THE annual Wellington Cup Carnival kicks off at Hatrick raceway in Wanganui today and continues each Friday until the $21,000 Group 1 final on January 23.
The Wellington Greyhound Club carnival begins with the first race today at 12.01pm, while the Wellington Cup heats will be contested next Friday evening.
The traditional lead in race to the cup is the time-honoured $4000 E J Wing Memorial Cup which will be decided this afternoon (race 11, 2:56pm).
There is a degree of intrigue surrounding the 520m event owing to the presence of the NZ debuting performance by the former Aussie chaser Angvella from the powerful Lisa Ahern kennels.
This winner of six races (five minor placings) from 20 outings across the Ditch has been treated kindly for his first up assignment after being allocated the ace-trap to leap from.
He earned a stake in all of his previous three races when sighted wearing the red racing vest over there. He has also won on both occasions when racing from trap-two.
He recently won a 305m trial in preparation for this event in 17.84secs which indicates that a bold track race debut can be expected here.
It is a strong attack that the Ahern kennel is launching at this event, having accepted with another four runners.
Ritza Danny was a strong winner over 457m during the Manawatu meeting on Monday. He races generously on this track over this trip and he looms as a genuine prospect here.
Mammy Brown resumed from a seasonal spell to stylishly win a Cambridge feature 375m sprint last Friday. She won that by swiftly pinging away from the traps and she can feature here by adopting those same healthy racing tactics here.
Always Welcome also owns early pace which is an asset that he must use here as seen when defeating Ritza Danny the last time the pair clashed on this track.
Ahern has scratched her December group one Spion Rose Cup winner Fashion And Fame from this race which allows kennel mate Really Clever back into this field from off the reserves bench.
This talented chaser has been improving since he resumed from an extended spell and his bold Monday third behind Ritza Danny indicates that he is close to regaining winning form.
To be blunt, it will be a major upset if any of the other three chasers engaged in this event is sighted standing on top of the podium after this event.
