Weinmeister could test Firefly in Cup today

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 28

Weinmeister could test Firefly in Cup today

By

J. J. BOYLE

The successful trainer-jockey partnership of Peter Jones and Jim Collett might be extended when Weinmeister tilts at Geraldine Cup honours at Orari today.

The Jones-trained Third Degree completed a winning T.A.B. double for Collett mounts at Wingatui on dayCollett and Weinmeister triumphed in partnership in impressive style on the second day of the Ashburton spring meeting, and the four-year-old came further into the boom with one of the best gallops at Riccarton on Saturday. Weinmeister scorched over the last 600 m of 800 m on the

plough in 35.6 s soon after his Geraldine Cup rival. Firefly, rounded off her preparation with a 1400 m in Imin 35.65, the last 600 m in 38.85. Firefly, like Weinmeister, won over 1600 m at the Ashburton spring meeting. Each carried 55kg, each won in style, Firefly in Imin 36.4 s and Weinmeister in Imin 365, which equalled the course record. Firefly has won up to 2400 m. Weinmeister failed in two attempts at 2000 m as a

three-year-old last season, but he has thrived and strengthened lately, and is of an age where he should find more improvement than others in this field. Collett's hopeful for the South Island Thoroughbred Stakes, second leg of the T.A.B. double, will be Nottingham Note, which will be running for the Gore stable of his father, Don. Nottingham Note is racing consistently, but might not

find enough to match Sea Princess, a talented daughter of Beaufort Sea. Another Story, one of the Riccarton-trained hopefuls, will be ridden by the Levinbased Phillip Smith who won the feature race at Marton on Saturday on Fountaincourt. Copernicus and Supremity were scratched from the South Island Thoroughbred Stakes yesterday, and Peck and Classic Princess reentered the field.