Sydney galloper back in N.Z.

Press, 12 May 1984, Page 21

Sydney galloper back in N.Z.

PA Hamilton The former high-class Sydney galloper, Te Puninga, will continue a comeback bid when he competes at the Cambridge trials next Thursday. The Aythorpe—Heaven Bless three-year-old has not raced since finishing seventh in last year’s Golden Slipper Stakes. Soon afterwards he bowed a tendon in training at Rosehill where he was prepared by Paul Sutherland. Bought at the 1982 Dalgety ready-to-run sale at Te Rapa by the Springdale owner, John Ralph, for $40,000, Te Puninga returned to his homeland last winter and has been recuperating at his owner’s pro-

perty near Morrinsville. Mr Ralph has had the colt back in work since March and has brought him along steadily to racing fitness. He allowed him an easy run over 1200 m at the Te Aroha trials on May 3 and was extremely pleased with the manner in which Te Puninga came through the test. Thursday’s trial will be a better guideline as Mr Ralph wants the colt to have a solid hit out. It is paramount that the owner quickly finds out whether or not the mend will hold as he plans to campaign Te Puninga in Brisbane over the winter. “We haven’t put any real pressure on the leg yet, but I’m confident it will be okay,” Mr Ralph said.

Te Puninga won three of his five starts in Sydney last season. He began his career with a second behind the champion, Sir Dapper, at Canterbury, then scored next time out over 1100 m at Randwick. He continued his winning way on the same track on New Year’s Day last year, scoring over 1200 m. Sutherland then rested him, building the colt up for autumn racing. Te Puninga won fresh-up in the Pago Pago Quality at Rosehill in March, the success earning him automatic inclusion in the Golden Slipper field. Mr Ralph also reported that another of his good gallopers, Manchu, had rejoined Noel Eales’s stable at

Woodville. Eales trained Manchu as a two, three and early four-year-old until Mr Ralph bought the Namnan gelding and sent him to Paul Sutherland.

However, Manchu failed to come up in Sydney and returned home last spring. Mr Ralph tried the five-year-old himself over the summer and from a handful of starts produced him to finish second behind Shifnal Prince in the Jarden Mile at Trentham last January. Manchu developed back trouble during the autumn and was sent to Massey University for treatment. Mr Ralph decided that, as the horse was already in the Central Districts, he would offer the horse to Eales, who gladly accepted.