Battle Heights pipped at post in Caulfield Cup

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 20

Battle Heights pipped at post in Caulfield Cup

INZPA Sydney The New Zealand veteran, Battle Heights, almost stole the glory from How Now with his fighting second in Saturday’s $129,500 Caulfield Cup.

The nine-year-old Battle Wagon gelding was officially a length away in second place at the post’ but the angle of the finishing line at Caulfield had patrons unfamiliar with the course, Battle Heights’ owner-trainer, Tim Douglas, among them, almost believing that the grand old stayer had succeeded. The two horses could clash again over 2050 metres in the W. S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Australasia’s richest weight-for-age event next Saturday.

The 2400 metres Caulfield Cup was again a triumph for New Zealand thoroughbreds. How Now, a four-year-old

mare by the French sire In The Purple out of Fair Dianna, was bred in New Zealand and is trained in Adelaide by Colin Hayes. Battle Heights and third placed Van Der Hum (Hermes-Tip O’Dawn) were among eight New Zealand horses in the 18-horse field. The two New Zealandowned emergencies, My Good Man and My Royal Dell, were both brought into the field following the scratchings of Think Big and Better Draw. The first six horses to finish were New Zealand-bred. Best of the others was the pacemaker Ngawyni, which finished seventh. How Now, the three to one favourite was superbly ridden by John Stocker. Because of a soft patch soon after

the start, the barriers were moved to the outside of the track and from the 16 gate Stocker managed to get the mare quickly to ‘the fence. He took her to a clear lead soon after entering the 350 metre straight, pulling the whip at the 200 metre mark. “Luck went my way,” Stocker said afterwards. “I wasn’t happy when the barriers were moved to the outside fence. I planned to win the jump and I did, but I was startled when the saddle shifted on the home turn. Fortunately it held fast for the remainder of the race.”

Stocker previously rode Yangtze in his Caulfield Cup success in 1964. How Now became the fourth mare in succession to win the Caulfield Cup. She cost $15,000 as a yearling in New Zealand and is raced on lease by senior executives of the Commodore Hotel Group. She has now earned almost $186,000. How Now is not a Melbourne Cup contender, but will be taken to America next May for rich races in California and to be mated. Battle Heights raced near the back of the field early in the big race, and once again he showed his great staying ability with tremendous acceleration over the closing stages. His jockey Larry Olsen said he could have won had there been another 100 metres to run.

At the turn,. Battle Heights was on the inner back in about ninth place. He was at least eight lengths behind How Now and Ngawyni which had about three lengths on a group which included the New Zealand

stayers, Mer’Cler and Happy Union.

Olsen decided to keep to the rails, and at the 200 metres mark he appeared to be hampered by Mer’Cler. “I wanted to get inside Mer’Cler because the going on the rails was better than a little further out,” Olsen said. “I went for the run and it half closed before I was able to get through. It was a mighty Melbourne Cup trial. T wouldn’t swap Battle Heights for any other mount.” New Zealand apprentice, Brent Thomson, said he had no luck in the early stages on Van Der Hum and was forced back to last. “From there on I was forced very wide and had to cover too much ground,” he said. Van Der Hum started second favourite at five to one after heavy on-track betting. He carried one wager of $lO,OOO to $2OOO and two of $9OOO to $2OOO. The Bill Winder-trained horses Suleiman and Happy Union did not live up to expectations. Suleiman was third favourite at eight-to one but did not feature at any stage and finished tenth. Bob Skelton, who started his engagements list for the day with a great win on El Katrina in the 2000 metres First H.R. Way Welter, indicated later that he will seek a release from Suleiman for the Melbourne Cup. Skelton would like the ride on Van Der Hum, and Thomson already has a prior Melbourne Cup commitment on Kythera.

Kythera. carrying the topweight of 60kg. was fourth to El Katrina on Saturday and Thomson said afterwards he was pleased with

the performance first-up in Australia and was confident that Kythera would be in great condition for the Melbourne Cup. Happy Union pulled badly early in the Caulfield Cup. Although handily placed for much of the race, he was left struggling back in sixth position at the finish. Of the other New Zealanders, My Royal Dell was ninth, My Good Man twelfth, and Kiwi Can sixteenth. The race was ’ won in a slow 2:36.7 on the heavy track. How Now carried only 52kg, and the withdrawal of Think Big left Battle Heights the top-weight with 58kg. In other events the New Zealand filly Savoir (Soveriegn Edition-Souvenir), won a perfectly-judged race .to take the $40,000 Thousand Guineas. (4000 metres). Heavy on-course betting brought her odds down from 10 to 1 to 6 to 1, and she won by a neck from Red Rebecca and Out of Danger. Savoir is at present the subject of a doping inquiry after her. late withdrawal from a race at Flemington on October 2. Her Melbourne trainer Geoff Murphy said he intends to restrict her immediate racing in future to fillies’ events.

Murphy’s other top Sovereign Edition filly, Surround, was a scratching from Sturdays event. New Zealand-bred Zamana (Zamazaan-Your Ladyship) won the second H.R. Way Welter, but the former New Zealander, Somerst Pride, was a disappointment in the 1400 metres Fashion Stakes and finished seventh of 11.