El Questro can boost B. and H. Cup form

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 18

El Questro can boost B. and H. Cup form

By

J. J. BOYLE

El Questro will be attempting to restore respectability to form from the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup when he runs in the New Zealand Cup tomorrow. The Tauranga stayer made a strong claim for favouritism for the first major stayng race of the season with a •ecord-breaking run over 500 m in the Benson and ledges last Saturday. Tono Bungay, a surprise winner of the Benson and Hedges last year, could not finish in the first dozen in the New Zealand Cup a week later.

Koiro Trelay, the cup winner, did not run in the Benson and Hedges, which has been a popular choice with trainers as a cup guide since it was placed on the Canterbury Jockey Club’s first-day programme. Heidsieck won both races in 1975 when the New Zealand Cup was run on the first day, and the Benson and Hedges a week later. In 1977, the first year the races were switched on the programmes, Heidsieck won his second New Zealand Cup after a lead-up fourth in the Benson and Hedges. That started a pattern continued

by Royal Cadenza (1978) and Star Order (1979), which went on to win the Cup after fourths in the shorter race. Innes Lad, fourth in this year’s Benson and Hedges, has other good credentials close up in his record, including a victory over El Questro over 2190 m at the Waikato meeting on October 26. Innes Lad gave El Questro 4kg and beat him by a neck in the Te Rapa race. He will meet his younger rival on better terms this time, but the likelihood of a firm track for this one could favour El Questro. Despa, the cup top weight with 57, is on a programme successfully achieved last year by Koiro Trelay — a win in the cup at his only appearance at the meeting. Despa has claimed lots of attention for the Cup since winning the Masterton Cup on October 10. Masterton Cup form claims further attention through Disraeli, which was runner-up to Despa, and has since added seconds at Hastings and in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup. Indian Lass, which will be having her last race in New Zealand before going to join the Sydney stable of Paul

Sutherland, will come in for strong backing only if the track is easy or worse. She won at the Wellington spring meeting, but did not measure up in the Benson and Hedges. Retinere, a good second to Indian lass over 2200 m at Trentham on October 26, has since advanced his promising claims with a fourth in the Rangitikei Handicap. He is held in high regard as a stayer, and should get skilful assistance from Diane Moseley. Gold Bullion will be having his third start in a week, but he showed he is thriving on this campaign by winning over 2000 m on Wednesday. Southern hopes Hopes of a South Island victory appear to rest mainly with In Flight, Tiara, and Gay Warrior. In Flight’s fifth in the Benson and Hedges could have more accurate bearing on her chance than her sixth of eight in the weight-for-age Canterbury Gold Cup. Tiara will make a distinctive contribution to New Zealand Cup records if she triumphs in a race won twice by her dam, Princess Mellay. She is thoroughly seasoned, and had a number of middle distance races before her

last-start fourth as a sprinter at Wyndham. Gay Warrior did well to rally for fourth over 1600 m on the first day of the meeting after getting a checkered run. He is a six-year-old by War Hawk, and shaped as if he would stay well when reaching places over middle distances in Southland earlier in the season. The Movements International Stewards, second leg of the T.A.B. double, offers Silver Wraith an opportunity to extend a brilliant sprinting record from Laurie Laxon’s Cambridge stable. Silver Wraith is winner of 18 races, and looks well in with 57kg, half a kilo below Diplomante, which has won only three class-one races. Diplomante shares top weight with The Twinkle, a big winner for the Dennis Brothers last season. The Twinkle goes into this field without a lead-up race for the season, but she should ■leave her stamp of excellence on the race. Riccarton stables have two hopefuls in Spy Force and Magellan, both minor placegetters earlier at the meeting, and Otago has only one form runner in Security Note, which chased Diplomante and Magellan home over 1000 m on the first day of the meeting.