All Perth eyes on Kingston Town

Press, 27 November 1982, Page 22

All Perth eyes on Kingston Town

NZPA-Reuter • Perth The Perth trainer, Reg Rayment, said that the champion galloper, Kingston Town, “would have to stretch every muscle” to beat his star three-year-old Rare Flyer in todays $130,000 Western mail Classic at Ascot. Rare Flyer caused a sensation when he beat the Victorian Derby winner Grosvenor, in the Western Australia Derby last Saturday week. Rare Flyer will have to win today’s Western Mail Classic to keep alive his chances of winning a $300,000 bonus which goes to a horse if he is successful in the W.A. Derby, the Western Mail ■ Classic and the Australian Derby. The Australian Derby is to be run at Ascot on January 1. Rayment made his prediction about Rare Flyer’s chances in the Western mail after his colt had been sent over a 10km bush work curse yesterday morning. “It would be silly of me to suggest that Rare Flyer will beat Kingston Town but I do know that he has never been better,” Rayment said. “I am hot really worried about anv other runner as

Rare Flyer proved his class beyond doubt when he beat Grosvenor soundly in the W.A. Derby.” Rayment said that. Rare Flyer had been “jumping out of his skin” and had thrived on the switch to bush work for the previous two mornings. However, all eyes will be centred on the champion Kingston Town at today's meeting. The handsome black has created enormous interest since arriving in Perth on Sunday and his presence at the Ascot summer carnival has assured its success. His every move is being followed closely by journalists and interested spectators and a win by him today would prove enormously popular! His jockey. Malcolm Johnston, flew to Perth on Thursday evening to ride him in work at the Helena Vale track yesterday morning. Kingston Town was sent over 2000 m and easily ran home his last 600 m in 42.55. He said that while neither he nor Kingston Town had been round the reshaped Ascot track, he was confident the champion would handle the circuit. Unfortunately for the W.A.

Turf Club, signs of wear have already appeared on the new circuit and they are causing concern. The main problem area is between the 600 m and 400 m

and a meeting held at the track on Thursday — only the third since the re-opening of the track — saw the false rail moved out three metres. However, it was apparent

that the problem area was worse than first thought and horses were badly cutting into the track in that area on Thursday.