RACING Fair Filou, Kiwi Fox Likely In Mitchelson Cup

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30561, 2 October 1964, Page 4

RACING Fair Filou, Kiwi Fox Likely In Mitchelson Cup

“The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND, October 1.

Fair Filou, a veteran, and Kiwi Fox, which is about half the age, promise to take a big share of the £3OOO Mitchelson Cup stake at Ellerslie on Saturday. Fair Filou is nine and he is required to give 161 b to Kiwi Fox, a four-year-old.

From the amounts they would be carrying at weight-for-age over a mile and a half Fair Filou is down 101 b, making 8-10, and Kiwi Fox is down 201 b, making 7-8. Horses older than six years are in a big majority in the field, Mr Dickens being the only four-year-old besides Kiwi Fox, and Earl Marshall, Mantovani and King’s Credit the only five-year-olds. The preponderance of success in the Mitchelson Cup has been with the older runners and most of the four-year-old and five-year-old winners have had to be pretty good. Gold Chick was four when he won last year, and as well as scoring by three lengths he went the mile and a half in 2min 29sec, which is a fine gallop in the early spring when the going is seldom very fast. Before Gold Chick, the most recent four-year-old winner was Gendarme, which carried the steadier of 9-5 successfully in 1953. Kiwi Fox has not yet looked as good as Gold Chick and neither horse has the class of Gendarme. Best Performance The best performance by Kiwi Fox so far was his winning of the Churchill Handicap, 11 furlongs, at Avondale on July 4 with 7-8, one pound more than the bottom weight. Meanwhile he has been backed and beaten several times and a bit unlucky more than once.

Slight further improvement would enable Kiwi Fox to hold his own in the best middle-distance company.

Craddock and Kiwi Fox finished first and third respectively last week-end over 11 furlongs in the Ralph Somers Handicap at Te Aroha. Mantovani was in between after looking the winner a furlong out From the weights on that occasion Craddock is up 31b in the Mitchelson Cup to 8-5. Mantovani has 21b less with 8-3, and Kiwi Fox a pound less. Whereas Mantovani and Kiwi Fox faded a trifle in the last 100 yards, Craddock came on well to win decisively. That was a fine effort after he had made the pace. Craddock has the edge of most distance runners for early pace and he is bound to gain a break on Kiwi Fox, Mantovani and Fair Filou before they come to the first turn after three and a half furlongs. Good Winner Fair Filou won the Mitchelson Cup when a six-year-old under 9-1. In the meantime, especially during the spring months, he has continued to be a good winner for his owner-trainer, Mr L. D. Dell. Just about a year ago Fair Filou won the Wellington Handicap, a mile and a half, at Trentham with 8-8, and the Watkins Handicap, 11 furlongs, under 9-3. His form fell away during the summer, but recovered so that he managed a close third behind Persian Star and Straight Irish in the Oliver Nicholson Handicap at Ellerslie on April 4. After being rested, Fair Filou resumed racing with an impressive fifth while carrying 8-12 in the Matamata Cup, 10 furlongs and 22 yards, on September 19. That was his last start. Captain Lancaster (8-1), Blue Heather (7-9) and Paromac (7-1) have last-start form which suggests a chance. Earl of Foxwood, for all his being beaten into ninth over a mile and a quarter at Thames the other week, is likely to have a following. Running Well Blue Heather collected the Coronation Handicap, 11 furlongs, at Avondale when she last raced. It was a deserved success because she had been running well and a bit unluckily. Captain Lancaster won the race at Thames in which Earl of Foxwood finished unplaced. Paromac was another of the beaten runners at Thames, in the Coakley Memorial. He finished third, after becoming very badly placed about halfway through the race. He finished third, just beforehand, in a mile at Avondale. Earl of Foxwood was a close second behind Kiwi Fox in the Churchill Handicap and has run several very solid middle-distances, but in between times he has often looked quite moderate. Blyton won so well in her last attempt, over a mile, at Avondale, on September 5, that she looks an excellent chance for the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the Flying Handicap. The hardest for Blyton to beat might be Clarendon. If the ground becomes very soft again he will be an especially good prospect. The Flying Handicap is to

be run over seven furlongs, and there is every likelihood that the field will be right up to tiie limit of 24. On that account, the quicker beginners trill have a big advantage. Blyton has very fair early speed, and a favourable barrier position as well. When she won at Avondale it was after keeping close behind the pacemakers. Clarendon, on the other hand, is often slow to begin. Usually he does not come into the picture until the last furlong. In the mile won by Blyton, Clarendon finished fourth after being well behind in the early running. He carried 8-12 against Blyton’s 8-4. This time both have 8-10. Arc, the top-weight with 9-0, has not raced since he finished second over a mile and a quarter at Ellerslie on May 30, and there is a question as to whether he will be

ready to go a hard seven furlongs. Better Chances Karinx (8-10) and Prince Monolulu (8-4) might be better chances, more especially if the weather dears in time for the footing to become reasonably firm. Karinx, a six-year-old, reached good form in the late autumn over the shorter distances, even if he did not win. One of his fine performances secured him the closest of thirds behind Donald Dinnie and Khadija in the Caltex Mile at Ellerslie, and another gained him second, behind Queenwood, in the Golden Mile at Te Rapa. After a winter spell, Karinx resumed racing at Hastings on September 19 and beat all except the three-year-old, Rio, over six furlongs. So he was evidently produced in forward condition. Probably he has improved meanwhile. Prince Monolulu won the Flying Handicap last year and has looked close to his best again in two runs lately at Te Aroha, where he came fourth, and at Matamata fifth. The best prospects otherwise might be Red Count (8-3) and Mali Peter (8-9).. Gold Chat is in form, but a doubtful starter.

1.15 p.m.— MITCHELSON CUP, £3000; lim.

2.45 p.m.— FLYING HANDICAP, £1200; 7f.

9385 Astarito (7) ..7 7 0399 Ravenwood (22) 7 7 Brackets: Royal Request and Darien Peak; Lu Filou and Tax Free; Astarito and Ravenwood.

Scratched: Count Carmel (10) Tax Free (25).

st lb 5355 Fair Filou (21) 8 10 2559 My Contact (17) 8 8 4441 Craddock (2) 8 5 1662 Mantovani (13) 8 3 1871 Captain Lancaster (11) 8 1 9500 Persian Star (5) 8 1 1018 Straight Time (4) S 1 5591 Blue Heather (9) 7 9 7209 Earl of Foxwood 7 8 2383 Kiwi Fox (14) 7 8 1708 Emphatique (1) 7 3 0233 Paromac (16) 7 1 2720 Earl Marshall (20) 7 0 0860 King’s Credit (18) 7’ 0 7090 Li#:y Gray (7) 7 0 3119 Mr Dickens (3) 7 0 8327 Revello (19) 7 0 1092 Smoke Ring (15) 7 0 0304 Surging (6) 7 0 7900 Sweetnotes (12) 7 0 1841 Time Payment (10) 7 0 9945 Vinesse (22) 7 0

st lb 1212 Aro (20) 9 0 0476 Fencourt (26) 9 0 4210 Tasman Lad (13) .. 8 13 2051 Blyton (5) .. 8 10 0024 Clarendon (17) 8 10 8211 Gold Chat (15) 8 10 0524 Karinx (18) 8 10 7102 Overdale (24) 8 10 5584 Mali Peter (3) 8 9 2084 Lincoln (21) 8 7 0015 Firenze (9) 8 4 6754 Prince Monolulu (11) 8 4 1831 Red Count (12) 8 3 6005 Woodlore (16) 8 1 090 Don Filou (23) 7 13 3539 Blue Bay (1) 7 12 7470 Garden Place (8) .. 7 12 2009 Crojack (27) 7 11 4106 Dry Martini (14) .. 7 11 0007 Royal Filou (4) 7 11 0537 Royal Request (6) .. 7 10 9010 Darien Peak (2) 7 9 1472 Lu Filou (10) 7 8 Balloted out with right of reentry:—