FELICITATION'S RISE

THREE-YEAR-OLt) FAIIiURE

(By "Bangatira.")

The Ascot Gold Cup is the stayers' "classic" gem of the English racing season, but it has rarely if ever drawn such a specially prepared field of international champions as it did yesterday. The success of Felicitation, as the cable relates, could not have been other than an overwhelming surprise for racegoers. ■ It will indeed' bo interesting to find out when exchanges como to hand what'actually were the odds laid- about. him.

As a two-year-old Felicitation gave some promise of developing classic form by winning the Newbury Autumn Foal Plato, 0 furlongs, and the Middle Park Stakes, 6 furlongs, out of half ; a dozen starts, but ho was a biggish colt and he W3S taking time to mature. He ran a creditable seventh in the Two Thousand Guineas (in which his stable; mate Ginb was third), and on this performance lie was sent out favourite for the Newmarket Stakes, 1J miles, but could do no better than fourth after having every chance. He ran only sixteenth in the Derby, alongside. Gino, but from that .stage of the season he began to show somewhat improving form. At Ascot he ran fourth in the King Edward Stakes, 1^ miles, was next third in the Royal Plate, 1J miles, at Newbury (won by Wednesday's Hunt Cup winner.Caymanas), and then finished second to Hyperion (but -a long way back) in the St. Leger. In one subsequent appearance only Tai-yang beat him in the Jockey Club • Stakes, If miles, at Newmarket.

Felicitation began the present term by running a moderate third of four starters in the March Stakes at Newmarket on May 3. Hyperion, also making his debut for the season, was a narrow ivinner from Angelico, with Felicitation three lengths away, and he was conceding the pair 201b and 61b respectively. The record of Felicitation's racing since then is not at present available, but the cable Telates that he was not a winner until he scored in the Churchill Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday.

Thor 11,. who ran second, -was the French hope. His claim was mainly based on his easy win in the Prix dv. Ca-dran, 2J miles, at Longchamp on May 6. Last year he won the Prixdu Jockey Club (French' Derbf ), and was second to Cappiello in the Grand Pris do Paris, but when sent across to England for the St. Leger in September he failed, badly, being last but one •to finish out of the field of 14. He was then described las an angular colt with little outward appearance of quality. Tho defeat of Hyperion must have been as big a surprise as the success of the winner, as ho has built up a great sequence of victories since ho. succeeded in tho Dewhurst Stakes as a two-year-old. Last year he won the Chester Vase, Derby, Prince of Wales Stakes (at Ascot), and St. Leger all in line in his four starts, and he opened the present season by winning again at Newmarket, though scoring none too comfortably.:

The success of Felicitation ends the triumphant run of Trimestral's sons in tho race. In 1931 and 1932 Trimdon was' the winner, and his younger halfbrother Foxhunter placed tho name of another son of Trimestral on the record last year.