Racing AQUANITA AND RURAL LOCH

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29713, 5 January 1962, Page 5

Racing AQUANITA AND RURAL LOCH

Autumn Mounts For R. Higgins ( N^-P -A.-Reuter—Copyright) MELBOURNE, January 4. The Victorian jockey, R Higgins, winner of the International Stakes last weekend. has been engaged to ride the former New Zealand stayer, Rural Loch, in all his autumn engagements. Higgins has also accepted an engagement to ride the Victorian sprinter, Aquanita. but has rejected the mount on the New Zealand-bred colt. Blue Era. R. Hutchinson, who won the £lO,OOO mile on Aquanita and who rode Grand Print when second in the Melbourne Cup and in the Williamstown Cup. will leave for England on February 18. Aquanita's programme has not yet been clearly defined, but the trainer, Roy Shaw, -said he would be kept to short weight-for-age events in Melbourne. Aquanita is the only horse in Australia to win three £ 10.000 sprint events. He has won two £lO.OOO mile handicaps at Flemington and the Docmben Ten Thousand in Brisbane. Aquanita is sure to return to Brisbane this winter for the £lO.OOO Stradbroke Handicap and the Doomben Ten Thousand. Shaw said that-he has no

special race selected for Rural Loch. At the moment it is most unlikely he will start in the £4lOO Australian Cup on March 12. Rural Loch will probably spend the autumn in Melbourne and then go to Brisbane with Aquanita. He will probably tackle the £12,000 Brisbane Cup and the Doomben Cup.