Harris given Kiwi mount

Press, 3 August 1985, Page 27

Harris given Kiwi mount

PA Wellington The Awapuni jockey, Noel Harris, will take over as the regular rider of star stayer, Kiwi, this season. Harris was approached by Kiwi’s trainer, “Snow” Lupton, at the Opunake meeting on Wednesday and the jockey had no hesitation in accepting. Harris will ride Kiwi in the ?1 million Fosters Melbourne Cup in November providing all goes well with the preparation of the eight-year-old gelding. The engagement follows the announcement that Jim Cassidy, who rode Kiwi to victory in the 1983 cup, will not be available. He is now stable jockey to the Sydney trainer, Brian MayfieldSmith, and his first commitment is to the Sydney Cup winner, Late Show.

Cassidy said he would have liked to ride Kiwi as he believes the powerful chestnut will be hard to beat. “Kiwi has been thrown into this year’s race with only 54.5 kg and if he starts, he will be the horse we all have to beat,” he said. “He is such a great horse over 3200 m. I would like him to have a lot more than 54.5 kg if I had to hold him off over the closing stages.” Harris is no stranger to Kiwi having won an open handicap on him and ridden him in the early stages of his campaign last spring. He had planned to be in Melbourne during the spring anyway to ride the Stratford galloper, Kingdom Bay. Kiwi is expected to open his latest campaign at Foxton on August 17.