Gurner’s Lane penalised 3kg

Press, 19 October 1982, Page 36

Gurner’s Lane penalised 3kg

NZPA Melbourne Gumer’s Lane has been penalised 3kg to 56kg for the $310,000 Melbourne Cup after his record-margin win in the Caulfield Cup last Saturday. The four-year-old will carry Ikg under weight-for-age in his bid to become the seventh horse in 122 years to achieve the Cups double in the same year. Gumer’s Lane carried 53.5 kg to win the Caulfield Cup by five lengths on a muddy track. He now shares favouritism at 6-to-l for the Melbourne Cup on November 2 with the five-year-old Triumphal March, which is weighted on 50kg. Brent Thomson, who rode Gurner’s Lane last Saturday, is committed to ride Trium-

phal March in the Melbourne Cup. “I am happy with that arrangement but the owners of Gurner’s Lane and the trainer, Geoff Murphy, have agreed to keep. that mount open for me until after Saturday, at least,” Thomson said. Triumphal March will have his Melbourne Cup test in the $50,600 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2600 m on Saturday. Mick Dittman, who lost the Caulfield Cup ride by suspension, will be on Gurner’s Lane in the Melbourne Cup if Thomson as expected, rides Triumphal March. Geoff Murphy reacted angrily to the 3kg penalty. “It is disgraceful, a joke,” he fumed. “I would have been surprised at 2.5 kg. I expected 2kg, but 3kg... it is just too silly. “My first inclination is to withdraw Gurner’s Lane and keep him for. the Perth Cup on New Year’s Day. He will be better handicapped over there. I just can’t work it out.” He said Gurner’s Lane’s win had been made to look so good because of Thomson’s brilliant riding.