Favoured mares fare well in Wellington Cup draw

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 38

Favoured mares fare well in Wellington Cup draw

Special correspondent Wellington

The favoured mares, Empire Rose, and Daria’s Fun, both fared well when barrier draws were done yesterday for the $300,000 Foster’s Wellington Cup (3200 m at Trentham on Saturday. Empire Rose, the top weight with 55.5 kg drew' eight and Daria’s Fun, the winner on Saturday of the Mobile Trentham Stakes, drew four.

The trainer of Empire Rose, Laurie Laxon, certainly could not complain about the draw. He drew the marble himself as one of the guests at the special draw. Laxon was quite happy with the draw, though in a contest of 3200 m, the barrier is not that vital. The start for the Wellington Cup is up the 1200 m chute.

The trainer of Empire Rose had two reasons to come to town. The draw apart, he was to head out to the airport to collect his blacksmith, who will make a special pair of

shoes to help ease any jarring that the firm Trentham track migh't have.

The portable running rail was out, seven metres for the first two days of the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting but it will be back in; the true position on Saturday.

Laxon’s major concern was not the draw. It was the lack of k pacemaker in the field. Empire Rose races handy to the pace, but with her weight, it will be a tough test to defend any lead over the closing stages of the cup.

Of the others Coshking, which won the Terrace Regency, drew No. 16, hardly an ideal draw for the horse which is expected to make much of the pace. He lead all the way to win on the first day of the meeting. Golden King’s chances of running in the $lOO,OOO Jarden Mile (1600 m improved when the chestnut drew No. 10. .

Trainer, Garth Ivil, was hoping for a suitable

draw to ‘ confirm a start. x

The Jarden drew a field of 20, but the limit is 18. One of the emergency runners, Sheer Luck has drawn inside Golden King, so there is a chance that he may come in a plaice or two. Phillip Mercer was yesterday confirmed as the rider.

The draws for the Wellington .Cup and Jarden Mile are:— Wellington Cup, $300,000; 3200m.—Empire Rose (8), Daria’s Fun (4), Sir Zeus (1), Double Lang (9), Threesome (11), Dungarvan (12), Lu (3), Cure (2), Frosty Heir (13), Gallipoli (14), Hypatia (10), Regal Advocate (15), Banderol (6), Coshking (16), Blazing Voodoo (7), Nymphe Noire (5).

Jarden Mile, $100,000; 1600m.—-Courier Bay (1), Crimesta (19), Infinite Secret (11) Kosha (6), Lady Aloof (15), Pell Mell (16), Snabben (17), Camallino Star (8), Golden King (10), Deerstalker (18), Jonny Alone (12) Phareef (4), Lagerfeld (3), Star Pride (2), Tricavaboy (5), Hot Ice (13), Sheer Luck (9), Mountain Ash (14), Margarella (20), Rabanne (7).