Vice Regal faces stern test today
NZPA Melbourne Vice Regal’s Caulfield Cup prospects face the most searching appraisal yet in the $15,000 weight-'for-age Underwood Stakes 2000 m at Caulfield today. The New Zealand entire will face a field which includes three other Caulfield Cup hopefuls — Family of Man, Unaware and Ming Dynasty. Also in the field are three leading Melbourne Cup hopes — Reckless, Gold and Black and Royal Cadenza.
The 12-horse field includes the veteran New Zealandbred. Wave King, which is a strong contender for the Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick on October 3. At his last start — the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on September 3 — Wave King caused an upset by beating both Family of Man and Unaware.
Among others in the field are the top mares How Now and Denise’s Joy.
After his comfortable win in last Saturday’s Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley, Vice Regal is the 2 to 1 favourite over Family of Man for the Underwood Stakes. In his first Australian start this campaign. Royal Cadenza is not highly rated at 12 to 1. At longer odds will be Gold And Black and Reckless. Reckless is being prepared for his Melbourne Cup campaign on a light racing programme and will be having only his second start since adding the Brisbane Cup to his Sydney and Adealide Cup victories. The New Zealand-bred, How Now, won this event last year and went on to win the Caulfield Cup three weeks later.
Garv Willetts will be on Vice Regal today. The feature race on the programme is the $72,400 Marlboro Cup 1400 m, in which the New Zealand gallopers, Sir Silver Lad and Battle Eve. are acceptors. It will be the first start for both in their current Australian campaigns.
Battle Eve did not enjoy the best of journeys across the Tasman on Sunday, and
has been off her feed. She was still considered a doubtful runner yesterday. Sir Silver Lad has the topweight of 58.5 kg and is at 7 to 1 on the second line of betting. Joint favourites for the race are Maybe Mahal and Desirable.
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Press, 22 September 1977, Page 20
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349Vice Regal faces stern test today Press, 22 September 1977, Page 20
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