Top field for $1m Telegraph Handicap at Wellington

16 January 2009

For immediate use

Top field for $1m Telegraph Handicap at Wellington

Top Australian horse Lord Turffontein is currently narrowly edging out his New Zealand rivals for the favourites tag for tomorrow's $1m Group I First Sovereign Trust Telegraph Handicap over 1200m at Trentham.

Lord Turffontein, which races as Turffontein in Australia, is currently paying Fixed Odds at the New Zealand TAB of $6.50 to take out the 1200m sprint although New Zealand’s Fully Fledged ($7), Mufhasa ($7.50) and Altered Image ($9) will all be hoping to edge the sole Aussie representative out of the placings.

Jacowils’ trainer will also be hoping the grey gelding can make it two Group I wins in a row, and grab the $200,000 bonus on offer, after the rank outsider took out the $250,000 Waiwera Railway Stakes at Ellerslie over 1200m on New Year’s Day. He’s currently paying Fixed Odds of $31.

Four-year-old Lord Turffontein, which is trained by Anthony Cummings, has had three wins and 10 placings from its 21 starts and has won more than $600,000 in stakes. He was second to Swick in the Group I Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on 8 November last year.

The chestnut horse, which has been placed at Group I level on three occasions, will be ridden by top Australian jockey Glen Boss on Saturday. The now Melbourne based Boss is a three time Melbourne Cup winner and has more than 60 Group I wins to his name.

This will not be the first time that Boss has ridden in New Zealand. He was enticed to New Zealand earlier this month to ride on New Year’s Day. He rode Young Centaur to third in the Group 3 Don Ha Real Estate City Of Auckland Cup, Jazella in the Group I Waiwera Railway Stakes and Bird in the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes.

The TAB is also offering a $25,000 First4 Bonus on the prestigious Telegraph Handicap this Saturday, which is sure to entice punters to try out the new betting product.

For the latest odds visit www.tab.co.nz

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