Knight stablemates in good order

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 31

Knight stablemates in good order

By JEFF SCOTT The Victorian-trained Inter-Dominion candidates, Bag Limit and Alpine Fella, have come through a busy racing and travelling schedule in good order according to handler and raceday driver, Vin Knight. The 13-strong Australian contingent arrived in Christchurch on Sunday evening at 9.30 p.m.; but horses and handlers were not able to vacate the airport until 11 p.m. when horses were dispersed to various establishments around the Canterbury province.

“Alpine Fella has been to Perth and back in the last fortnight. They had a heatwave for a week and he took a bit of condition off, but he is looking good considering,” said Knight. Bag Limit and Alpine Fella prepared at Kilmore by Vin’s father, Bob, are being stabled at Steve Little’s Wara Park complex at Motukarara and were given light exercise yesterday. Knight, at this stage, intends giving the pair a run at the Addington trials tomorrow “if they need it,” but will make a final decision after they work

this morning. Bag Limit, which goes in to this week’s InterDominion as a last-start winner over Australia’s best in the sAust2so,ooo Winfield Cup, has responded well after being treated by a chiropractor for a back injury sustained a couple of months ago. “He put it out but has come right with treatment,” said Knight of the five-year-old Tarport Skipper gelding, which is a brother to the $lOO,OOO- - winner Keval, and a three-quarter brother to stablemate, Armchair Ride.

Alpine Fella has also been in the wars during his brief but illustrious career.

The Smooth Fella-Al-pine Meadow gelding, which won twice in New Zealand as a juvenile for Trevor and Judy Ailingham, of Landora’s Pride fame, before being syndicated for $lOO,OOO to clients of the Knight stable, has a large growth (bigger than a tennis ball) on the inside of his near hind leg. , “Something got into it, possibly something like bullrush burrs that we have back home. He has

had four operations on it but I am going to get it cut right out this time after we get home,” said Knight. "His hopple fits right above it, but it gets a little bit sore on him now and again.” Alpine Fella also gained crippling injuries last year when he dislocated both shoulders (each one at a different time). “He couldn’t walk for a time — we got him back but it took quite a while to build his muscles up again,” said Knight of last season’s New South Wales Derby winner.