Levin may have reason to celebrate today

Press, 22 January 1983, Page 17

Levin may have reason to celebrate today

Special correspondent Wellington It has been a marvellous year for the Levin racing fraternity: the success of the Turf Classic meeting; the emergence of Our Flight as the hottest property currently racing in this country: now ' the centre is set to claim another big plum, the $llO,OOO Wrightson Wellington Cup at the Wellington Racing Club's meeting today. That is what a win by Maurita in this afternoon's race would mean. Though the mare is trained at Matamata by Jim Gibbs and Roger James, she is raced by three Levin men. Pearl Kearns. Eddie Yee and “Buster" O’Mallev.

The mare is owned by Mr O'Malley and he took Messrs Kearns and Yee in as racing partners with a lease that is due to expire at the end of this year.

Winning Wellington Cups is not new to Mr O'Malley. Maurita will be his third runner in the cup. Titian fell but Loofah did the decent thing in 1968 and won the cup. He had two attempts in all. The fact that mares have such a disappointing cup record hardly fazes the Levin owner. “if she’s good enough, she’ll win all right," he said.

Maurita is by Harbor Prince from Cathmoi. a mare Mr O'Malley won a couple of races with. She broke down later. Harbor prince has also sired Rose and Thistle, a pretty dour stayer. Big Spender and a number of other useful winners. He is now at Akarana Stud, in Auckland. Maurita has an excellent record. She has won over $75,000 from just 13 starts. Her two runs at Trentham

have brought two wins, including the Oaks and her lone 3200 m run brought her second in the Auckland Cup.

The time before she suffered quite badly when third in the sensational Queen Elizabeth handicap at Ellerslie. Maurita will be ridden by Greg Chilids. whose striking rate at Trentham in recent times has been exceptional and whose form at the moment is sound. The cup has attracted an even field, with chances galore. Two of the better hopes, the Marton Cup winner, Speculation, and Macloud, fourth in the same race, will be ridden by levin-based jockeys, Bill Skelton and Phillip Smith respectively.

With Bound to Honour, which worked so well on Thursday, Daisy, third in the Auckland Cup, the South

islanders. Mary Wake and Supremity. and. off course, the Takanini mare. Rama, this looks the perfect chance for the mares' poor record in the cup. Von Cettes' late rush to bring him fourth money in the Auckland Cup, will ensure strong support for him. Langeland’s form is excellent. and Avitt. Kiwi, Bold Monarch and New Zealand Cup winner. Sirtain. all have very real claims.

The colours of Mr Bob Whyte, who sadly passed away just a week ago. will be carried by Peak, which won the Wairarapa and Pahiatua Cups and battled away last week. It was Mr Whyte's life-long ambition to win a cup and Peak's form suggests that there is every chance his colours could still be first to the winning post.