Racing: Arreviderci, see you on Cup day

Manawatu trainer Jeff Lynds is the first to admit Arreviderci is not a brilliant horse.

But that is not a quality required to win a Wellington Cup, and Lynds' hopes that Arreviderci can take out Saturday's feature were boosted with the horse's win in the $32,500 Wellington Cup Trial Handicap (2200m) at Trentham yesterday.

In fact Arreviderci probably has the characteristics that would commonly be associated with the Wellington Cup - dourness and stamina.

"He's not a fast horse but he does stick," Lynds said.

Arreviderci gave an example of his stamina when winning the New Zealand St Leger (2500m) for three and four-year-olds at Trentham last March and Lynds said the horse seemed to appreciate the big Trentham track.

"He's a horse that suits Trentham," he said. "He's not a horse that has got a great kick, he's your good, strong staying type.

"If he gets an interrupted run, he takes a while to get going again. But if he can just bowl along, he'll just keep going."

That's what happened yesterday. Arreviderci settled outside the leader Gorgeous George for rider Noel Harris and kept grinding away in the straight to score by half a neck in the soft track conditions at odds of 10-1.

Said Harris: "He'll stay all day. He was never going to give it away."

Harris, however, will not ride Arreviderci in the Wellington Cup. He has a prior commitment to Marton Cup (2200m) winner Etoile Du Nord.

Arreviderci has 52.5kg in the Wellington Cup and Lynds was yesterday unsure who would take the mount. The five-year-old McGinty gelding notched just his third win from 21 starts but is assured of a cup start because the first three home in yesterday's race became exempt from any cup ballot.

Gorgeous George, the third favourite yesterday, fought well for second and co-trainer Craig Ritchie said he would take his place in the cup in which he is weighted at 52kg. Lee Rutherford will retain the mount.

There was 1 1/4 lengths to the third-place favourite Empyreal who ran home well along the inner after being last in the running.

* Mark Fraser-Campin put some more form on the board as a prelude to a new training partnership when Sovereign completed a winning double yesterday.

Sovereign had scored in open class ranks at Awapuni, Palmerston North, on January 15 and yesterday repeated the dose in the $32,500 ING Handicap (1400m).

On both occasions Fraser-Campin has been in charge of Sovereign, who is officially trained by his father Jim Campin at Cambridge in the Waikato.

Fraser-Campin said it was intended he would form a training partnership with his father in the near future while a brother, Chris, would share in the running of the family's breeding operation, Chequers Stud.

Fraser-Campin, 31, returned to New Zealand two months ago after about 10 years in Sydney.

Sovereign has found his best form since when ridden with patience and saved for the last run, which rider Harris has perfected in each of the two last wins.

Sovereign, a $4.15 second favourite, settled three back on the inner in the eight-horse field and Harris bided his time in the straight before coming out from behind Abit Rusty, who was challenging for the lead in the straight.

Once into the clear, Sovereign dashed past his rivals to score by 1 3/4 lengths. Abit Rusty took second with Ernest William third.

- NZPA