Timaru Cup rivals gallop brilliantly

Press, 24 December 1985, Page 21

Timaru Cup rivals gallop brilliantly

By

J. J. BOYLE

If class has the final bearing on the result, the D.B. Timaru Cup on Friday could be a dead-set quinella for Canterbury Belle and Noble Note.

Such a possibility looked closer to reality yesterday when those talented gallopers were paired for a brilliant trial on the No. 1 grass at Riccarton.

On a track deadened by rain on .Sunday they scorched over 1000 m in 59, the last 800 in 46.6, the final 600 in 35.2, and there was no more than a head between them at the end.

The Takanini jockey, Grant Cooksley, will come south to ride Canterbury Belle in the Timaru Racing Club’s $15,250 feature race. Grant Davison will be on Noble Note. This was a successful combination in last year’s Timaru Cup, and it has prospered again this season with wins in the Jockey Club Handicap and the Churchill Stakes at the

New Zealand Cup meeting. In the Glen widened the area ’ of interest in the Timaru Cup with another attractive, sprint at Riccarton yesterday. She was going keenly in company with Samasaan finishing 1200 m on the No. 6 grass in 1:17, the last 600 in. 37.2. Chris Johnson will ride In the Glen in the Timaru Cup, and Samasaan in the Park Hill Breeders’ Handicap. Black Arrow did i well to get through his solo 1200 in 1:18.6, the last 600 in 38.2. He is one of a strong band of . Riccarton horses in the Timaru Cup, in which he wil be ridden by his trainer, Ron McCann. Mr Magoo wound up for the Dunedin Guineas by beating Vrinsk over 1200 in 1:18.6, the last 600 in 36.4. He did not have much luck in his latest race, at Riccarton, and, judged on yesterday’s run, one of the places in the Wingatui classic. Mr Magoo’s trainer, Dave Kerr, said yesterday that

Grant Davison had been engaged last week to ride the grey in the Dunedin Guineas and in the Blue Riband at Waikouaiti.

the Thief and Snowdrift; runners for the Kerr stablein the Show Gate Stakes-at Washydke, were on terms after running the last 600 m of their work in 37.

Tuahiwi Daisy, another form runner for the Show Gate Stakes, beat her stablemate, Big World, by two lengths from the 1200 m on the chip track. She recorded 41.2 for the final 600.

Crystal Book, one of the top fancies for the Otago Racing Club’s Champagne Stakes, sprinted 600 on the No. 6 grass in 38. She will be taken south today with her stablemate Mr Magoo, and will be ridden on Thursday by Grant Davison. Epping Valley recorded 37.6 for 600 on the grass. On the chips Rakau Gold and Aussie Bound returned 39, an effort matched by their stablemates, Steel King and Tuahiwi Mist.