THE TURF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 195, 31 May 1934, Page 2

THE TURF.

THE DERBY. THE FINAL ACCEPTORS. - (United Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON/ May 30. Final acceptors for the Derby are: Tiberius, Valerius, Primero, The Ruthless Abbot, Admiral Drake, Medieval Knight, Lozingaro, Colombo., Alishah, Badruddin, Umidwar, Achtenan, On Top, Raron Munchausen, Rathmore', Windsor Lad, Fleetfoot, Hornsey Rise, Patriot King, Easton, Pride of the Ohilterns, Bondsman.

SOME PAST SUCCESSES. Heavy bettors are not now numerous in England. Occasionally a newcomer creates a sensation, but only a few haye. kept going over a long period, and they are professionals, with a knowledge of every probable move in the market. Ascot is still a meeting at which it is fashionable for the younger bloods to liave a dash, but even they keep themselves in check to a great extent nowadays. The London "Daily Mail" had an interesting article on this subject. It remarked that though nearly everyone had a bet on the Derby, great gambles on that race are things of the past. People who for 364 days of the year never make a bet have their modest flutter, and, at a conservative estimate, sums running in the aggregate into seven figures change hands each year when the Derby is run. But the day when" one man sets out to. engineer a coup and win a fortune for himself is gone. For one thing, the winning owner almost automatically acquires a fortune. The stake alone is worth something like £IO,OOO, while the value of the winning horse skyrockets to - dizzy heights, because of bis potential earnings as a sire. Another form of gamble lias, however, come into being as the result of the Irish sweepstakes. The best instance of gambling through sweepstakes is afforded by Cameronian. For a long time before he won the Derby he stood at comparatively long odds, but on the day of the race his price shortened rapidly. The secret was that big people in the betting ring had kept the price long so as to get at a reasonable price half shares in sweepstake tickets that had drawn the colt. The moment they had done that, they shortened their betting odds, with the result that when settling day came the difference between what they drew from the sweepstake and what they paid out left them a handsome profit. Owners follow the same tactics instead of plunging on the betting market Mr Frank Curzon bought a share in the Call Boy ticket in the Calcutta Sweepstake for £6500, and, when his horse scored netted £31,000. Many of the owners of recent Derby winners were light bettors. Mr Jack Joel, who has won twice —with Sunstar in , 1911 and Humorist in 1921 — each time had what the racing man calls a "good" race. In 1911 Mr Joel had £7500 to £2OO the double event of Two Thousand Guineas and Derby, and a number of other wagers that must have made his winnings substantial. The sensational Derby of 1918, when Aboyeur won at 100 to 1 on the disqualification of Craganour, brought home a remarkable long-shot for Mr Cunliffe, the owner, who had £IOO each way on his horse. But Craganour's effort Vas not altogether in vain, far Mr Bewer Ismay sold him to an Argentine stud for £30,000. It is this subsequent value that makes the Derby so profitable a gamble for the lucky owner who enters his horse in its infancy and pays out the substantial forfeits demanded. As long as- 1899 Flying Fox (bought for £1000) won more than £40,000 for the Duke of Westminster before he was sold for £39,000. The first Derby winner, Diomed, earned £1125 by his victory in 1780, and was subsequently sold to America for £52 10s. The novelists' favourite plot of the Derby victory saving the ancestrnl_ hall has at leasi one justification. Kisber rescued Mr A. Baltazzi from such dire financial distress in 1876; a moneylender had to advance his money to make it possible for the horse to run. The irreat stories of the _ old-time gamblers are connected mainly with The Hermit, victorious in 1867, and Running Rein, Avho scored in 1844, onlv to be disqualified when he was proved to be a four-year-old named Maccabeus.

The Hermit, a fancied horse, scored a sensational victory to earn a fortune, leput-wl to run into six figures, for Mr Henry—later Lord—Chaplin, after having broken \ blood-vessel a few days before the race, and drifted out in'the betting to 1000 to 15.

GREYMOUTH JOCKEY CLUB.

HANDICAPS FOR TROTS. This Day. ' The following handicaps have been declared for the trotting events at the Greymouth Jockey Club's winter meeting on Saturday, June 9: — June Trot Handicap, of 50 sovs, 2.28 class; one mile—Authorise, Bobby Boy, Great Seaman scr, Belle Derby, Portlight, Real Pal, Tommy Boy 12, Parallax, Royal Time, Town Crier 24, Oriole 36, Eastern Queen 48, Chancellor Boy 72. Kaiata Trot Handicap, of 50 sovs, 3.5 class; one mile and a quarter— Authorise, Bobby Boy, Goulburn, Real Pal, Great Seaman, Tommy Boy scr, Belle Derby, Portlight 12, Parallax, Royal Time, Town Crier 24, Eastern; Queen 48, Chancellor Boy 84. ]

KENSINGTON RESULTS.

SYDNEY, May 30. At the Kensington mid-week races to-dav results were :

High-weight Welter Handicap. (Second Division)—Prince Pom pal 10.0 (Browne) 1, Oheermag 8!6 2, Lady Baeda 8.11 3. Fourteen started. Won by three-quarters of a length. Time, I'.SJ. Prince Pombal was also second, in. the

Bunnerong Mile, which was wcfn by Version. ,

High-weight Welter Handicap (Fourth Division) —Headmaster 9.2 (Pike) 1, Lucksall 8.8 2, Tironui 9.5 3. Twelve started. Won by four lengths. Time, 1.8*., MENTONE RACES. At the Mentone races to-day the following was the result of the Welter Handicap (First Division) —Bay Acre 9.3 (Webster) 1, Baldplain 7.0 2, Easby 7.7 3. Eleven started. Won by a length. Time, 2.8}. RICHARDS' FIFTIETH WINNER. LONDON, May 30. Gordon Richards rode his 50th winner, reaching this number a fortnight earlier than last year.