Turn The Page in form for Dunedin Cup

ROBYN PARKES SOUTHPICS

READY FOR ACTION: Turn The Page is in form for the $45,000 Dunedin Cup at Wingatui tomorrow.

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Turn The Page staked her claim for tomorrow's Dunedin Cup with a decisive win at Gore eight days ago.

She came from off the pace to score, going away, in a rating 85 2000m. The Brian and Shane Anderton-trained mare had bad luck in the Gore Cup on January 23 when a check at the 500m caused her rider Shankar Muniandy to lose his irons.

"She's racing well, but does need a strong pace," Shane Anderton said yesterday. "If they go slow, she tends to pull."

Zabene is the likely favourite for the $45,000 Dunedin Cup after winning at Riccarton last Saturday and finishing second to My Scotsgrey in the New Zealand Cup on the same track in November.

The Andertons will saddle Real Chance and Royal Flight for the $70,000 White Robe Lodge Stakes at Wingatui. Both horses have not raced since finishing first (Royal Flight) and third (Real Chance) in a rating 90 event at Wingatui on December 26.

"He's been set for this race," Shane Anderton said of Real Chance. "He seems to run a nice mile while on the fresh side.''

Pukekohe filly The Beekeeper has been at Shane Kennedy's Riccarton stable for two weeks preparing for tomorrow's $45,000 Dunedin Guineas.

Her three starts for trainer Richard Collett have yielded two wins and a second.

"She hasn't raced in the top company up here, but she has barrier speed, can get a spot, can relax and kick on,'' Collett said yesterday.

If The Beekeeper performs well tomorrow and comes through the race okay, she could contest the $45,000 Southland Guineas at Ascot Park on February 20.

Coup Align is in contention for a start in the $S1million ($NZ952,925) KrisFlyer International Sprint in Singapore on May 16.

Christchurch trainer Michael Pitman said a representative of the Singapore Turf Club had contacted him about a possible invitation to start Coup Align in the sprint.

A win by Coup Align in tomorrow's $45,000 Eclipse Stakes at Wingatui would further enhance his prospects of gaining an invite. Coup Align disliked the soft track in the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham on January 23. He led and was cut back to seventh in the final stages.

Pitman is "happy'' with Coup Align's condition going into tomorrow's race.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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