Racing: Northern raiders take trifecta in Cup

It is getting to sound like a broken record. Northern raiders sweep all before them again.

In recent times it has been a matter of the visiting horses coming up trumps in Central Districts' racing.

On Saturday not only did the visitors win the day's feature, the $50,000 Marton Cup, but they produced the first three home.

The central districts' staying ranks have been taking a hammering. The one saving grace was that Etoile Du Nord, who gained a clear-cut win in the Marton Cup, is a product of Manawatu's Fairdale Stud.

It was only the previous Saturday that the northerner Kristov had taken out the Central Districts' feature of the Woodville-Pahiatua Cup (1600m) while another from the north, El Bulli, won that day's three-year-old race.

Etoile Du Nord was sold at the National Yearling Sales at Karaka for $120,000 to former High Court judge David Williams, who was represented at the track by son Nick.

Fairdale imported mare You Remember Me (by Topsider) from the United States and Etoile Du Nord is her first foal. Etoile Du Nord is by Zabeel, as was You Remember Me's second foal, who died soon after birth.

A sister is at Fairdale waiting to go into training, while a Black Minnaloushe colt will be offered at the Karaka sales which begin at the end of this month.

It was a day to remember for evergreen jockey Noel Harris, who turned 50 the day before. Not only did he guide Etoile Du Nord home to her convincing win, but earlier won on Downwind for Foxton trainers David and Sarah Howarth, and then partnered Sovereign to a brilliant victory in the $16,000 ITM Rural Handicap (1400m).

Most of the riders felt they had their chance in the Marton Cup, the exception being Mark Sweeney, who rode the runner-up Straight Eight.

"I was never on the track" Sweeney said.

"Prince Of Toffs gave me little peace right through the race. That she was able to round off the race so well suggests she will be a strong chance at Trentham."

Straight Eight was one of the least successful horses in the field, with only three wins and $21,000 in stakes.

Third was Desert Flight who was given the perfect trip in the trail by rider Cameron Lammas, while the minor pickings for the locals were shared by Calm Jet and Bumper To Bumper who dead heated for fourth.

Last year's Marton Cup winner Cluden Creek could finish only 12th though rider David Walker was loath to write him off as a chance to repeat his Wellington Cup win.

"I wouldn't like to say he's off his game. He was flat at the 600m, but never quit on his task, even though well beaten."

Last month's Manawatu Cup winner Tantalic was eighth and one of the favourites All's Well was far from disgraced in finishing sixth at only his second attempt on a left-handed track.

A late scratching in the race was Rising Heights who suffered an injury to a back leg after becoming upset in the starting barrier.

The winner of the 2003 Manawatu Cup will likely be retired.

- NZPA