Europe next for Balmerino

Press, 2 June 1977, Page 16

Europe next for Balmerino

NZPA Washington Ihe New Zealand thor-j oughbred Baimerino will be flown to Europe in the next couple of weeks for a tilt at France’s premier race. The Prix de I’Arc de Triumphe, at summer’s end his Cambridge owner, R. K. Stuart, laid yesterday. The horse will not start in next month’s Hollywood Gold Cup. Mr Stuart outlined plans for Baimerino after the galloper finished seventh in Tuesday’s $200,000 Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap (Um) at Hollywood Park, Los Angeles. Mr Stuart said he and the trainer, Brian Smith, had decided to bypass the rich gold cup to give Baimerino more time to acclimatise to European conditions. “The cup is not for another three weeks and if we wail until after that we might run short of time to prepare Baimerino in Europe.” he said. Mr Smith added it has not; been decided yet whether! the four-year-old will oei flown to England or France. I

But present plans are to| igive him two or three startsj as a lead-up to the big race in France which he will contest if he runs up to his best form. “That’s our main mission,” Mr Stuart said. Mr Stuart added he bad no excuses to offer for , Balmerino’s defeat in the 12horse Invitational. ‘‘He ran a i great race and was in front I at the turn. But he simply went too fast too early and : faded in the straight,’’ he said. The New Zealand owner • said the jockey, Maurice Campbell, had ridden per-1 fectly according to pre-race I stragegy, which the New Zealand team had worked, out. “We were fooled a bit thinking he had to be out in front to win,” Mr Stuart added. “But we’ve seen a lot of races won like that here.” “As it turned out the winner, Vigors, came from behind to score and on reflection perhaps that is what we should have done. ißut we talked it out and I figured you had to be near ithe front to, win. We were I all wrong,” he said.