Kingston Town could reach $2 million mark this year

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 18

Kingston Town could reach $2 million mark this year

From ALLAN BROWN

Melbourne

Kingston Town took his earnings to $1,450,790 w'hen he won the W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday and, in the next six weeks or so, will be going for a further $750,000. As a further commentary on the level of racing stakes in Australia, Manikato, less than an hour after Kingston Town had been centre stage at Moonee Valley, brought his tally to $1,003,810. Kingston Town, a six-year-old, has now had 39 starts for 29 wins and Manikato, a year older, claims 27 first placings from 41 attempts.

The careers are also similar in that both horses were once “crocks.” their racing futures much in doubt. Kingston Town strained a suspensory ligament when being prepared for the Melbourne Cup two years, ago. an injury which took months to heal. Manikato was even more a cot case, having

suffered leg and back trouble, then a bleeding attack which required him to be taken out of training.

To all appearances now thoroughly sound, Kingston Town will race again next Saturday, in the weight-for-' age L.K.S. MacKinnon Stakes at Flemington, with the Melbourne Cup to follow. And in hardly any time after that, all going well, he will be on his way to Perth' with the chance of further huge prizes including a $225,000 bonus if he wins three nominated events, one of them the Perth Cup.

With 600 m of the 2050 m to go in Saturday’s W. S. Cox Plate, Kingston Town seemed unlikely to be anywhere in the finish. Remarkably, he came up in the last half dozen strides to win by three quarters of a length from Grosvenor, a very good three-year-old. to which he had to give 10.5 kg. Axeman faded behind the first two. a length and a quarter away, but kept third place by half a length from

Allez Bijou, with No Peer and Gurner’s Lane next.

Deb’s Mate, after leading from the 1600 m, dropped out with some 500 to go, beating only Isle of Man and Rare Form to the finish.

Kingston Town struggled to keep up as they rushed to the sharp, first turn, after 200 m, so much that rider, Peter Cook, had to urge him with the whip. Fearless Pride and Axeman, the first two, and Lawman, Allez Bijou. Grosvenor and Gurner’s Lane were all ahead of him on the home bend and his position then seemed hopeless.

First Axeman, then Grosvenor. looked the winner. Moments later Cook worked Kingston Town into the clear. The champion made little progress for a bit but somehow, in the last 50m or 60m drew out a little more to head Grosvenor just short of the finish. Cook riding just hands and heels. It was Kingston Town’s third Cox Plate win on end, the sixth all told for his

trainer. Tommy Smith, and a performance that brought from 'the 25,850 crowd a wonderful response, cheering and wild applause continuing well after Cook brought his mount back to scale. Both Axeman and Deb's Mate appeared to pull up all right, Axeman giving an impression he might even prove better for the race. Lawman, though, was very sore after cooling off.

Result, with New Zealand T.A.B. betting and favouritism. (T.A.B. code: AR) W. S. COX PLATE $271,000; w-f-a; 2050 m 1- KINGSTON TOWN 159 P. Cook 1 3-4 GROSVENOR 13 48.5 B. Clements 2 2- MY AXEMAN 359 W. Robinson 3 Others in finishing order: 5-5 Fearless Pride, 13-13 Allez Bijou. 7- No Peer, 9-12 Gurner’s Lane. 8- Magari, 14-14 English Wonder. 10-11 Lawman. 12-8 Silver Bounty. 4-3 Deb’s Mate, 6-7 Isle of Man, 11-10 Rare Form. len. m len. Time: 2:5.5. Win: $2.50. Places: $1.60. $2.05. $lB5 Quinella: $12.50.