Stablemates Sydney bound

Press, 21 March 1983, Page 29

Stablemates Sydney bound

Special correspondent Auckland The good Matamata stablemates, Maurita and Jon, made their last appearances with colours up before going to Sydney when they galloped strongly between races at Paeroa on Saturday. Ridden by Greg Childs (Maurita) and David Peake (Jon), who will ride them in their important Sydney engagements, Maurita and Jon galloped once round and were timed for the last 800 m in 49.

Jon, on the outside, finished just in front but both horses looked to be travelling nicely.

Maurita and Jon, both trained by Jim Gibbs, are booked to be flown to Sydney on Wednesday and will run in the Tancred Stakes, a weight-for-age 2400 m event at Randwick on Saturday. Maurita, runner-up in the last DB Auckland and Wellington Cups, will then be prepared for the Sydney Cup, all going well, and Jon will be set a further weight-for-age task in the Queen

Elizabeth Stakes. Gibbs confirmed yesterday that Childs wouid ride Maurita in Sydney and he hoped Peake would ride Jon in the horse’s Australian engagements. The striking win by Aulyn in the Manawatu Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes on Saturday decided her connections on taking up the other horse space on Wednesday’s plane to Sydney.

Aulyn’s big assignment in Sydney will be the A.J.C. Oaks at Randwick, but that is not until April 6. The filly’s trainer, Ray Verner, is therefore giving serious consideration to allowing her a race next week-end. There is a suitable-look-ing race at Rosehill this coming Saturday, the Storm Queen Stakes, a set-weight, 2800 m race worth $30,000 all told and $18,600 to the winner.

Aulyn was returned to Takanini on Saturday. She came through her racing and travelling in excellent order, perhaps even further improved.