Thomson to ride at Sandown

Press, 15 November 1984, Page 32

Thomson to ride at Sandown

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The former New Zealand jockey, Brent Thomson, could have made a wise choice in deciding against heading west for Saturday’s $120,000 Western Australian Derby (2400 m as he can win more money by staying in Melbourne for the Sandown Cup meeting. Mick Mallyon will ride National Gallery, a brother to Grosvenor, in the W.A. Derby but Thomson has the chance to ride the winner of both the $lOO,OOO Sandown Cup (2400 m and the $50,000 Sandown Guineas (1600 m He is on the part-New Zea-land-owned mare, Mapperley Heights, in the Cup and either Brave Salute or Delightful Belle, a daughter of Balmerino, in the Guineas. Not counting trophies first prize in the W.A. Derby is $78,000 while the prize money for the two Sandown events totals $97,500.

Mapperley Heights, which has been allocated 53kg, is likely to be Colin Hayes’s only runner in the Sandown Cup according to the stable foreman, Gary Fennessy, although there is a chance that Head for Space may run as he has only 49kg. Both Mapperley Heights and Head for Space will head west after Sandown for the $225,000 Winfield-

Perth Cup (3200 m at Ascot on January 1. Mapperley Heights has 52 kg in Perth while Head for Space, which ran third to Moss Kingdom and Chiamare in the race last year with 46.5 kg, has a kilo more this year. Hayes’s other three Sandown Cup entries will miss the race. British, which was narrowly beaten by Irish Lord in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500 m at Flemington on Saturday, is also Perth bound. The gross five-year-old entire has 51kg in the Perth Cup. He ran thirteenth in Black Knight’s Melbourne Cup. Mapperley Heights has not started since her third in the Melbourne Cup with 51kg and she will, have a rematch with the runner up, Chagemar, which will again be ridden by Darren Gauci. Chagemar, which finished, a neck in front of Mapperley Heights but 2-1/2 lengths behind the winner, has equal top weight of 57kg with the tough New Zealander stayer, Fountaincourt. While Chagemar carried 54.5 in the'Melbourne Cup, Fountaincourt (tenth) had top weight of 56kg. Fountaincourt proved himself to be probably the

toughest horse racing in Australia when he finished third in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes. That was his seventh run since arriving in Australia before the Turnbull Stakes (2000 m at Flemington on October 6. Although he has not won he has been placed in three of those seven starts.

The Perth Cup favourite, Black Knight, was not entered for the Sandown Cup. The Melbourne Cup winner has had an easy time at the stables of his trainer, George Hanlon, since the big win. Although Hanlon and the owner, Robert Holmes a’Court have yet to discuss Perth Cup plans, Black Knight is odds on to make the trip. He has 54kg in the Perth Cup — four kilos more than he carried to victory in the Melbourne

Cup. At this stage it is unclear whether CoUn Hayes will start both Brave Salute and Delightful Belle in the Sandown Guineas. The trainer would prefer for the pair not to clash.

Harry White will ride Lord of Camelot in the Sandown Guineas, replacing Darren Gauci who has chased home the champion colt, Red Anchor, on the Mighty Kingdom colt throughout the spring.