Good luck pois

Press, 4 November 1986, Page 36

Good luck pois

The Luptons and other Kiwi camp followers will go to Flemington today wearing good luck Maori miniaure pois, the gift of a friend from Patea. Mrs Manapouri sent Snowy and Ann Lupton 10 of the lucky pois with the request that they should be worn when Kiwi bids for his second Melbourne Cup victory today. Mrs Lupton’s brother-in-law, Mr John Alexander, is an important member of the party in Kiwi’s, preparation for today’s $1 million race. Mr Alexander has been responsible for organising a 24-hour watch on the famous New Zealand stayer, which was a picture of glowing fitness when he appeared at Flemington yesterday morning. Ridden by his 66-year-old owner-trainer, Kiwi sprinted 800 m three metres out on the steeplechase grass in 56.5, quickening for the last 400 in 25. “That’s all he needed — a bit of a blow out,” Snowy Lupton told a small army of pressmen after the gallop. “We had him ready to run two miles when we came here. Today he felt good and relaxed, and will go into the race with form as good if not better than when he won the Melbourne Cup.” Asked how his famous chestnut would be ridden, Lupton said he would leave everything to Noel Harris. “Noel knows him. He knows it takes the horse about a mile to get wound up and he will be looking for the right response when he gets the signals. Two of Australia’s most famous trainers have sharply differing opinions about Kiwi’s chances. Tommy Smith, who has been left without a runner, believes Kiwi will win. “He’s weighted to win with 54.5 — that’s nothing for a horse with his record at two miles,” Smith said yesterday. But Bart Cummings, who is trying for his eighth Mel-

bourne Cup win, declared that time had age had caught up with Kiwi. After he watched Empire Rose get through striding work Cummings said he was gaining in confidence that the giant New Zealand-owned mare would run a great race from her position down in the weights. “This is the best Melbourne Cup field for years,” Cummings told me yesterday. “It’s stacked with horses who can get the trip. Mr Lomondy has to be the danger for. our mare. He was as fat as a fool when he joined my stable to be prepared for the Adelaide Cup and he was still only three-quar-ters fit when he outclassed the others in the race. “He looks lighter now

and I should imagine he will be fitter, but I think it’s time a mare won the cup and if anyone is good enough to beat the colts and geldings I think it will be Empire Rose.” Cummings said he felt confident Empire Rose would beat another wellregarded mare, Our Sophia. “I think Our Sophia will need rain to win the Cup,” lie said. Colin Hayes, trainer of the Mackinnon Stakes winner, At Talaq, remains confident about a big run from the Arab-owned stayer. “He looks good, he’s racing well. He ran a fourth in the English Derby, he’s won up to 3000 m. He has a lot going for him and he’s sharp enough to get over quickly from a wide barrier.,”