Apa Narrowly In Brisbane Cup

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 4

Apa Narrowly In Brisbane Cup

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE. The New Zealand stayer, Apa, justified his Australian trip yesterday when he won the £BOOO Brisbane Cup, two miles, at Eagle Farm.

Apa led almost all the way. He was headed by the Sydney galloper, Tea Biscuit, a few yards from the post, but the New Zealander came back brilliantly for a photo-finish win.

Apa’s win gave the Aboriginal jockey, D. McCarthy, the big Brisbane winter double. He rode Castanea to victory in the Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday. The official winning margin was a long head. The New Zealand-bred Fulmen was five lengths away third. The win was a great result for the Otaki trainer. M. Seal, who has accompanied the Auckland Cup winner on his Australian campaign. Apa disappointed when in Sydney, but returned to form recently when he won the Moreton Handicap at Eagle Farm. Apa jumped smartly from the start, and took a quick onelength lead from Fulman and the light-weight, King Apple. The positions remained the same until nine furlongs from home when Gin and Bitters came Into third place, with Tea Biscuit, Simple and Craftsman close behind.

Strong Challenge Apa had increased his lead to a length and a half when Tea Biscuit challenged as they came down the straight. Tea Biscuit got a nose in front, but Apa, brilliantly ridden, fought back to win on the post. Neither McCarthy nor Tea Biscuit's jockey, N. Crampton, was prepared to claim that he had won when they dismounted, and some observers were surprised that the margin was as much as a long head. It was a slowly-run race and Apa dictated the tempo throughout. The time of 3min 28.7 sec was well outside Apa’s Auckland Cup winning time of 3mln 20sec. The race was a remarkable triumph for New Zealand breeding. First, third and fourth were bred in New Zealand and the second horse was by a New Zealand-bred site. Result:— BRISBANE CUP, fNZSOOO; 2m. APA (Gabador—King’s Lady) 8-2 R. McCarthy 1 TEA BISCUIT (Dalray—Tea

Set) 7-7 N. Campton 2 FULMAN (Le Fllou—Dulcie) 8-0 H. White 3 Scatched: Empyreus. Fourteen started. Long head, five lengths. Gin and Bitters fourth. Time, 3:28.7. Betting: 13 to 2. 4 to 1, 5 to 2 (favourite).