MOIFAA'S LATEST FAILURE

It is feared (says our English correspondent on December 15) that King Edward's New Zealand horse, Moifaa, which he purchased from Mr Spencer Gollan, has "shot his bolt," and that he will never again be first past the post. At Sandown on Friday last he again failed utterly. As one prominent authority says: '• With much regret it has to be acknowledged that the prospects of Moifaa ever distinguishing himself in the Imperial livery are very remote. He obviously, from his exhibition in the Ewell Steeplechase at Sandown yesterday, is an extinct volcano, for though well handicapped »n<3 nicely forward in condition, he could do no more really than jump in his old beautiful style until the collapse came. I do not know whether the operation of tracheotomy would assist Moifaa. Ifc has been attended with beneficial results in the case of numerous other roarers, so why not the old New Zealander, who is now a pronounced ' musician,' too slow for short races and incapacitated by his infirmity from staying three miles against anything that can go at all. Faith in Moifaa, although shaken by his poor performance at Liverpool, had not perished completely, and the surprise of the market was the exceptional amount of money forthcoming for him. Kor was it the uninformed public that backed him, but the recognised ' heads,' as they aro called, who brought him from 5 to 1 to half the price. Moifaa was pulling double alongside Killerby entering the straight, but he choked under pressure up the long, severe hill, and stopped to nothing at last." .. n , • c Another well-known writer says: — Cniel interest centred in Moifaa's performance in the Ewell Steeplechase, the idea being general that this race would prove once and for all whether the horse would be able to accomplish the task for which bis Majesty bought him— namely, to win a j second* Grand National. . . . Yesterday j he fenced as brilliantly as ever, and gained lengths at every fence, but he showed no speed or dash when ifc came to racing, and finished a bad third. 'He will be a different horse over four miles and a-half at Liverpool,' was the summing up of one critic whose opinion is alway? worth having ; but ' the only race that he seems to me likely to win is a steeplechase over two miles,' was the verdict of * certain trainer, who is perhaps the best judge of national hunt racing living. That the horse is wrong in his wind is unquestionable. You may call him a roarer or a 1 whistler,' ov a broken-winded horse, whichever you please, but that he is not sound in this respect is certain." Again, the following suggestion has been offered :— " There may be yet another explanation of Moifaa's running. The only race he has won in this country was the Grand National of 1904. The winner of that race, which is really four and a-half miles long, undoubtedly requires stamina, and at the finish none of the competitors are travelling very fast. It may be that Moifaa has but one pace, and when pressure is put on at the end of a comparatively short race he can go no faster than he has already been travelling. This is not apparent in the Grand National, for no horse is capable of putting on that extra pressure." The actual race is described as follows : — " Tho Ewell Handicap Steeplechase, if it only attracted a party of fivo to the post, at least lured Moifaa from the privacy of his training quarters, and the appearance of the Waler invested the contest with additional interest. Very bright and well did the King's 'chaser look in the paddock. His coat shone, the muscles on his auarters were well developed, and he walkod in sprightly fashion, revelling in the full vigour of robust health. The great, raking son of Natator always takes hold of his bit, whether in a private school or in a race, and he taxed Birch's powers to their utmost capacity this afternoon. Being charged with waiting orders, * the jockey had as much as he could do to restrain the big gelding from making running, but he succeeded so far as to keep him in the second berth behind Killerby until some half a mile from home, when Questionable rsnsred alongside, and, taking the measure of the pair in a few strides, won comfortal«lv. Moifaa fenced a-> brilliantly and nimbly ss pver. and it was douljtlf-ss his wind in/irmitT that wa> resnoiibibJf for his slopping up the hill after his severe exertions." Voifaa finished a poor third, five lengths behind Kilierby, the winning horoe, Ques-

tionable, being first by six lengths. Thi time for the three miles was 6min 44see.