Race For Fans Today

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 5

Race For Fans Today

(N.Z. Press Association) MELBOURNE. The former New Zealand stayer, Fans, will open his Victorian autumn campaign in the $5200 Mornington Cup today. Fans, now trained in Adelaide by C. S. Hayes, will be ridden by the stable jockey, J. Stocker.

The Mornington Cup has attracted an excellent field and the race should prove an ideal guide to the autumn prospects of Fans.

Fans has raced only once since a spell for a first-up third to Man of Merit and Steel Helmet in the Morphettville Welter, one mile, on February 8.

Backed from 20 to 1 to 8 to 1, Fans carried 8-13 and finished at a great rate, less than two lengths from the winner. Fans resumed racing in tiptop shape, and Hayes has his sights set on the $24,000 Australian Cup, of lim., at Flemington on March 10.

E. Ropiha, who trained Ilumquh, brought Fans to Australia from New Zealand, and Hayes took over the gelding’s preparation after his second to Palatial in the V.R.C. Handicap. At his previous start Fans finished a creditable third to Rain Lover and Fileur in the $60,000 Melbourne Cup.

Since December, 1966; Fans has won seven New Zealand races, and four of them have been over the Mornington Cup distance of 10 furlongs. Fans has been allotted topweight of 9-3 In the Mornington Cup and has B*B in the Australian Cup.