Racing: Justine looks hot as Cup looms

Canterbury trainers Dawn and Peter Williams are happy Justine Coup is their next runner at the Ellerslie carnival.

The luck that has so far deserted them on a six-horse northern campaign ended when Star Of Clyde scored a narrow win at Ellerslie last evening.

They are hoping that sudden change of fortune might get them the $350,000 New Zealand Herald Auckland Cup with brave mare Justine Coup.

Justine Coup was unlucky not to finish in the money in the Waikato Cup, Nat Nat has been dogged by unsuitable fortune and Juicy Fruit Mambo has been up to his old tricks of missing the start by long margins.

Justine Coup looked right on target when she completed a strong gallop at Cambridge yesterday morning.

Dawn Williams was keen for the talented mare to have a hard hit-out and matched her with the short-course Classy Belle, trained by Ross McCarroll, where the Williams team is stabled.

The pair went strongly from the 1400m, running the 1200m, wide on the No 2 grass, in better than 1:15.

Justine Coup was almost alongside her speedier partner at the finish.

"That was terrific work," said Ross McCarroll.

"I wanted her to have a strong hit-out and that's exactly what she got," said Dawn Williams.

Raceday rider Leith Innes made a special trip from Matamata to Cambridge to ride Justine Coup.

"She felt terrific," Innes told Williams.

"She hit out great and had a good blow afterwards."

Williams said she will wait to see how the mare comes through the gallop before deciding whether to send her at speed again tomorrow morning.

Co-trainer Chris Wood said well-backed Garrard has come through his first day run in good shape.

Garrard would almost certainly have tested Queen Elizabeth winner Mistrale had he not been stopped in his tracks when attempting a gap halfway down the home straight.

Waitoki Dream lost second place to Garrard over the incident.

* TAB bookie Paul Lally said yesterday, Zabeat is the agency's worst Auckland Cup result at this stage.

And Garrard has been the best backed horse since the Queen Elizabeth Handicap.

"Justine Coup is a good result for us, even though we think she has an enormous chance."

Lally said he is still shivering over the $240,000 to $1500 bet laid against the Bondy - Not A Single Doubt Cup-Railway double.

"If Tony Vasil pulls off the double you won't find me, I'll be hiding under the desk."

* Mark Fly'N' High down as a coming smart horse.

He looked exceptional getting up in the last stride for a debut win in a strong maiden field at Ellerslie yesterday.

Fly'N' High is raced by long-time Waikato racing identity Michael O'Toole and the estate of his wife Merle, who died last week after a long battle with cancer.

Son Andrew O'Toole is the recently-replaced Auckland Racing Club racing manager.

It was an emotional win for the O'Tooles and for trainers and longtime friends Royce and Linda Dowling.

Dowling purchased the Sir Tristram mare Coco Raffles at the Sydney broodmare sale when she was carrying Fly'N' High to Catbird.

"I paid $30,000 for her and the service fee was $20,000, so I got the mare cheap."

Coco Raffles traces back to a highly successful family of Gay Sharon and Gay Sovereign that Dowling won a stack of races with a couple of decades ago.

The Dowlings later on the programme won with Churngold.

* British Ensign was yesterday's most impressive winner.

Matamata trainer Graham Richardson brought the 6-year-old back from his Melbourne stable when he suddenly showed an aversion to left-handed racing.

"He wouldn't go past horses."

There was no problem yesterday as British Ensign exploded out of the trail to race away and win untested for Auckland jeweller Graeme Thomson, a longtime sponsor at Ellerslie.

Latest Auckland Cup odds.- $6 Garrard, Zabeat, $7.50 Justine Coup, $8 Waitoki Dream, $11 Tantalic, $12 Upsetthym, Fountain Abbey, The Mighty Lions, Mistrale, Bondy, $13 Empyreal, $20 Stadium, Bodie, $25 All's Well, Bazelle, Milzeel, $35 Beau, $40 Mr Hefner, Asgoodas, Bel Air, $50 Waltermitty, Cyclades, $60 Wings On Fire, Ebony Honor, Mutheer, Straight Eight, Gallant Son, $80 Il Cognoscenti, Gristle, Zegna, $100 Call It The Blues, King Of Jacks, War Dancer, Sweet Torque, Rubbledum, Crucio, Escobar, Disco, Spit 'N' Polish, $150 Baloney.