Desert Sabre appeals in Ashhurst Cup

Press, 23 January 1984, Page 26

Desert Sabre appeals in Ashhurst Cup

Special correspondent Wellington Desert Sabre looks to be in good form and he could continue on his winning way when he tackles the Ashhurst Cup at the Ashhurst-Pohangina Racing Club’s meeting at Awapuni this afternoon. In his most recent outings, Desert Sabre has run in handy company. At Woodville he was third in Suttle Knight’s Pahiatua Cup and that galloper ran a pretty good third in the Wellington Cup on Saturday. Nine days ago Desert Sabre ran fourth in the Marton Cup, a race won by his stablemate, Gaimoss. Today he has drawn No. 2

and will be ridden by Jim Walker. Paratrooper may be the hardest to beat. He got into the Wellington Cup final field of 24, but was fifth emergency and did not get back. He won the Wairarapa Cup at Otaki with a good front-running performance and was close up behind the placegetters in the Marton Cup. Aulyn and Nice Try are visitors from the north. Aulyn was disappointing in the Marton Cup . after getting the run of the race and ran a better one when fifth in the Auckland Gateway Handicap at Ellerslie. Nice Try is not long back in this campaign. She

needed her run at Tauranga last month. Shazaam was. second behind Stag at Hastings and then turned in a top run to get third in the Marton Cup. Retsina has been having a busy time, but he is racing well. He was third at the Marton meeting, fifth in Saturday’s Wellington Stakes, and may be the one to beat in the Pohangina Handicap, the second leg of the T.A.B. double. The biggest threat will come from Redrap, which had two wins from his last four starts, the last most impressively at Woodville. Another three-year-old, Mr Trick, was impressive in

winning at the Awapuni meeting and he should not be bothered by the rise in class. SELECTIONS 12.5: Dixie Bird, Sfakia, He’s Right. 12.40: Monkey King, Grace And Style, La Souvronne. 1.15: Caurnie, Rye, Eye Can. 1.45: Miss Bomore, Aptitude, Our Jetty. 2.20: Vai Roona, Flying Fifteen, Gizelle. 2.55: Desert Sabre, Paratrooper, Aulyn. 3.30: Hayle, Sky Beau, Love Money. 4.10: Retsina, Redrap, Mr Trick. 4.40: Hazearay, Rojika, Rotoama King.