Australian horse had first win in N.Z.

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

Australian horse had first win in N.Z.

iProm the Australian racing correspondent of "The Press”)

SYDNEY. Kura Star, which began his racing career in New Zealand where he won his maiden race at Avondale, has won his first race since his Australian campaign began in January.

He gave a polished exhibition to win the Graduation Stakes, Il furlongs, at Warwick Fann on Saturday, and was one of three winners ridden by G. Moore, who had his first “field” day since his return to race riding. Kura Star is by Star Kingdom, whose stock include very few distance performers.

But Kura Star is from Princess Debbie, a mare by Belville Wood, and although most of the many winners that have come along from

this family in the last three generations are sprinters there ‘have been occasional stayers. The trainer, H. H. Riley, was fairly confident that Kura Star, nursed along by Moore, would win this, his first race over a distance greater than nine furlongs. NEVER TROUBLED He was right, too, for Kura Star took charge about seven furlongs from home and was not really troubled after that. The contingent of two-year-olds in Sydney for the rich races for the horses of that age will have the grey gelding, Andros, to contend with. This son of Sovereign Edition is not engaged in the Golden Slipper, the $52,000 race over six furlongs at Rosehili next Saturday, but at Moonee Valley on Saturday he won so well over six furlongs that he is to be

given his chance in the Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Champagne Stakes at Randwick.

The V.R.C. Sires Produce Stakes winner, Tolerance, is a short priced favourite for the Golden Slipper, and if he should win that race he will be even shorter for the races at Randwick. Tauto returned to winning form and beat Rajah Sahib and Abdul in one of the most open Alister Clark Stakes on record. The race, run over one mile at Moonee Valley, had a field of 14 and backers scarcely could make up their minds about favouritism between Pilgarlic, Tauto, Rajah Sahib, and Abdul.

Abdul, the three-year-old by Sovereign Edition, had a lot to do with the pacemakirig and this did not help him in the finish.