Awapuni gallop shows Skybiri ready to repeat

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 23

Awapuni gallop shows Skybiri ready to repeat

Special correspondent Palmerston North

Skybiri looks set to carry on his winning way in the Parkdale Handicap at today’s Wellington meeting after a smart gallop at Awapuni on Thursday morning.

Skybiri won very impressively on the first day of the meeting at Otaki and in spite of his 58kg he is expected to score a repeat. His trainer, Jim Rusher, has set the colt for the Great Northern. Foal stakes on one of the later days of the Auckland Cup meeting and he is unlikely to race at Awapuni. Working on the course proper, Skybiri ran 600 m strongly with Izitfun. They took 36s and Skybiri could not have been more impressive.

Bidston Hill again worked well in galloping with Gold Bullion. They ran 1200 m in Imin 19s, the last 600 m in 40s, with Gold Bullion hampered by a slipped saddle. Bidston Hill is well and must be hard to beat in the first leg today.

Prince Tui ran the last 600 m of his work on 38s, but he might miss the Timber-

lea Handicap in favour of his stablemate, Azarule, which makes a fresh start in the event.

At Hastings on Thursday morning, Reutemann and Cu Nim hit out very strongly in training, but there is some doubt about one of them starting at today’s Wellington meeting at Otaki.

Reutemann’s trainer, Don Sellwood, said he may not make the trip. The horse has drawn very wide in the Maymorn Plate and Sellwood is afraid the Otaki track may be a bit too hard for him. Fast work was carried out on the course proper and plough. Both tracks were easy after steady overnight rain. Reutemann and Cu Nim worked on the course proper and cut out 800 m together in 49.25, the last 600 m in 37.65. This was one of the best gallops of the morning and shows that both horses are in peak condition.

Cu Nim steps out in the Haywards Handicap at Otaki. She ruined her chances by running wide on the home bend at Woodville last start. However, she

handled the bends with no trouble on Thursday morning and could show a marked improvement today.

Time Honours for the morning went to Thosada Rose, which sped over 600 m on the course proper in 37.45. She is also in the Haywards Handicap and promises to go well. She was running on well last week when not entirely suited by the very hard track conditions. She will have a change of rider, with Phillip Mercer taking the mount.

Tallboy is one of the team which looks to have a definite winning chance in the Maoribank Handicap. On Thursday morning he worked with Soldier over 800 m on the course proper in 53.15, the last 600 m in 39.85. Tallboy did not have a lot of room to move in when fourth over 1400 m on the first day.

Our Boyfriend, preparing for next Wednesday’s Avondale Cup, worked in from the 1400 m peg on the course proper and picked up Jessanne at about the 1000 m.

Our Boyfriend was timed to run the full 1400 m in imin 33.45, the last 1000 m in Imin 6.45,