Meliador a 'late entry’

Press, 8 June 1979, Page 4 (Supplement)

Meliador a 'late entry’

PA Melbourne Meliador, West Australia’s champion racehorse, is to be accepted as a “late entry” for the $310,000 Melbourne Cup (3200 m at Flemington or November 6. The chief executive of the West Australian Turf Club, Mr Barry Saunders, said Meliador’s entry had been delayed because of a “technical hitch.” Meliador, winner of this year’s Perth Cup, was a shock omission from the 555 entries at the 2 p.m. closing time on Wednesday. “There was a delay in the transmission of Meliador as a cup entry,” said Mr Saunders. “I’m still uncertain what went wrong.” Victoria Racing Club’s racing secretary, Mr Kevin Ryan, said Meliador would be added to the list of entries. “We got a late telex message from Perth to say that Meliador had been entered,” said Mr Ryan. But he pointed out that the W.A.T.C., as an agent for entries would have to confirm that it made the mistake. The V.R.C. also would ask for the circumstances. Mr Ryan said that for

Meliador’s entry to be accepted it would have to have been lodged with the W.A.T.C. before entry closing time. Meliador, owned and trained by a former West Australian footballer, Fred Castledine, has won $173,500 in stakes. He has raced 17 times for 11 wins, including defeats of test year’s Melbourne Cup winner, Arwon, in the December Handicap, Cox Stakes and Perth Cup.

Castledine refused a $600,000 offer from a British agent to buy Meliador for European racing. Castledine has set Meliador for the Metropolitan at Rand wick on October 1, the Caulfield Cup, the W. S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley and the Melbourne Cup. He hopes to fulfil a lifetime dream by winning the i Melbourne Cup with Meliado’ and then syndicating the | stallion as a sire. Meliador I will be a five-year-old this spring. V.R.C. officials had an earlier scare when top threeI year-old Double Century was i missing from entries only 25 'nrnutes before closing time. Staff tried unsuccessfully to contact the trainer Roh iMcDonell, jockey, Mick Mai-

lyon and the owners of Double Century. A woman strolled into the V .R.C. office at 1.40 p.m. — 20 minutes before the deadline — with the forms and $3O entry fee for Double Century. The 555 entries (the V.R.C. total was 557 but two were duplicated) is only eight fewer than last year’s record of 563. There is a record New Zealand entry of 75. Last year 61 New Zealand horses were entered and the previous highest was 72 in 1976. Entries include three European stayers — Arapahos, Loving Jim, and Valley Forge. All were entered by the Sydney trainer, Mai Barnes, who has taken over most of the team of suspended trainer “Bart” Cummings. The three horses may be brought to Australia by leading English owner, Mr Robert Sangster. Arapahos has had 11 starts for five wins and three placings. Loving Jim has raced 20 times for three wins and seven placings and Valley Forge has three wins and two placings from 11 starts.