WARTIME RECORD

AGA KHAN HEADS ENGLAND'S

WINNING OWNERS

DIFTH wartime Jockey Club season ended at Windsor in November. The sport was again on a regional basis and, as in 1943, six courses were used—Newmarket, Ascot, Windsor, Salisbury, Stockton and Pontefract. A high level of interest was maintained throughout the season. So large were the number of entries for some races that many events had to be divided, and at some meetings no fewer than 11 races were run. Prize money was greater than in previous war-time seasons, a pleasing feature being the increased value of stakes in the North. The Aga Khan, with 23 races value £13,985, is the season's leading owner, and the stake winnings are a record for war-time racing. His colt, Tehran, placed in the Two Thousand and Derby, proved himself to be the best of the three-year-olds when he won the St. Leger Stakes. Of the winning total Tehran contributed £6202. Another which added substantially was Umiddad, whose principal success was in the Gold Cup.

Frank Butters, leading trainer with 18 winners and £17,585 in stakes, has been at the top many times. His best winner, apart from Tehran and Umiddad, was Sir Alfred Butt's two-year-old Paper Weight, which won his last five races. Gordon Richards, with 83 winning rides, is champion jockey for the seventeenth time. He had his best war-time season. His previous winning totals were: 1940, 68; 1941, 22 (he was out of the saddle most of the season through injury); 1942, 67, and 1943, 65. He won the Gold Cup on Umiddad and the St. Leger on Tehran.

M. Peacock occupies his customary post at the top of the Northern trainers' list. Dante contributed largely to his total, as it did to that of the leading Northern owner, Sir Eric Ohlson. Nevett, leading jockey in the North, had the distinction of winning the Derby on Ocean Swell, Coventry Stakes and Middle Park Stakes on Dante, and the Champion Stakes on Hycilla. Miss Dorothy Paget was the most successful owner in the South. She won 23 races worth £6375, but it was only a very minor contribution that Orestes, champion two-year-old of last year, made to the total.- Fred Darling, 23 races worth £8237, was the South's leading trainer. Bloodstock has appreciated greatly in value during the past 12 months. At the September Yearling Sales at Newmarket, 306 lots realised 345,150 guineas, an average of 1138 guineas. This average is only slightly below the all-time record of the Doncaster Yearling Sales in 1928. Contrary to recent custom the classic winners have not been retired to stud. Thus the Cup races next season promise to be the most interesting for many years, with Ocean Swell, Tehran, Borealis, Hycilla, Rockefella, and the older Persian Gulf in competition. It is hoped that regional restrictions will be dispensed with next year, and the Jockey Club is proceeding with 1945 programmes with that probability in mind.