The Filbert makes Aust. debut

Press, 12 October 1985, Page 26

The Filbert makes Aust. debut

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The top New Zealand galloper, The Filbert, will make his Australian debut in the Caulfield Stakes today, and could emerge as New Zealand’s top Caulfield Cup contender. A winner of six races in New Zealand from 1400 m to 2000 m, The Filbert is only a 15/1 chance on the early market at Caulfield today, on the fifth line of betting behind the top Victorian gallopers, Our Sophia and Tristarc, which share favouritism at 4/1. The New Zealand contingent in the weight-for-age 2000 m race also includes the Margaret Bull-trained Lacka Reason, a winner of the group two Turnbull Stakes (2000 m at Flemington last Saturday, and the Mike Peacock-trained Exocet, currently stabled at Geelong. The pair are placed at 7/1 and 12/1 respectively. Meanwhile, Brian May-field-Smith has issued a warning to those ready to discount his Melbourne Cup contender, Late Show, on the eve of the Herbert Power Handicap (2400 m While the Cup fancies, Bounty Hawk, Black Knight and Exocet, all prepare to contest the Caulfield Stakes, Mayfield-Smith has opted for an extra 400 m in a bid to fully prepare his charge for the $1 million event on November 5. The Sydney trainer’s stable rider, Jim Cassidy, joined him at Ken Rogerson’s Epsom stables this week and this morning worked the Sydney Cup winner over 2000 m at threequarter pace. “He has settled in extremely well and seems unworried by the Melbourne

way-round,” said MayfieldSmith. “Jim was very pleased with his form and he stands out as an undeniable fancy.” With five starts back from a spell after winning the 3200 m Sydney Cup on April 13, Late Show is yet to reach his peak, as MayfieldSmith readily admits. He has one goal only for the five-year-old — the Foster’s Melbourne Cup. “You’ve got to remember that Late Show is usually carrying 6kg more than in his last campaign,” he said. “But from a Melbourne Cup point of view, he is weighted well and so that is when he will come into his own.” “The hefty weights do slow him down a little and that’s the only reason he is yet to shine. But that doesn’t concern me.” Mayfield-Smith respectfully referred to the Herbert Power field as “a mob of pluggers” but is wary of the George Hanlon-trained lightweight, Mister

Jonathan, which will carry 51kg, a full 6kg less than Late Show’s top weight. “The word down here is that Mister Jonathan has been performing fairly well and you have to respect a trainer of Hanlon’s stature,” said Mayfield-Smith. The four-year-old Mister Jonathan has been the height of consistency this campaign, easily accounting for Palooka and Dynasty Prince to win the Galilee Handicap (2000 m at Flemington on October 2. To be ridden by Cassidy, Late Show is a clear favourite in early markets for today at 7/2, with the Colin Hayes-trained Colonial Flag at 4/1 and Mister Jonathan 6/1. Mayfield-Smith has a team of five in Melbourne and is particularly looking forward to a rematch between his champion three-year-old, Handy Proverb, and Tommy Smith’s Easter in the rich Caulfield Cup (2400 m next Saturday. Easter beat Handy Proverb in the Spring Cham-

pion Stakes (2000 m at Randwick on October 5 but only after Handy Proverb struck severe interference 400 m from home. A clash of three of New Zealand’s best milers opens the second leg of the New Zealand assault on the Australian spring carnivals, writes the Sydney staff correspondent of NZPA. Kingdom Bay, Shifnal Prince and Avana put the icing on a class field of 11 set for the $lOO,OOO ($NZ125,000) Elders Mile over 1600 m, formerly the IXL, clashing with the likes of former New Zealanders Delightful Belle and Fine Offer, the New Zealand-bred King Phoenix and Trichelle, and such Australian stars as Lord Ballina and Lockley’s Tradition. The New Zealand trio are joined at Caulfield by fellow raiders, Tonephil, which stunned them with her first up win a fortnight ago, the sprinter, La Benatar, Sir Zephyr, and big cups hopefuls Exocet, Lacka Reason, and Rose And Thistle.

Jetbet: 7 Race 4 4.10 THE ELDERS MILE $100,000; 1600m. 1 3412 Fine Otter 3 . M. Clarke 57.0 2 13 King Phoenix 5 M. Goreham 56.5 3 22 Kingdom Bay 6 . .N. Harris 55.5 4 510 Shifnal Prince 7 . . . P. Cook 55.5 5 5029 Lord Beilina 1 . L. Dittman 54.5 6 1112 Lockley’a Tradition 10 . . B. Werner 54.0 7 111 Trichelle 9 . R. Mallyon 54.0 8 116 Delightful Belle 11. . . . D. Gauci (a) 53.0 9 61 Avana 4 . P. Johnson 52.5 10 044 Wise Call 2 . C. Dinn (a) 50.5 11 703 Great Poet 8 R. Heffernan 49.0 Race 7 TF 6.10 CAULFIELD STAKES $60,000; weight-for-age; 2000m. 1 3871 Black Knight 10 . . . P. Cook 59.0 2 8435 Bounty Hawk 7 D. Gauci (a) 59.0 3 8531 Exoce't 4 . . R. Vance 59.0 4 1413 King Delamera 1 . G. Willets 59.0 5 6021 Lacka Reason 14 ... . . . N. Harris 59.0 6 3223 Riverdale 2 . N. Barker 59.0 7 23 So Vague 5. . . . . . . M. Clarke 59.0

8 424 The Filbert 3...... . . G. Phillips 59.0 9 3122 What A Nuisance 8. . . . P. Hyland 59.0 10 4170 Lord Of Camelot 9 . . . .R. Mallyon 57.0 11 40 Sir Zephyr 6 12 438 Centaurea 13 . J. Cassidy 57.0 . G. Murphy 54.5 . . H. White 54.5 13 2782 Our Sophia 11 14 821 Tristarc 12 . W. Treloar 54.5 Rase 8 6.50 HERBERT POWER HANDICAP $60,000; 2400m. . J. Cassidy 57.0 1 9235 Late show 9 2 1587 Colonial Flag 3 D. Gauci (a) 56.0 3 6310 Rose and Thistle 5 . . . .Mark Riley 55.0 4 404 Arctic Lord 15 ,C. Dinn (a) 54.5 5 5706 Jamaica Inn 10 . G. Willetts 54.5 6 3780 Pliancy 1 . G. Murphy 54.5 7 7003 British 4 , .R. Mallyon 52.0 8 9563 Glen Moriston 16 ... . D. Brereton 52.0 9 0444 Martian’s Son 11 . . . . , . A. McLean 51.5 10 6019 Brazanna 6 , . . .D. Short 51.0 11 7018. Cordelier 7 ,R. Heffernan 51.0 12 1158 HI De Roi 14 . . W. Treloar 51.0 13 2021 Mister Jonathan 12 . . . . . . P. Cook 51.0 14 43 Beatrice Lovetto 13. . L. Maund (a) 50.5 15 3135 Erato 8 . . M. Clarke 50.5 Scratched: Bourbon OPrince.