Stakes a match race?

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 23

Stakes a match race?

PA Auckland Notwithstanding the high quality of the field, the country’s richest weight-for-age event, the 2000 m Air New Zealand Stakes, at Ellerslie tomorrow promises to be a match race between Bonecrusher and Canterbury Belle. - Bonecrusher has proved the outstanding New Zealand three-year-old this season, his last four outings having produced wins in the Bayer Classic at Levin, the Avondale Guineas, the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie and the Cambridge Stud International at Te Rapa. Canterbury Belle, his southern rival in the $140,000 event, has left no doubt she is back to her brilliant best after being sidelined through injury last season. Since resuming racing this term, the four-year-old mare has won two of her three starts at Invercargill and Riccarton. Her class is unquestioned although she will be conceding 3.5 kg to her younger rival. This advantage under the weight-for-age scale will probably give Bonecrusher a slight edge on outright favouritism. Three-year-old colts, in having to carry only 52kg in such races, are always hard to beat at this time of year. Abit Leica could do best of the seven other runners expected to line up in the race, but he is at a decided disadvantage conceding 6kg to Bonecrusher and 2.5 kg to both Canterbury Belle and another top mare, Eva Grace, the brilliant winner of the Avondale Cup in December. Clear Gold and Lacka Reason are smart on their day, but they look only place prospects.