NEW ZEALAND CRACKS IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1483, 26 September 1918, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND CRACKS IN AUSTRALIA.

PROSPECTS OF DESERT GOLD AND BIPLANE. There is £lO,OOO in weight-for-age races alone waiting for Biplane and Desert Gold in Australia if they strike form this spring (says a writer in the Sydney “Sun”). The Australian Jockey Club will provide three events worth £5OOO, the Victoria Amateur Turf Club two prizes at Caulfield worth £2OOO, and the Victoria Racing Club three events at Flemington worth £3OOO. In addition to these, there are the Caulfield Cup worth £5OOO and the Melbourne Cup of £6OOO for them to tackle, making an aggregate of £21,000 if they prove equal to the demands made upon them.

It is not suggested that either champions will be capable of winning all these races. If they captured half each they would fare very well. Turf tacticians are already forecasting the races likely to be chosen for Biplane and Desert Gold. Desert Gold’s programme is pretty clear. Her trainer indicated on arrival here that she would run in the three w.f.a. races at Randwick. This means that she will miss Caulfield altogether, and her Melbourne Cup engagement will depend upon her form at the A.J.C. meeting, so that if she succeeds in the Randwick Plate (two miles), on the last day of the fixture, it may be taken for granted that the big race will be her sole mission at Flemington. This would leave the way open for Biplane in the weight-for-age races at Flemington, the mile and a-quarter Melbourne Stakes, the Linlithgow Stakes of one mile (which he won last year), and the C. B. Fisher Plate, one mile and a-half, on the last day. In the meantime it would be interesting to know which races will be chosen for him at Randwick or Caulfield. Biplane’s preparation was interrupted for over a week, as the result of a throat affection a few week ago, and some critics say this may prevent his being at his best to meet Desert Gold at Randwick. They hint at the possibility of his missing Randwick altogether, tackling the Caulfield Stakes on the day that the Rand wick Plate is run at the A.J.C. meeting, following it up by contesting the Caulfield Cup a week later, and then taking on the weight-for-age races at Flemington. This plan of campaign reads well on paper, but it credits Biplane’s connections with the desire to avoid Desert Gold. Probably the tacticians err in this respect. With his horse fit and well, Biplane’s owner would no doubt be as keen on seeing the match as the most ardent admirer of either champion, and knowing the enthusiasm and interest it will add to the A.J.C. meeting, Mr. Greenwood will doubtless do all in his power to bring the pair together. They will have three chances of meeting at Randwick—in the Autumn Stakes, one mile and a-half, on the first day, the Craven Plate, one mile and a-quarter, on the third day, or the Randwick Plate, two miles, on the last day. It is possible, however, that Biplane will be entered for only the two shorter races.