ST. LEGER STAKES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 234, 2 October 1936, Page 12

ST. LEGER STAKES.

AN OUTSIDER SCORES. SUCCESS OF BOSWEIiL. RHODES SCHOLAR FAILS TO STAY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) . LONDON, September 10. An American banker, Mr. William Woodward, won the St. Leger Stakes on the Doncaster Town Moor yesterday, > when his brown colt Boswell, ridden by P. Beasley, beat Mr. A. Gordon Smith's Fearless Fox, ridden by E. Smith, and Mahmoud, the Aga Khan's grey Derby winner, who had C. Smirke as jockey. He was at double figures. Mr. Woodward was not present to watch the victory of his colt. For many visitors to Doncaster the race became a .melancholy spectacle through the poor performance of the heavily backed favourite, Rhodes Scholar, belonging to Lord Astor. The St. Leger, the most important race of the second half of the ilat racing season, was this year of unusual interest on account of the problems which it presented. Mahmoud had won the Derby (one mile and a half), in which Rhodes Scholar did not run because the colt had been insufficiently prepared for the hardness of the ground. Three weeks later Rhodes Scholar, carrying 7ib less weight than the Derby winner, beat Mahmoud easily in a .mile race at Ascot. So from much of the talk to be heard at Doncaster one might have been pardoned for believing that the whole affair was already settled and that Mahmoud and Rhodes Scholar would fight it out 'between themselves. The only question which some asked was whether Rhodes Scholar had the staying power necessary for the St. Leger course, which measures one mile six furlongs. Boswell, who proved to be the winner, had forfeited the good opinions of many experts when he failed in the Derby. Both Fearless Fox and Thankerton were regarded as having a chance of winning. Exciting Finish. When the horses were led into the paddock it was noted that Lord Astor'6 Plaster Cast was not to be among the runners. Thus the field was reduced to thirteen. Boswell pushed early ahead and for fully three-quarters of the race the field was close together. Lord Glanely's Pizarro led for about half the race, but at the beginning of the straight found the challenge of such horses as Fearless Fox, Boswell, Mahmoud, Thankerton and Lord Hirst's Magnet too severe. About this point it became apparent that a mile and six furlongs was too long a race for Rhodes Scholar, who began to drop back and finished third from the last. The last furlong was a most exciting duel between Boswell and Fearless Fox, and the three-quarters of a length by which Boswell Von seemed in doubt until the last moment. In the meantime Mahmoud, who was three lengths behind Fearless Fox, was fully occupied in staving off Magnet, and if the race had gone a few yards more he might possibly have been beaten. Thankerton, third in the Derby, finished fifth, Mr. J. de Rothschild's Esquemeling was sixth, and Lord Londonderry's Columcille seventh. Boswell was the third double figure winner in succession on the day. His victory caused less cheering than usually greets the winner of a famous race and the crowd at the end of the race was comparatively quiet. There was, indeed, an element of surprise in his success that was purely psychological. He was a horse that everyone admitted to be well equipped for the race, and yet his failure in the Derby seemed to have created a tendency to ignore him. It was announced that Mahmoud is to be retired at once to the stud. After the race his trainer attributed his failure to lack of stamina. At one point the Derby winner was well placed for a final spurt had he only possessed the power to make it.

JOCKEY CLUB STAKES. WON BY PRECIPITATION. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 1. The Jockey Club Stakes, a sweepstake with £2000 added, special weights, one mile and three-quartere, run at Newmarket to-day resulted:— PRECIPITATION, ch c, 3yrs, l>v Hurry Llfe O-ady Zia Wernher) 1 BOSWELL, br c, by Bosworth—Flying Gal 11. (Mr. W. Woodward) 2 HIS GRACE, b c. 3yrs, by Blandford— Malva (Lord Carnarvon) 3 Seven started. Won by two lengths, third horso threequarters of a length away.