Coronal fancied at Awapuni

Press, 28 December 1985, Page 24

Coronal fancied at Awapuni

Special correspondent Wellington With the Awapuni track drying rapidly, the chances of Coronal picking up an overdue win are improving all the time.

Today he will tackle the Manawatu Racing Club’s $20,000 Lion Red Cup, and in this he faces a small but select field that includes Tanaiyse, Atrapar, Super Tai and Commissionaire. It will be Coronal’s fourth start of the season, in his first, he was first to the line at Wanganui, but then relegated to second. Since then his efforts have been excellent.

He was second only a head from Tanaiyse in the Levin Cup Stakes and was third last week, a nose and half a length from Abit Leica in the Fletcher Stakes at Awapuni.

Tanaiyse won on an easy track at Trentham last season, and his form is good. After his win at Levin he ran third in the 1200 m Concorde at Avondale. The six-year-old Atrapar was resuming when sixth in the Fletcher Stakes last week, and he was close up at the finish he should improve.

Super Tai is another

which will not be troubled by the easing of the ground. Commissionaire still needs $560 to bring up his $300,000 career mark. His fourth in the Fletcher last week suggests that this milestone is not far away. The four-year-old Tommo’s Tornado is also racing consistently. He was fifth at Levin in this class and than sixth at Otaki, but that was over ground.