RACING Patanga Eliminated From Cup Field

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30958, 14 January 1966, Page 4

RACING Patanga Eliminated From Cup Field

Patanga, brilliant winner of the “Sonny” Smith Memorial Handicap at Awapuni on Wednesday, was one of seven horses eliminated yesterday from the Wellington Cup field.

The elimination of a stayer which would have provided such strong interest to the cup field raises doubts whether the Wellington Racing Club is wise in not adopting the system of balloting with a re-entrv clause, as is done at Riccarton.

Wellington tried balloting with right of re-entry for one meeting a few years ago, and dropped it. Club officials felt that when the fields were allowed to fill again from the reserve list they were too big and less attractive to betters. However, when acceptances are taken nine days before a race as valuable as the Wellington Cup—it is the richest race ever in New Zealand—a second experiment with a reentry clause would have been welcomed. Taylor ‘Happy’ Bandon and Grand Filou, the two most solidly-backed runners in the race won by

Patanga at the Pahiatua meeting. are in the field far the Wellington Cup. Bandon, third with 9-2 on Wednesday, has 8-10 in the Wellington Cup. “I do not want to swap rides with anyone,” said Bandon’s rider, R. W. Taylor, after the Pahiatua race.

Taylor said he had to kick Bandon early although he knew that the horse had done better in most of his races with time to settle.

Bandon did not have much galloping room for a time in the straight. Bandon is the most highlyrated North Island stayer and the third top-weight behind Palisade (9-0) and Royal Bid (8-12).

Palisade has drawn the outside of the 27-horse field. His connexions probably prefer one of the inside barrier positions because the big Ruthless gelding has been hard to steer in several of his races when away from the rails. Royal Bid has drawn No. 24, F. H. Skelton probably will attempt to settle him at or near the tail of the field early in the race. Sobig, Apa and Golden Defoe, all winners at the Auckland Cup meeting, are next to Bandon in the weights.

Another Chance Sobig’s presence in the Wellington Cup field might seem surprising after his failure to stay two miles in the Auckland Cup, won by Apa, but he deserves another chance, because of a light racing programme before his first attempt at two miles at Ellerslie. There will be marked southern interest in the performances of Cassarook and Eiffel Tower. A year ago Eiffel Tower won the Invercargill - Wellington Cups double.

Cassarook will go to Trentham as a last-start winner of the Invercargill Cup. He was most impressive in his Metropolitan and Riccarton Handicap victories at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Another strong Southland hope is Court Belle, which ran Cassarook close in the Invercargill Cup and ran fourth in the New Zealand Cup. She will be ridden by R. J. Skelton, who has ridden winners of four Wellington Cups. Three of those victories were by the remarkable Wingatui veteran, Great Sensation. With Fieldmaster, Alaska, Red Crest and Grand Filou in the lower half of the handicap, the field is strong in light-weights. But there will be general regret that a horse in form like Patanga is on the sideline while starts are available for Fleeting Moment and Sparkling Maid. Veteran English Jockey Retires (N.Z.P.A. -Reuter) LONDON. The leading English jockey, E. Smith, announced his retirement yesterday on medical advice. He is 50. Smith has ridden 2313 winners since 1930; only four British jockeys have ridden more. His best year was 1939, when he rode Blue Peter to victory in the Derby, having already won the 2000 Guineas on him. He won the 1953 St. Leger on Premonition. In 1954 Smith rode Queen Elizabeth’s Aureole to win the King George the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.