NEAREST OUT OF EPSOM

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33963, 2 October 1975, Page 8

NEAREST OUT OF EPSOM

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Crspdt) SYDNEY. Nearest, the Victorian sprinter which was to have been ridden by the New Zealand jockey Gary Willetts in the $100,500 Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday, has become sore and will not run. Nearest was flown to Sydney! yesterday but was found to be sore, and will not be among the starters to be declared today. Cap d’Antibes (5 to 2) remains the favourite for the Epsom, ahead of Leica Show (3 to 1), but Bart Cummings, who trains both horses, picks Leica Show to win. "The mare had a set-back a few weeks ago and has not been quite right, but she is blooming now and will be in top form for the Epsom,” he said. John Duggan will ride Leica Show with Larry Olsen on Cap

d’Antibes. Cummings has engaged Roy Higgins to ride Martindale and Mick Dittman for Kingston Rose.

Their main rivals should be Rosie Heir, trained by Arthur Sowden, Americano, trained by Tommy Smith, and Kiwi Can. who will be ridden by Roger Lang. Kiwi Can was due to leave Melbourne last night for Sydney. Smith’s other entries include Authentic Heir, Kronprinz and the smart mare Hartshill. Cummings’s Oncidium colt, Ralique, has joined Battle Sign as joint favourite for the $100,500 A.J.C. Derby at Randwick on Saturday. Both are at 7 to 4. Cummings said that the colt was getting very, strong now, and was one of the best prospective Derby runners he had ever had. Gold Pulse, another Oncidium colt, which is trained by Smith,is at 3 to 1. with everything else at 20 to 1 or better, and given little chance.