ROUTE MARCH GOES STRAIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROUTE MARCH GOES STRAIGHT.

Auckland Youngster The Best In The Dominion — Owner's Breeding

Partiality Rewarded

THE plums from the Auckland Christmas racing tree are often 1 good eating for the visitors, and when they bring champions like Beau Vite along to take the plums nobody could begrudge the meal. This year, however. Auckland stables took more than a usual share of what 'was left, including three classics—the Derby and the Foal and Royal Stakes. And with Route March's victories in the two last-named went something more—acknowledgment that he was the champion two-year-old of the Dominion. There is no room for doubt on this score. The best of the youngsters tliat have raced in New Zealand this season were brought to Kllei-slicf with Pay Roll carrying tlie biggest cheque. This she had aggregated partly at Ellerslifi in October, where, after dead-heating with Xuna in the Welcome stakes, she beat the same filly easily in the Musket Stakes and ■partlr at the New Zealand Cup meeting, where she won the Welcome Stakes easily and dead-heated again, this time with a stable mate. Corn Prince, to whom she was conceding a stone.

VTUNA was off the scone when Fay 801 l arrived at Christmas, but Route March had appeared as a likely rival. Twice the pair met and twice Route March won. In the Foal Stakes there was only a nose between then), but a week later, in the Royal Stakes, the Takanini-trained colt was more than two lengths and a half clear of his rival, who had to be content with third honours. On each occasion Pay Roll was preferred hr the public, which apparently did not take full cognisance of the fact that on Boxing Day Route March drew out sufficiently from Pay 801 l to cross over and take the rails. Curiously enough it was the fact that Route March did not stick to the road that first brought him into prominence, and later he repeated the vagary. On both the Avondale and Ellerslie courses before Christmas he ran wide either on the bend or"in the run to the judge; in fact, at Ellerslie on the occasion of his second victory he finished right under the judge's Ix>x—or mora correctly where it used to be. At Avondale on September 16 there wtis a big surprise In the two-year-old event, Cambria winning and paying nearly half a century. Cambria hailed from Fred Smith's stable at Takanini. where Route March had been sheltered and done well by that mentor since purchased by Mr. S. J. Wood at the age of eight months. Nobody knew anything about Cambria, but many had heard good reports of Route March, and he accordingly carried considerable money. Cambria, from the rails, made a one-hore race of it and Route March dawdled by the roadside. Came the Musket Stakes at Ellerslie next month, where Pay Roll established superiority over Nuna and Route March looked on from behind for most of the

journey. Back at Avondalc for liis third start he gave his many supporters » fright by running right across the course as he came into the straight, but then won. At Ellerslie again at the Alison Cup meeting, when Silver Clarion got out Muartly at the start to lead *11 the way, Route March was unplaced. Two days later, on a Monday, he hit the front oarlv in the Bakino Handicap, and though he caused a real thrill by running right- across the track he still had a nose advantage of Xuna. when the line was crossed. Tiiat vagary exhibited for the second time nearly cost him the race. Brought to Ellerslie before the Ohrirt-1 mas meeting, Route March kept to the j straight and narrow in training. He repeated that performance in his successful races and it did not appear that this was due to the adjustment that had been made to his bridle. Not only did Route March show himself a reformed colt, but he got his name among the record-makers by equalling High Caste's time of 1.12 in the Royal Stakes. Why ho ran wide in the other two races he won previously trainer Fred Smith is at .1 lo«=s to explain, but what he does know is that be has a champion colt. It was partiality for breeding with which he had previously had euoccss that induced Mr. Wood to acquire Route March as a yearling from the breeders, Messrs. H. T. Bowman and G. A. Dodd, of Waipu. Mr. Wood, in partnership with Mr. S. Findlay, had previously raced On Parade, a good performer which was sold to India. Route March ie bv Vaals from Royal March, by Lucullus from March, and is a half brother to Royal Appellant, Royal Tray and On Parade. Route March is not engaged in classics outside of Auckland, so next time he is oil parade it. will no doubt be in the province. There is every reason to expect liim to add to his winnings.