Cummings-trained entry for Air N.Z. Stakes

Press, 18 February 1978, Page 16

Cummings-trained entry for Air N.Z. Stakes

By J. J. BOYLE Australia’s famous trainer, Bart Cummings, has nominated his Caulfield Cup winner, Ming Dynasty, for the $50,000 Air New Zealand Stakes, which will be run at Ellerslie on March 4. The Air New Zealand Stakes is New Zealand’s richest weight-for-age race, and it. will be the most glittering attraction of the autumn, if not the whole season. Uncle Remus and Good Lord are two of the 27 entrants.

This will be their final race before they are flown to Sydney for rich races at the A.J.C. Easter carnival.

Washdyke's Grey Way is another entered for the race.

and if Cummings pursues plans to send Ming Dynasty over the Auckland Racing Club can be certain of a crowd to match the big one at Ellerslie for Auckland Cup day last month. Bart ' Cummings learned this week that it will be possible to send Ming Dynasty to New Zealand in an aircraft used to fly horses to Melbourne for the Inter-Do-minion Championships. “That $50,000 is a pretty good stake and the conditions would suit my horse more than a handicap like the Australian Cup in which he has his share of weight with 58kg,” Cummings said this week.

Cummings told Auckland Racing Club officials this week that he would make a

'final decision about a start in the Auckland race early jnext week. i He would have to be certain he could have the horse back in Australia, in time to run in the $35,400 H. E. Tancred Stakes at Rosehill a week after the Air New Zealand Stakes. Cummings is confident Ming Dynasty, winner of $155,000 in stakes, will make a race of it with Uncle Remus at Ellerslie. He would also welcome the chance to run the Caulfield Cup winner against the young Takanini champion to get a better idea of

t what will be needed of Lusi kin Star and his other three-year-olds if they are to beat - Uncle Remus in'the $lOl,OOO s Australasian Champion > Stakes, over 2000 m, on . March 25. i Another Australian entry i - for the Air New Zealand] Stakes will be Kaoru Prince. - This speedster from Sydney i f will race against the sprint-| ers in the Hi-Bing Handicap : at Te Rapa today. Lejano. a two-year-old : stablemate of Grey Wav, has j been entered for the $lO,OOO t Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie - on Air New Zealand Stakes f Dav.