KRONOS ADDS TO THE TWO-YEAR-OLD PUZZLE. NO CHAMPION THIS SEASON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 92, 19 April 1941, Page 9 (Supplement)

KRONOS ADDS TO THE TWO-YEAR-OLD PUZZLE. NO CHAMPION THIS SEASON.

When Route March on Saturday fell from his pedestal with a mediocre ran in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, in which, after being the leader, he was beaten out of a place, the two-year-old form this season, confusing as it had been, became more so.

Except in rare instances it has not been difficult in the autumn to rate the best of the two-year-olds in their proper order, but the present season happens to be one of the exceptions. If half a dozen of the best of the season's youngsters lined up at even weights at six furlongs the winner would not be easy to find.

Here are the half-dozen: Xune, Pay Roll. Route March, Palfrey. Premature and Kronos. They miprht Ik- cited as the best performed two-year-olds, hut who would feel justified in naming any one. of the number its an outstanding galloper?

Early in the season Mr. T. Newman's filly Pay Roll, trained by T. R. George, was hailed as a brilliant" youngster. In October at Ellerslie she dead-heated with Nuna in the A.R.C. Welcome Stake., and on the second day of the meeting won the Mu.ket Stake*. Going on to Chmtchurch, Pay Roll took the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes, and capped this effort by winning the Pioneer Handicap on the third day of the meet in- with 9.5. Since then the best performance bv the Croupier—Zarisee filly was to run "second to Premature in the .Sires' Produce Stakes at Manawatu.

Route March, the bay colt bv Vaals— Royal March, is owned by Mr S J Wood, and trained by F. Smith at Takanini. He firet occupied the spotlight when he won the Juvenile Handicap at Avondale in November, and the same month the Rakino Handicap at Bllerslie As neither victory was easily achieved,' there was no reason to hail the Vaals colt as a champion. He demonstrated that he was good, however, by trouncing the, presumably, best of his ajre in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and also in the A.R.C. Royal Stakes at the Auckland Cup meeting. Those two performances saw him acclaimed as the best of the vear.

Unfortunately Route March then met with a mishap, which, while not considered serious, caused him to be thrown wit of solid training for a few weeks. He was off the scene until the Ohinemuri meeting in March, and there, with the steadier of 10.0, he was beaten a bare head by Hogarth (7.3). That run indicated that he was back to form but there was no opportunity to give him further racing before the Ellerslie meeting unless he was to carry burdens of 10.0 and over. Still, it was considered that he would add the Great Northern Champagne Stakes to his tolly. To the surprise of all and consternation of hie supporters, who accepted a short price about his chance, he could only finish fifth. 'When called upon for an effort in the straight, Route March swerved under the whip into the rail, but he was apparently beaten on his merit, even if he did not reveal his true ability.

As with Kronos, 90 also Palfrt?v « bay colt by Man's Pal—Vennachni owned by Mr. E. May and trained bv J 11- CiJlett at Riccarton. Palfrey face.l the starter on ten occasions before Inscored a win, his success being recorded when he led the field home in -<]„■ Dunedm Champagne Stakes in February That effort brought him into the lim'<light, and that it was not a flash in th.> pan he proved by taking the Champagne Stakes a-t Riccarton on Mondav.

Premature, a brown frlly by Posterity —Impetuous, nwiied by Mr. G. M. CiirriV , ami tmi nod by (J. \Y* N\-w. L- a finerjralloper. Sh<- scored her first victory in the Juvenile Stake* at Fcikling in November, and on the p<vofi<i <iav of the mcetinr won the Orua X»rser\ Handicap t-urryingr 9.r>. Uroupht tV» Kllvrelic to contest the Great Northern Foal Siako>. she finii-hed unplaced. Inn she may tint have b.-vn licr.-oH at th.mooting, as >ho MilTcrod a lioad injury on the trip north. She was next produced at the 'Wellington meeting in March, when she won the Plunket Ilandieap with S.l't aiwl the Pacific Ilanji.-af- with 0.0. A victory in the Sire*' Trodueo Stake? a' Monawatij f»llo\v«1. and ar Eliers]-,<-> la-t Saturday =lie def.-a-f od all h\f Krono? in the Great Northern Cham paprno Stakes.

Prior to Saturday last <heTo woHothinjr in (he form' shown by Krono* to enthuse over. A bay colt" by Sunflare—Titaness, owned hy Mr. "it. A. Powell, of YYhanirarei. and" trained br V Tinker, of Pukekolie. he did not win until he accounted for the Chel-ca Handie.in at the midsummer meetinp at Eilerslio wearing down Transmitter in a stirrinduel. At his next sturt he was second to Opuatia in the Tuakau Stakes at. the Franklin mwting. These performancedid not flipped he would he equal to downing Route March, Premature an.l other* in the Champagne Stakes on Saturday. But ho did, and accomplished the task in a manner which left n<> doubt as to his superioritv on that particular dav.

Those youngsters mentioned above have been well raced, but in senrchin - for the best of the season one other is entitled to consideration. This is the Lender— Cometary filly Xuna, owned by Mr. H. D. Matthews and trained bv K. S. Bagby at Ellerslie. Unfortunately Xuna raced at only two fixtures, the October and November meetings, both at Ellerslie. At her first appearance she dead-heated with Pay Poll in the Welcome Stakes, and on the. second day of the meet in" wa» runner-up to Pay Roll in the Make*. At the November meeting Vuna carrying 8.12, was narrowly beaten bv Clarion (7.9) in the Cambria Handicap, and on the second day, with f> •' in the saddle, went under bv a head t'.i Route March (5.7). It will be seen thn. but four races and in each -h ■ was responsible for a fine effort. Unf•>• tunately the filly then became troubl-- ! with soreness, end it was decided to tvji :i her out for the remainder of the seasc; .

And so the two-year-olds go into retirement to make their reappearaiir • next eeason, when their owners will r • focusing attention upon the Derbies .in 1 other richly-endowed classics. Is the • another Kindergarten among then Their puzzling form does not sug"e-i there is, but Kindergarten -was not* regarded highly until the spring of h - three-year-old career. Maybe histcrv will be repeated and from the ranks of the little-known two-year-olds this season will come the champion next vear