N.Z. stayer ready

Press, 18 June 1979, Page 23

N.Z. stayer ready

From PAUL MEIN Brisbane! “It will take a champion! to beat us.” That was the: (Riccarton jockey, Michael; 'Mein’s, reaction after riding, IMr Ay Bee in his final! workout before today’s [ $75,000 Brisbane Cup. But the Australian racing: public has its champion in; Double Century. The massive Victorian colt, first past! the post in his last five! race-day appearances, will start at 7-to-4 on, Tulloch odds, for the mip today. A commanding sevenlength winner of the Sydney Cup in April, Double Century’ has gone on to win his next three races, all in Queensland, including the Queensland Derby (2400 m (last Saturday week. ' The Century colt finished I his nreparation for today’s (staying test with a brilliant I gallop at Southport, just (south of Brisbane, on Satur- | dav.

Double Century worked over 2400 m but the pace was on from the 1200 m, the colt sprinting his first 600 m in 35s and the last 600 m in 38s.

His trainer, Ron McDonnell, former stable foreman for “Bart” Cummings, was

quick to point out that this; was by far the best gallop I the colt had produced since! |he arrived in Queensland. ; [ If he succeeds today hej [will join a select group of! [only 10 three-year-olds to* [have won the race. ( The last was the New (Zealand champion Balm- : erino, which was victorious jir the cup three years ago. j He was the first three-year-iold to succeed in 21 years. ! Double Century will carry 54.5 kg, three kilos more, than he carried to victory in the Sydney Cup, and o.skg more than the Wingatui contender, Mr Aj' Bee. Only Mr Ay Bee, at 4-to-one, is considered capable by Australians, at least, of stemming Double Century’s winning rampage, and he, too, worked boldly at South-■ port on Saturday. His trainer. Tony Prendergast, has embarked on a programme of swimming for the gelding, which looks right at peak. Mr Ay Bee cantered once around then was assigned 1400 m at a strong threequarter pace. He pulled up seemingly no different to when he started and Pre-1 ndergast is well satisfied! with the gelding’s fitness. I At his only other Austra-'

lian start Mr Ay Bee finished on relentlessly for third t) Beimura Lad and Ima Shadow, after giving I the leader some 25 lengths I with 800 m to run, in the P. J. O'Shea Stakes. That race was run in 2min 14.55, race-record time. Ironically enough, it bettered another Wingatui galloper's record, that set by Baghdad Note at Eagle Farm in 1974. Selection.— Double C tury, Mr Ay Bee, Kindle'’ 5.5 p.m. (N.Z.) Time) BRISBANE CUP $75,000; 3200 m. 1 415 Our Cavalier <7; 3.0 G. Cook 2 111 Double Century . 54.5 R. Mall yon 3 113 Mr Ay Bee 11) 54.0 M. Mein 4 534 Kindled 52.5 R. Franklin • 5 120 Zamazaan Lass (11) 50.5 6 102 Kiimallock Boy (8) 50.0 M. Johnson 7 516 Bernella (14) 49.0 M. As pin al 8 069 Rhait (15) 49.0 M. Pelling 9 368 Grey Affair (?i 48.5 D. Messingham 10 340 Pay the Purple .1) 48 5 G. Killen II 133 Prunella (13) 48.5 P Cook 12 227 Char Boheme (12) 48.0 L. Dittman 13 454 Summer Fleur (4) 47.5 K. Smith 114 223 Hermonn (5) 47 0 G. Palmer 15 637 Protomegos (6) 46.5 L. Plumb