Strong S.I. contingent for Christmas meeting

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 56

Strong S.I. contingent for Christmas meeting

By

JEFF SCOTT

The Toyota New Zealand Cup winner, Borana, and several leading southern Messenger candidates, head a strong southern contingent to race at the Auckland Trotting Club’s Christmas meeting on December 21, 23, 27 and 30. At this early stage, 16 are scheduled to make the trip north, while several others are listed as possibilities.

Tight class pacers (CB-OC) will race for stakes up to $91,000 in three separate events, the $23,000 Castlemaine XXXX Handicap (3200 m the $50,000 Harvey Furnishings Inter-Island Challenge Stakes (mobile 2700 m) and the $lB,OOO Benson and Hedges Flying Mile, at the Auckland meeting, while the club’s feature, the $BO,OOO TNT Messenger Championship on the twilight day (Monday, December 23), is guaranteed to attract a star-studded field. The Auckland Trotting Club’s promotions officer, Ron Bisman, said yesterday that the club is likely to arrange a flight from Christchurch on Thursday, December 19, to accomodate the southerners. Those to have intimated their intentions to travel north include: Borana, Premiership, Camelot, Our Mana, Lord Louie, Skipper Dale, Lew Foy, King Aurea; and the Messenger candidates Malaz (C 9 Loveridge (C 7 Nardinski (C 7 Saucy Star (C 6 Master Mood (C 6

Jack Hammer (C 6 Chipaluck (C 5 and Quiet Touch (C2). Other possibilities include the champion, Royden Glen, other Messenger contenders in Samson (C 7 and Greg Patron (C 7 and supporting runners in Sure He Can, Kahu Del and Borrowed Time. Roydon Glen’s trainer, Fred Fletcher, has yet to make a decision whether the Smooth Fella entire will contest the meeting; Paul Young (Samson) said the Keystone Provider gelding has had “a bit of a virus” and will see how the horse shapes up at trials in the next few weeks before making a final decision; Reg Curtin (Greg Patron) announced his four-year-old had suffered a setback with a stone bruise during the Cup meeting last month; while Derek Jones (Kahu Del) said the mare might go on to Auckland if she performs well at Hutt Park this week. The Southland four-year-old, Titan Chip, was termed “doubtful” for the Messen-

ger by his connections when Mr Bisman contacted them early this week. Skipper Dale, which needs to win on the first night of the Thames meeting this Saturday to ensure himself a start in the $35,000 Curtains Farm Thames Cup on Friday week, stablemate Lew Foy, Jack Hammer and Quiet Touch, will take in some racing at Alexandra Park in the next fortnight as a lead-up to the Auckland Christmas meeting. “Such is the strength of the four-year-olds for the New Zealand Messenger that C 6 will probably be the cut off point,” Mr Bisman said. “Even Chipaluck (C 5 would need to win at the Wairio meeting on Saturday to be assured of a start,” he said of last season’s New Zealand Oaks winner and the three-year-old Pacing Filly of the Year. Top northern Messenger candidates vying for positions among the 14 starters in the mobile 2700 m feature are last season’s three-year-

old Pacer of the Year, Placid Victor (C 8 his stablemate Frederick (C 8 Metal Mickey (C 6 Kurahaupo Eden (C 6 Luxury Liner (C 7 Skipper Vantar (C 6 Kev’s Choice (C 6 and, the C 5 pacers, Billbob, Traitor’s Gate, Precious Dina and Proud Star.

Enterprise, the open class star of the carnival last year when he scooped the pool on all three nights including a mile track record of Imin 58.25, will not be on hand this year, but has not been officially retired either.

“Our first priority is to the broodmare owners who have sent mares to him, but Pat has not ruled out the possibility of having him back for the Auckland Cup,” said his part-owner, Mrs Cath Heffernan, yesterday. The 1984 Auckland Cup winner received 35 outside bookings this year, while the Heffernans are mating six of their own mares to the Lordship-Universo entire, including their top mare, Royal Illusion (10 wins).