American-owned Persuasion capable of Guineas double

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 8

American-owned Persuasion capable of Guineas double

Thanks mainly to his great race mare, Dahlia, the Texas oil millionaire, Mr Nelson Bunker Hunt, finished the English racing season this year with a wide lead on the owners’ list.

Mr Hunt’s racing empire is far-flung, and Persuasion has been one of its brilliant colourbearers in this part of the world in the last few weeks.

Today this Matamatatrained product of Australian parents looks capable of completing a notable double for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s New Zealand Cup meeting by winning the second running of the New Zealand One Thousand Guineas.

Last Saturday Persuasian brilliantly won against the colts and geldings in the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas; and at generous odds, after her courageous win in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham a fortnight earlier.

Her Two Thousand Guineas victory was marked by the strength of her final challenge, and she was quickly widening her winning margin of a length at the end.

The closest of the other fillies to Persuasian in the Two Thousand Guineas was the Gold Trial Stakes winner, Princess Patrice, which finished ninth. But Persuasian did not have Black Willow, Soliloquy and Rosie’s Girl in opposition in that classic, and members of this talented group seem likely to supply the hard core of opposition for the American-owned filly today.

Soliloquy and Rosie’s Girl

are from the powerful team of R. C. Verner, and go into today’s race with encouraging credentials. Soliloquy was an easy winner — Persuasian was third — in the Lowland Stakes, at 1400 metres, at Masterton last month. Rosie’s Girl ran Persuasion close in the Desert Gold Stakes, outfinishing Princess Patrice (third) and Black Willow (fourth). SECOND TO SHOW GATE Soliloquy beat all but the brilliant Show Ga'te in The Stewards last Saturday, but Rosie’s Girl and Black Willow will make their only appearances at the meeting in today’s race.

Soliloquy and Black Willow were both sired by Sobig, sire also of this year’s Melbourne Cup winner, Think Big. Black Willow was given

top rating of the fillies in the Free Handicap for two-year-olds last season. She was given 58kg. Soliloquy was rated at 57kg. Lynda Mary, winner of three races in succession including the Dunedin Guineas and the Gore Guineas Trial before coming to Riccarton, is the southerner most likely to put up a show of opposition against the northerners. But hopes for major southern victories today look brighter in The Metropolitan and the Churchill Stakes. Golden Sam looks capable of a top-weight’s victory in The Metropolitan, and Show Gate is expected to continue her brilliant patch of winning form in the Churchill Stakes, a race she also won last year with 3.5 kg less than the 57kg she will carry today.