TURF NOTES.
Sir Lewis Richardson, who has big business interests in South Africa, intends to race on an extensive scale in England. Sir Lewis appreciably strengthened his team in July,, when he secured possession of two of the late Mr. Bower Ismay's horses at the Newmarket sales. These were Heverswood and Gnilsborough, the' former a three-year-old and the other a year younger. Heverswood (says the "Sportsman") is an exceptionally speedy colt, as becomes a son of The Boss and Nineveh (by Simon Square), and lie should _c a bargain at 4400g5, though he is a fully-exposed animal of "which the handicappers have a high opinion, as was made evident by the weight allotted him in the Molyneux Cup at Liverpool, for.which, by the way,.he did not accept. Guillsboroueh may be even more of a bargain at 1450g5. A son of Diadumenos and Clare House, he is a full brother to Clare Queen, a winner, while he himself displayed promise when he ran Ravioli to half a length in Guineas week, having Pommade Divine ' and others behind him. j "I doubt if the horse ever lived that j was the equal of Man o' War, and this goes for St. Simon, Ormonde, Carbine, Barcaldine, and Kincseni," writes "Roamer," in the "Lexington Thoroughbred. Record." "It is true Man o' War never essayed a distance in excess of ] 5-8 mile, but I believe most observers seeing a whale swimming along for a mile would not seriously\juestion his ability to swim from America to Europe. It wasn't necessary for Man o' War to be put to the test of racing two miles and a quarter to convince the most sceptical of observers of his ability to negotiate the distance. I never saw a greater exhibition of sheer power than that displayed by Man o' War at Belmont Park the day he defeated Damask and established an American record for 1J miles. Almost in the centre of the track, never out of a pull, he won by fifteen lengths; at the finish he was not breathing hard enough to extinguish a candle. And Damask shortly after ran Exterminator to a head when that old warrior established an American record for two miles." "Pilot" of the "Referee," writing from England concerning English courses, ' says:—"Even the Jockey Club is awaking to the fact that there is room for : improvement at some of the courses it : controls. It has decided to appoint a 1 special committee to inquire into the ; system under which racing is carried ! i on by the Grand Stand Association at j - Epsom. I have no idea as to the i direction in which the committee pro- I ; poses to move, but it is certainly time I < Epsom improved its programmes. It I ] seems, preposterous that eight selling i races should be decided in the four days i ■ of the meeting at which the Derby is i run. Take away the Derby and a couple ( more races and the fixture would be * a very poor affair. It is contended i that some courses cannot afford to dis- j : pense with selling races, and I saw New- 3 i market, of all places, quoted as a case 1 ' in point. It was stressed that admis- _ j sion to the flat is free and because of t that, it would be_ unfair, to ask the 1 executive to drop selling races,. from i which it is computed this year's profit _ will be about £8000. And Newmarket 1 ia the Jockej* Club's hea&qjvirisgfji • J^
' The Rover is almost at the sere and yellow stage, but he is a marvellous old horse, and apparently is far from finished yet. He ran in the weight-for-aga race at Williamstown last week and finished really well. , I The imported stallion Piedmont was '. found dead in his yard at Cessnock, New South Wales, last week. Foul play is suspected. Foaled in 1906, ! Piedmont was by Marco from Surefoot, by Hampton. He was imported to : Australia in 1912, and sired several fair j winners. ! Pondoland, supposed to be deficient in 1 stamina, showed unexpected staying | power in the race for the Sandown Anniversary Cup, and completed a notable double for Mr. Sol Joel, who had already won the Eclipse Stakes. Pondoland was not winning out of his turn, for his previous success was gained in the Newmarket Stakes as long ago as 1922. The failure of St. Germans in the Eclipse was a great disappointment to Lord Astor, but there was no excuse whatever for the colt. Bullock was always nicely placed, and when he swept into the straight with a nice lead his backers had every reason to be on good terms with themselves. However, he was beaten 300 yards from the finish, and appeared to be deficient in strength to battle it out with Polyphontes and Papyrus, both of whom passed him in half a dozen strides. It was not a particularly thrilling race for the Eclipse Stakes,.though the field included last year's Derby winner, ; Papyrus, and . this year's second, .St. Germans (says the London "Sportsman").. The Manton stable provided three of the eight runners, but they represented different ownerships, and it was an open secret that St. Germans was Taylor's chief hope. The son of Swynford looked well in the paddock, but c. is built on slender lines, and in this respect com- . pared unfavourably with the winner, Polyphontes, who has grown into a big colt, and has evidently made immense improvement since his Lingfield success. I heard on very good authority, say* "Cardigan," that, despite -the oft expressed opinion that Heroic wiU noH stay, Godby is sanguine that that colt will have little difficulty in running the A.J.C, Derby distance. This is good news, as Heroic is a very fine colt, and iff is good to hear that such a great two-year-old may develop into a great three-year-old. So very few of them do. Heroic has wintered well, and has thickened out in a very pronounced manner since he last raced. It appeared to ma that Heroic was an easy horse to ride as a youngster, as <c did not pull or reef for his head.. Of course he ran in races where the pace' was on all the time, and it may be different when he tackles a long race, but if he should run along nice and kindly at whatever pace his rider wishes, then he is going to be very hard to. beat in the Derby. Polyphontes, who .won the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, last month (says an English writer), has to furnish somewhat before he can be styled as anything.more than an overgrown baby, but when he does fill out, as he is likely to do ■by the autumn, there should not be a better-looking three-year-old in .raining. Polyphonies is seen at his best in action, as he has a long, raking stride that gets him well over the ground. After making the bend up the straight none too well, the son. of Polymelus showed a nice turn' of speed, and before the distance was reached McLachlan could afford to take a glance over his shoulder, and the colt went on to score without being asked for anything, like a serious effort. Mr. Sol Joel, who is now at the head of the list of winning owners for the season, had never before owned an Eclipse Stakes winner. He led Polyphontes into the unsaddling enclosure. . In a few months K. Wootton will return to Sydney from England, where he recently went to bring back his two daughters and youngest son. Frank and. Stanley will remain in England, whera they are firmly established in the racing business. Wootton has a big pastoral interest in the south-west of New South Wales, and it is on this that he intend* placing his youngest son. He will get together a team of horses when he cornea back, and may bring a few from England. Many years ago Wootton was most successful when he trained in Sydney before he went to South Africa, where h» also met with great success. It was ia South Africa that Frank Wootton rode in and won his first race when he was 11 years of age, and incidentally brought off one of the biggest betting coups for his father that was ever landed there. Afterwards Wootton went to England, where he established himself so successfully, that in one season he headed the list of winning trainers. Even the Eclipse Stakes is hardly, maintaining the old tradition nowadays (says the special commissioner of the "London Sportsman"). This year's field, for example, was mediocre compared with several in the early days of the event, while no one would have the hardihood to argue that the winner is worthy of being classed with such past victors as Onue, Isinglass, St. Frusquin, Persimmon, Ard Patrick, and Bayardo—or perhaps even Bendigo, though the last-named may have been "only a handicapper." When one comes to think of it a wonderful story could be written of certain of the contests for the Eclipse Stakes in bygone years. Racegoers bordering on middle age will recall the reception accorded to Orme when he won as a three-year-old—he was also successful a twelvemonth later. The son of Ormonde had just shaken off the effects of the malady that prevented him from running in the Derby, and almost, indeed, closed his career, and he was acclaimed as" at hero when he got the better of Orvieto after a gallant struggle. Then who among those fortunate enough to witness it will ever forget the thrilling race between Ard Patrick and Sceptre ten years later? When Mr. John Gubbins' colt won the Derby the previous year, in which Sceptre was unplaced, there were many who refused to accept the runninn: as correct; but Ard Patrick took the opportunity at 'Sandown of makine it plain that there was not much of a fluke about his Epsom triumph, though in thU instance Madden had to ride hi_ hardest and the colt ran himself to the last ounce to get the better of the filly. There was another Der_y winner in this field S~|«;^_ to a. «__. to«_ S__*__2 _?£
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Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 212, 6 September 1924, Page 21
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1,698TURF NOTES. Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 212, 6 September 1924, Page 21
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