Top mares to clash

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 4 (Supplement)

Top mares to clash

( From

NEIL DIBBS,

of Associated Press, through N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON "The Old Girl" end "She" will duck across the English Channel from Paris in July for a brief high summer trip to the famous Ascot racecourse, near London.

before the race. But when he heard the name of his replace merit jockey. Lester Piggott, he was on his feet in a flash. Burning rivalry outweighed medical warnings, and he decided to make good his boast from the hospital bed that "The worst jockey in the world could not make Allez France lose."

"The Old Girl" has been to Britain before. "She" will come for the first time, accompanied by a horde of security guards. Between them they represent the pinnacle of achievement in the racing world. "The Old Girl" is Dahlia, the winner of $BOO,OOO. "She" is Allez France, collector of $690,000. The two five-year-old mares are near-ncighbours at the famous Chantilly racing district near Paris But not neighbourly friends. They are arch-rivals for the title of the best mare the world has ever seen.

Strapped up. corsetted, pumped so full of novocaine that he would never have passed a postrace sw’ab. Saint Martin claimed his right to ride in a gamble worth the $228,000 stake for the race.

More passenger than pilot, Saint Martin allowed Allez France to stride to the front on the home turn. With her jockey sitting almost still, Allez France beat off challengers in the final furlong to win by a neck. The fickle Longchamp crowd might have lynched Saint Martin if their queen had lost. But they cheered him deliriously instead.

Six times they have clashed, each time at Longchamp. and six times Allez France has beaten Dahlia. But. as Dahlia's trainer. Maurice Zitber, points out. Allez France is a Longchamp specialist. She cannot match the international record of Dahlia, which has beaten the best horses in England. Ireland, the United States and Canada. Dahlia has won the last two contests for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, picking up England's first £lOO.OOO ($178,000) prize last year She also strolled away with the $71,000 York Cup. the Irish Oaks in 1973. the 1973 Washington International, and the Canadian International Chainpionsliip in Toronto. Allez France meanwhile stayed at home, picking up the Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe twice. But in July Allez France will leave the Longchamp turf for the first time in an attempt to annex this sear's King George Stakes at Ascot.

Allez France, as befitting a queen, lives in the lap of luxury. The ritzy Rue de Monpensicr stable has accommodation for 124 horses in the richly-timbered Normandy-.style mansion. Within, there is a $89,000 swimming pool, just for horses. Barely a kilometre away up the railway tracks lives Dahlia, up a stony earth track to the crumbling mansion nicknamed "Le Chateau."

Dahlia is coming to chase her third win in the race in succession. and the stage is set for a clash which may prove Maurice Zilber’s theory that Dahlia is a better mare than Allez France on any track except Longchap Dahlia will be ridden as usual by the Australian jockey. Billy Pyers. who is retained by Dahlia's owner, the American multi millionaire, Mr Nelson Bunker Hunt. Alice France. owned and trained by Daniel Wilderstein. will be ridden by the top French jockey. Yves Saint Martin, who spares nothing to take the mount on his favourite horse

Last vear's Arc de Triomphe proved that point Saint Martin fractured his right hip 10 days

No gleaming palace this, but it docs have the mouldering elegance which is typically French and impressive. No fancy fixtures and fittings, just solid and dignified faded grandeur. “I.a Viellle,” they call Dahlia at “Le Chateau”—“The Old Girl.” No pet name for Allcz France. To the stable and fiftv million frenchmen she is simply known as “Elie”—“She.” They speak her name in a whisner like some ultimate accolade. Roll on the King George Stakes, the ultimate match race.