Italy next for Balmerino

Press, 4 October 1977, Page 48

Italy next for Balmerino

I e NZPA London ? The New Zealand cham--5 pion, Balmerino, a flying second in the Prjx De I’Arc De 5 Triomphe in Paris on Sunday, ’ is now being set for two rich j races in Italy. . A delighted trainer, John t Dunlop, told the N.Z.P.A. that it was almost certain the ’ five-year-old will run in Rome - in a fortnight and in another i Italian race two weeks after I that. j “I’ve got to speak to Ralph I Stuart (the owner) first but after yesterday’s performance, I don’t think he’ll ob- : ject,” Mr Dunlop said. Dunlop called Balmerino’s performance in the Arc fantastic. “He did everything we asked of him” he said. “I i couldn’t have been more , thrilled — or perhaps I might have been if he won.” The slow early pace in the : 2400 m race at Longchamp suited the American-bred, Irish-owned winner. Alleged, and was not in Balmerino’s favour. “When a horse like Alleged! is in front off a slow pace : like that he’s terribly difficult) to catch,” Dunlop said. “Ron! Hutchinson asked Balmerino) and he made a brilliant effort,) but it was too difficult.” Hutchinson eased back be-) fore the line when he realised! ) the Arc was Alleged’s, Dun-1 lop said. ) Balmerino was checked ini ! running after about 800 m, j ;but Dunlop said it had no). ) effect on his performance. British newspapers today gave all the space to Alleged and his jockey, Lester Piggott, but Michael Phillips in “The Times” said no horse ; finished better than Balmer- ) ! ino. “It says something for Bal- ) merino that he finished sec-): ond in these circumstances”) he wrote. “His was a fine: performance. It was a high-) class performance. I) “Running for only the sec-)) ond time in Europe he upheld)) the present-day quality of) racing and breeding in New! Zealand and Australia.” Phillips said there was a chance Balmerino would, stay in Britain next year and), he added the prospect of): Balmerino at loggerheads| j with Alleged and Dunferm- J;

i line (fourth on Sunday) . I would do much to enliven . i proceedings. gj Dominic Wigan, in the “ j “Financial Times,” said Ron ji Hutchinson’s tactics on Bal- ) merino appeared “singularly J wide of the mark.” ) Hutchinson had left him i with an impossible task to ») catch Alleged, on which Pigr gott rode one of the bestr judged races, Wigan said. Peter O’Sullevan, writing ! in the “Daily Express,” said t appearances suggested that , Balmerino could have been . closer with a better break. The “Daily Telegraph” rac- . ing reporter, Peter Scott, . said Balmerino emerged from the Arc with great credit, , while Samuel Abt, in the ■ Paris-based “International , Herald Tribune.” said Bali merino won a giant dose of ! recognition, something that evaded him during his American campaign.