RIPA IN SYDNEY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 4

RIPA IN SYDNEY

Strong Epsom Fancy (N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, September 30. The New Zealand-bred Ripa arrived in Sydney today for Saturday's £lO,OOO Epsom Handicap in which she will be ridden by A. Mulley. Ripa did not appear at the Randwick track this morning but was exercised around the yard at H. Plant’s stable. The mare is expected to gallop tomorrow at Randwick when her trainer, B. Conaghan, will be there to see her final workout. Ripa is the bookmakers’ hope among the top fancies for the Epsom as she has always been at a fairly short quote and has not had many backers. Ripa was unlucky in the last Doncaster Handicap and if the track is dry on Saturday then she could have a good chance to make amends. Rashlore, the favourite for the Epsom, Is thriving. He exercised slowly today and looked in top form. His trainer, A. E. Elkington, said that nothing had been decided yet about Rashlore’s future races after the Epsom. He is still in the Toorak Handicap and the Caulfield Cup Count Radiant’s trainer, T. J. Smith, said today he would ask the owners to offer the Melbourne jockey, P. Hyland, the ride on the horse in the Epsom Handicap. If they agree, Smith said that Hyland could also ride the horse in the £10,009 Metropolitan on Monday. Equal Favourite Pre-post bookmakers caused a surprise today by quoting Park Lane equal favourite with Esximo Prince for next Saturday’s £lO,OOO A.J.C. Derby. The first market on the Derby was issued today. It was thought that Eskimo Prince would be outright favourite for the classic and be quoted at odds-on after his Rosehill Guineas win. But Park Lane’s eight lengths win in the Trial Stakes, of 10 furlongs at Randwick on Saturday, brought him back into the market. Eskimo Prince's gallop at Randwick yesterday when he took 55 seconds to run the last half-mile of a Imin 42isec mile, also caused bookmakers to revise their thinking. Park Lane galloped a mile in the same time last Thursday before his Trial Stakes win and he caffie home the last three furlongs in 38isec. Eskimo Prince took 41 seconds for his last three furlongs and the track conditions were the same. Park Lane will be ridden by G. Moore and A. Mulley will be on Eskimo Prince. Moore has already won four A.J.C. Derbies: on Playboy, Tulloch, Summer Prince and Summer Fiesta.