followed a disappointing summer campaign. Mr Ay Bee’s failure to find winning form half way through the season could have been attributed to a blood condition. There was promise of better things to come when he finished sixth of 16 at over 1400 m at the Winton meeting on May 4, and no one could be surprised if 'his class had a bearing on tomorrow’s race, even if the distance of 1200 m is. short of his best.