Foxbridge Plate wide open

Press, 16 August 1985, Page 13

Foxbridge Plate wide open

Special correspondent Auckland The scratching of Axeman has thrown even more open the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa tomorrow. Axeman is a great loss but the other runners have the talents, between them, to turn on a hard, exciting race. One of half a dozen horses could now win without cuasing too much surprise. The prospects of a three-year-old winner again — Great Chevalier was successful at that age last year — look particularly good with Honour Bright in such good form again. Greatness, Purple Crown, Mister Lumlee and Paul’s Gold among the other many chances. Mister Lumlee, with four wins in his last five starts, is a four-'year-old with the look of a real up-and-comer. Royal Grit seems just not capable of turning in a poor race and Purple Crown and Vera’s Pal will be two runners from the Central Districts boasting good form. Tom’s Dice is more ac-

customed to going the longer distances but while fresh, as he is after his letup, he might well make reasonable work of tomorrow’s 1400 m. Greatness would be very likely, also, prefer a bit more ground, especially as he had a firstup sprint at Ellerslie last Saturday. Greatness certainly man-

aged the Ellerslie 1200 metres well, a question is whether he will be able at this short notice, to come up with another sprint as good. Three-year-olds, at this time of the year more than usually interesting, occupy three places in the field. Each of the three — Avon’s Lord, Honour Bright

and Hinemoa, are last-start winners and Honour Bright, particularly, is going to command plenty of attention. A gelding from Stratford, Honour Bright looked good at Ellerslie during the autumn when he won the Great Northern Champagne Stakes then beat all except

All Glory in the Radio Pacific Sires' Produce Stakes. With 49.5 kg Honour Bright is due to receive 9kg from Axeman and the others at the top of the field: He has had two races since back from a winter let-up, for fourth, relegated to fifth in Levin’s Ryder Stakes then first at New Plymouth last Tuesday.