CUP START CLOSER FOR ARAMA

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33649, 26 September 1974, Page 8

CUP START CLOSER FOR ARAMA

Staff Correspondent * SYDNEY. The Oncidium four-year-old Arama was yesterday given a 2.5 kg rehandicap for the $115,000; Caulfield Cup following his win! in the $20,000 John F. Feahan; Handicap at Moonee Valiev on Saturday. The rehandicap brought a cup ■ i start for Arama closer, but he is] 1 still in danger of being eliminlated from the big race. , The Victoria Amateur Turf I Club handicapper (Mr E. Wil-1 Hams) gave Arama the extra! > 2.5 kg after studying the horse’s ; ’form since he allotted him 47.5 kg; in the original cup weights. ‘’When I announced the jweights. Arama had raced only once, when unplaced as a twoi year-old.” Mr Williams said yesterday. “But I have ne'er seen) a horse rise so quickly to Caulfield Cup prominence.” Arama, eligible for a rehandicap of 4.5 kg, will now carry 50kg j —7kg below weight-for-age—in | the cup of October 19. However!, he is still not certain of a start! l in the race. His latest win qualified him through the first two prize-money stipulations, but if. after final ■ acceptances, it is necessary to : reduce the field to the safety - limit of 18. the lowest weighted horses relative to weight-for-age will be eliminated. ONE MORE RUN I His trainer. R. H. Hall, said i yesterday that Arama W’ould have | one more run before the Caul- . field Cup. either in the Turnbull ‘ Stakes (2000 m at Flemington on i October 5. or the Toorak Handi- < cap (1600 m at Caulfield on Octo- . ber 12. A win in the Toorak Handicap I would solve all problems for < Arama. The winners of the Too- , rak Handicap. the Caulfield c Guineas and the Herbert Power Handicap are automatically elim- 1 inated from all balloting require- i ments. Arama is by Oncidium out of the Treasure Hunt mare Flue, i He is a full brother to Column. . runner-up to Classic Mission in the 1971 Victoria Derby. 1 Now four, Arama has had only ; six starts in his career, the first , being in a two-year-old event at Cranboume in March. 1973, His next race was in August this ( year when he was beaten a head in a Cranboume Maiden. Then « he started winning, and has not 1 stopped He has won in succession at Werribee, Flemington, i Caulfield and Moonee Valley,; beating a top-class field last Saturday in the Feahan Handicap. 1 Love Aloft, one of Australia’s!( best four-year-old mares. fin-j ished a distant third to Arama' ( on Saturday and her trainer, C. < A, Hayes, said: “Any horse who!’ can beat Love Aloft so easily >| must be an outstanding race-, horse.”