My Blue Denim fails to impress rider

Press, 23 October 1980, Page 21

My Blue Denim fails to impress rider

NZPA Melbourne: The New Zealand mare/ My Blue Demin, did not im- j press her race jockey, Peteri Cook, at a “Breakfast With’ the Stars” track gallop at Moonee Valley. i Cook gave up the ride on three-year-old Sovereign Red’ in the $200,000 weight-for-age W.S. Cox Plate (2050 m at Moonee Valley on Saturday to ride My Blue Demin in both the Cox Plate and the $302,000 Mel-, bourne Cup (3200 m on November 4. "She felt a bit awkward on the tight circuit and she worried me by star-gazing during her gallop,” Cook said. ! , Asked if he had made a! mistake in bypassing Sover-j eign Red, Cook said: “Well,; if I do not win the Coxi Plate with My Blue Denim,: I’ll make up for it on her in the Melbourne Cup.” The' 1980 Auckland Cup winner: galloped alone over 1600m' in Imin 50.55. running the last 600 m in 38.55. The most impressive: track-workers of the Cox 1 Plate entries at the Valley: were the Colin Hayes three-:

■ year-olds Our Paddy Bov land Fortune Favours. Our Paddy Boy, with: (Stable apprentice’ Peter' IRyan, and Fortune Favours.; ■with Roy Higgins, galloped 1 1600 m in Imin 51s, the last 600 m in 40s, with Our (Paddy Boy on the outside finishing a long neck in front. Our Paddy Boy. which recently was sold for $250,000. received a minor cut to his off hind leg, but Hayes said it was superficial and needed no treatment. “Both horses worked ex-; tremely weil, and Our Paddy ' Boy, looks to have improved! his bad track manners,”: Hayes said. i The veteran jockey Bob; 'Skelton takes the ride on! ;Our Paddy Boy in the Cox: ; Plate, while Hayes is still; ■searching for a rider for; i Fortune Favours as Roy;, 'Higgins, who was still with- 11 out a ride in the race, can-’ [not make the weight. Cox Plate hopefuls also, went through their paces at,' Flemington with the Tommy, ■ Smit h-trained Kingston!: ■ Town looking more comfort-i I [able racing in an anti-clock- : : wise direction. i ' The four-year-old, which! i

has failed in his five Mel-: bourne starts, had a relaxed! ■ gallop over 1600 m, and; ■pleased Smith with the way; ■he pulled up after his third behind Ming Dynasty in last Saturday's Caulfield Cup. “He is racing two seconds behind his-best form in Sydney, but he is settling down better, and he wjll still be the best horse in Saturday's field.” Smith said. Smith will take Kingston Town to Moonee Valley tomorrow where the gelding will be ridden by race jockey Malcolm Johnston. I Trainer Bart Cummings (said he had one definite 'starter in the Cox Plate at [this sthge, Belmura Lad.; 'Cummings said he would de-i jcide on a Cox Plate start fori (Caulfield Cup winner, Ming, (Dynasty, which did light! I work over 1600 m on the! isteeple grass at Flemington: i yesterday after trackwork! ■tomorrow morning. , Another Cummings gallo-l per and Melbourne Cup! favourite, Hyperno, which was not entered for the Cox (Plate, was recovering rapidly ■from a minor heel injury to ■his off-foreleg and Cum-1 mings said the six-year-old | ■would resume norma'l train-! ling tomorrow.