Queen’s Pal likely in Stakes today

Press, 19 May 1984, Page 19

Queen’s Pal likely in Stakes today

Special correspondent Auckland Queen’s Pal, from Riccarton, and an Awanuni visitor, Super Tai, should provide an interesting clash in the first leg of the T.A.B. double, the Waikato Travel Centre Stakes at the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting at Te Rapa today. Queen’s Pal gave northerners a taste of her capabilities when she pushed Decanka to a neck in last Saturday’s weight-for-age feature at Te Rapa. The only worry to her connections this week is that there has been no rain of note to loosen up the track. Frosts, however, have kept the surface moist and a big run is expected from the talented southern mare again. Super Tai has been a model of consistency of late, being beaten a head over

1400 m at Trentham last time. On the score of condition and hardiness, he must rate as a danger, as does Glenside, which had no luck when fifth with 59.5 kg in last week’s sprint. Mighty Louis and Middle Ridge look two of the best chances in the second leg, the F. R. Bodie Handicap.

Resolution is unbeaten over jumps and he will be a warm favourite to continue his winning form in the $17,500 Lion Waikato Steeplechase today. Certainly he will get few better chances to take one of the big steeplechases. At seven years, Resolution has become a thoroughly proficient jumper and, as he showed again last time, when successful at Ellerslie on May 5, he is able to raise speed well beyond most steeplechasers. The way Resolution won at Ellerslie, with a remarkable sprint from the last fence, suggested that even in today’s big one, it would take more than 61kg to keep him from being first home again. Next to Resolution the two runners likely to attract most attention are Orca and Kirra Son, both popular fancies already for the Great Northern early next month. Orca and Kirra Son, at best, are good stayers but neither has the pace of

Resolution. Ellerslie might allow them a better chance with the other horse. The ground, by then, should be softer and more their way.

Orca ran well, though, last Saturday hen third behind Royalvaro and fortunate in the G. W. Vercoe Steeplechase. So did Kirra Son, for fourth. Both are obviously coining up well again. But of them all in the Vercoe, none came home better than Fortunate, an eight- ear-old ■'eldir

.i-year-v gelding trained by a part-owner, Mr Jack Singers, of Cambridge, who has brought to light these past 20 years or more somany good jumpers.

Fortunate has not been greatly tried. He could well collect a good steeplechase stake before the winter is through. Strong representation from outside Auckland and the Waikato has guaranteed wide interest in the Waikato Hurdles, sponsored by the Allegra Park stud. About half the field are from the central districts of the North Island and they include several good-looking prospects. One of them is the Hawera gelding, Floodlight, which won the race last year. Outright, also from Hawera, Kanamint (New Plymouth) and Rivas (Feilding) are others.