Big offers for Aust. mare

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 34

Big offers for Aust. mare

From

ALLAN BROWN

Melbourne The owners of Rose of Kingston, Australia’s horse of the year, have refused offers from Britain and the Arab States of up to sAustl.s million to buy the mare.' A senior partner of the syndicate of owners, Mr David Hains, said yesterday that Rose of Kingston was “not for sale at any price." He said that he was hoping still that Rose of Kingston could be got ready for the Japan Cup in which she had been invited to run as Australia’s representative but added that the chance of her getting to Tokyo was “less than slim.” The trainer of Rose of Kingston, Bob Hoystead, has been working hard to have the mare ready for a start in the George Adams Handicap at Flemington on November 6 but he says she will not run unless 100 per cent fit. If she misses the race the trio to Japan will be off. In

that case, Rose of Kingston would probably be retired without further racing. A four-year-old by Claude from Kingston Rose, Rose of Kingston has gathered stakes totalling $591,250, the result of 10 wins and nine minor placings in 26 starts. As a two-year-old she won the Champagne Stakes at Randwick and finished third in the Golden Slipper Stakes. Her wins last season included the V.R.C. Oaks and the A.J.C. Derby, in which she became the first successful filly for 37 years. This time in, she has had four starts for wins in the Craiglee Stakes, at Flemington, and the Coongy Handicap, at Caulfield, and minor placings in the J. J. Liston Stakes and Underwood Stakes. Soon after the Coongy Handicap on October 13 she showed signs of having strained a suspensory ligament and she has since been on the sideline.