Northern campaign confirmed

Press, 29 December 1988, Page 22

Northern campaign confirmed

By david McCarthy Robinski has had a start in the DB Auckland Cup confirmed by his trainer, Tom Lalor, but a decision on who will ride him will be deferred until later in the week. Robinski could only manage seventh in the Manawatu Cup on Monday but was a victim of circumstances, according to his connections. “David (Walsh) never had the chance to put the stick on him. He hardly had a race,” Lalor said. Robinski was handily placed for much of the way at Awapuni but was caught in behind the topweight, Gallipoli, at a vital stage. The Noble Bijou gelding has thrived on the trip and will proceed from Ken Thomson’s stables, at Otaki, to Auckland later in the week.

Walsh had accepted the ride on Na Botto in the Auckland Cup before the Manawatu Cup. The horse has since suffered a stone bruise and Walsh is naturaly anxious to have Robinski as a backup should Na Botto not go to the post. However the Lalor stable may need to engage a rider before then. St James came through his Timaru Cup run in grand order according to Tony Prendergast and a tilt at the Jarden Mile at Trentham looks a possibility.

St James was run down by Shorty Bijou in the Timaru Cup on Tuesday after being trapped wide in the open and the fact that he had not had a hard gallop since coming south after the first day at Manawatu added further to the value of the run. The Prendergast stable’s immediate problem is finding lead-up racing in the south before Trentham and it may be that the Anniversary Handicap on the first day of that meeting will be his next race.

Alberjon, which failed to fire in the Manawatu Cup, has returned home and will be set for the Invercargill Gold Cup at Riverton on January 7. Reykjavik, a scratching from the Timaru Cup, will run over 2080 m at the North Canterbury meeting next Tuesday as a prelude to a West Coast campaign. He was slightly disappointing at Wingatui in the James Hazlett but was below his best and lightened on the trip. Reykjavik has bounced back well and if his Rangiora run convinces his connections a middle distance will be no problem, the Kumara Nuggets could be a highlight of his summer programme.

The gelding’s trainer, Helen Preston, is likely to go ahead with Matamua’s engagement in the open sprint at Rangiora. Lorna Cook has been tentatively booked for the ride.

Advocate, a good fifth over 1400 m, a distance short of his best, at Riccarton on December 10, will line up next at Rangiora in the Class Two 2080 event and could possibly travel to Trentham if he hits his peak form in the interim.

Advocate campaigned with some success at Trentham two years ago