"MORE FRAGILE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 5 (Supplement)

"MORE FRAGILE."

Present Speedsters Compared With Statesman and Bacchus.

Talking of Topical and Nord, with whom lie lias done so well in the last six months in Australia, Wui. Kelso, their trainer, declares that as racehorse.? neither would compare with Statesman nor Bacchus, whom he trained a few years ago. Ho discredits this pair on the basis of constitution. Statesman, with whom he won the Melbourne Cup, and Bacchus, who won liiiu the Anniversary Handicap and many other long races, could stand up to any quantity of track work, and Statesman once ran a mile and a quarter in 2.8 on the track merely as a "pipe-opener." Wm. Kelso thinks tho race of thoroughbreds might be growing swifter, but not stronger, constitutionally. Ho notes that the change is pronounced only in the last few years, for it isn't more than five years since Statesman and Bacchus raced.

They used to come out on Tuesday, Thmsc<ay, and Saturday of each week with a swift gallop over a distance, and sometimes needed a half-mile sprint on "off" mornings to keep them from getting thick inside.

But Topical is a particularly fragile customer, and one gallop every ten days is sufficient to keep him fit. Anything more strenuous would knock the bottom out of his chances of standing a preparation. One gallop is consequently reserved for just before any engagement so as to clean up -his wind and leave him fit for the contest. Nord is, perhaps, a little stouter, but he does none of the regular gallops that Bacchus and Statesman indulged in, and Kelso finds that it is necessary to treat him very leniently to keep liis head turned to the manger.

What a difference with Bacchus! ITe vvas the stalking horso for Statesman's Melbourne Cup preparation. Yet hard as Kelso worked him he could not knock him out, and at the meeting at which Statesman won his Melbourne Cup, finished up an exacting spring by running a close second in the Veteran Stakes, and winning the V.R.C. Handicap, of a mile and three-quarters. Those performances reflected what a great horse Statesman was, for in the final week of their track work Bacchus simply could not live with him, and invariably was beaten ofF two furlongs from home.

Constitutionally Statesman was a glutton for work and racing, but nature played a mean trick on liim. and he proved no stronger than the weakest of liis limbs. Soon after his Melbourne Cup bo developed a "leg" which prevented further racing, and be retired from the turf a winner of only three races in his whole career. Yet Kelso avers that with a sound set of legs he couldn t have missed another Melbourne* Cup or a Sydney Cup with any weight, he was such a great stayer. But weak as Topical is constitutionally by comparison with Statesman ho must be good, for already lie bids fair to become one of tlio notable handicap winners of the Australian turf. He has already won an Australian Cup and Anniversary Handicap and three other lesser events and his chance in this year's Metropolitan appears at this stage second to none.

Nord was a maiden as late as last January, but by April he had gained a second in the Sydney Cup, running a notable horse in Rogilla to half a length. And at three starts this spring lie 'has a win, a dead-heat for first, and a second to his credit.

Tliua these "glass-with-care" inmates or the Kelso stable may cause their trainer a good deal of anxiety nursin"them safely through to big events, but they appear to be worth tiie trouble.