Refused To Discuss Plans For Koral

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 4

Refused To Discuss Plans For Koral

"The Press" Special Service PALMERSTON NORTH. Secrecy surrounds the South Island jumper, Koral. After the horse’s latest failure at Hastings, his owner, Mr W. E. Hazlett, refused to discuss even the most trivial aspects of Koral’s winter racing.

After failing to produce his top form in the north, Koral let his supporters and connexions down again at the Hawke's Bay meeting. He faded to a distant third and would have been fourth, but for Facade knuckling over near the half-mile.

Questioned regarding this and the suitability of the comparatively-firm Hastings footing, Mr Hazlett said: “Would you buy me a sack of oats if I needed something?” After Eiffel Tower's Wellington Cup success Mr Haz-

lett was anxious to outline the horse’s future in detail. He said then that the gelding would develop into a good hurdler. This was borne out on Saturday when the horse won the Whakatu Hack Hurdles easily at Hastings. Pulled Hard There could have been excuses for Koral. He pulled hard for the first mile and then his jockey, W. J. Hillis, took the unusual course of riding him into three fences half a length behind the leader, Facade. “I could not believe it,” said Facade’s rider, H. N. Rauhihi. Sooner or later Facade’s big jump would have i inevitably plunged Koral into {serious trouble, he said. Half a mile out Rauhihi decided to let Facade go and the Woodville grey put in one of the biggest leaps of the winter. It was his downfall because he knuckled over on landing, slipped and threw Rauhihi. “He would have won by a minute,” said the jockey. “He was just jogging to that point and I am sure he would have run away and left them.”

Count Lin, ridden patiently to that point by R. A. Jenkins, then moved up and outstayed both Koral and Brevity, which made a bid still later.

Can Koral now be regarded as a threat in either the Wellington or Grand National Steeplechases? It is hard to say. He seems likely to tackle the Hastings Steeplechase next week-end and that event could decide his future.