ENGLISH RACING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21792, 26 May 1936, Page 15

ENGLISH RACING

THE DERBY RHODES SCHOLAR SCRATCHED G. RICHARDS IN FORM (■arm* otnctu wißiuus.) RUGBY, May 23, The prices of the first and second favourites for the Derby, which will be run over the famous racecourse at Epsom DoWns on Wednesday, were both weaker at last night’s call over. Sir Alfred Butt’s Noble King kept bis position in the market. Lord Aster’s Rhodes Scholar was scratched at 12.5 p.m. to-day. Gordon Richards, who will ride Raj Akbar on Wednesday, had his eighth consecutive winning mount yesterday. Three years ago be broke a 50-year-old record by riding 259 winners, and already this season he has ridden 49 winners. CLASSIC EVENTS DECIDED ALTERED DERBY ANTICIPATIONS (now ova oxn» coaaairoiroairr.) LONDON, May 2. Lord Astor has won al the classics, except one. The Derby has so far eluded him, though he has been run-ner-up on four occasions. The Oaks have been his quite frequently. Now he is very hopeful that the Derby will come to him on May 27, special reason for the sanguine outlook being the success of his colt, Pay Up, at Newmarket this week, in the 2000 Guineas. This important race was his in 1921 with Craig-an-Eran.

Pay Up Is by Fairway out of Book Debt. He is trained at Manton by Lawson. The event had a very thrilling finish, for It was only by a short head that the colt won from the Aga Khan’s grev Mahmoud, who was not so well fancied ns the same owner’s Bala Hissar, who all the winter has been regarded as a certainty for the Epsom classic. This week, however, in the Important mile event at Newmarket, Bala Hissar was one of xhe 16 who “also ran.” He was one of the first beaten. Three lengths behind Mahmoud was the outsider, Mrs J. Shand’s Thankerton.

By Pay Up’s victory in the Two Thousand, ante-post Derby transactions have been revolutionised. The first favourite for the Newmarket event was Sir G. Bullough’s Daytona, who had shaped well recently, but who could do no better than fill the tenth niche this week. Lord Astor had another runner in Rhodes Scholar, who came fourth, and who already had been considered as a possibility for the Epsom race. Now It Is thought in expert circles that the comparatively backward Bala Hissar has been so considerably over-ridden that doubts are expressed about his xow being a serious factor for the Blue Riband. The King had a runner called Fairey, who gave promise of better things for the future. Sporting critics publicly say: “Pay Up and Rhodes Scholar are almost certain to defeat at Epsom x-ll they mst at Newmarket, and It is extremely doubtful whether a newcomer can be fancied to lower the colours of Astor’s distinguished pair.” (Rhodes Scholar has since been withdrawn.)

Pay Up’s victory in the Two Thousand was immensely popular, yet he is thought a shade fortunate to beat HahwuHrib-by r»-head. The Aga Khan’s colt, who was carrying second colours, jumped off slightly behind the field in an otherwise perfect dispatch. To obtain a clear run, Donoghue, on Mahmoud, had to forfeit a little ground by going round some horses below the Bushes, and, with that accomplished, he brought his mount with a beautifully-timed effort to head Pay Up coming out of the Abingdon Bottom. Mahmoud stuck well to the task, but Pay Up finished the stronger to come again and snatch a short head verdict. Thankerton, three lengths further away, was third, just in front of Rhodes Scholar, followed by Monument, Abjer, and Fairey. Monument, a fortnight ago, had won the Craven Stakes. •

Thankerton is trained at Middleham by Gerald Armstrong, and is a halfbrother by Manna to Quashed, last year’s winner of the Oaks. Though Thankerton has a Derby winner as a sire, he is technicaLy halfbrod, os his dam, Verdict, is not in the Stud Book. Although Lord Astor bred Pay Up, his victory gave considerable satisfaction to Lord Derby, who owns not only his sire, Fairway, but also his dam. Book Debt Book Debt is a sister to Book Law, who is the dam of the promising Rhodes Scholar. Rhodes Scholar has had less racing experience than most of his rivals. Pay Up looked the fittest horse in the Two Thousand.

The general uncertainty about the Derby la probably due to the very disappointing performances of several colts who have claimed most attention in that connexion, one being the French-bred Abjer, who looked a picture, but who is thought not to be very amiable. Miss Dorothy Paget’s Wyndham—last year’s Bossover coltone of the contestants in the Two Thousand, pleased in the paddock, but at the end of six furlongs he dropped back, and finished twelfth. Fillies’ Classic Yesterday afternoon, Lord Derby achieved a very popular victory with his Fairway filly, Tide-Way. It was her first outing this season, but she was well fancied at Newmarket, and was fully expected to last the mile. Tide-Way was a smart two-year-old, and it is worthy of consideration that when winning her first race she defeated Pay Up by two lengths at sex allowance. Later she won running away from Outbreak over six furlongs at Goodwood. Lord Derby’s colours were also carried bv Feola, a filly leased temporarily from the King. Feola was by no means without a chance. She won over seven furlongs at Kempton Park recently, giving 151b and a neck beating to Fair Play. Feola stays well and was concerned in the finish by coming second, with Mr R. Watson’s Ferrybridge third. The field numbered 24, and each carried 9st. There was in many quarters considerable preference for Ferrybridge, because her form was good and she had had the benefit of a recent important race —indeed the Guineas was regarded as “all over” hours before the race. This was another instance of the danger of prophesying unless you know.

The triumph of Tide-Way makes the sixth One Thousand Guineas that Lord Derby has won. It was a beautiful race to watch, and it could be seen that the two public fancies. Tide-Way and Ferrybridge, were going to be concerned in the finish. Tide-Way was the dominating figure in the middle of the course, but there was never much more than a length between them. Ferrybridge put in a very stout challenge in the Dip, and probably got within a neck of Tide* Way. There was every promise from that point of a stirring battle between the two fillies, but in the lest 200 yards Tide-Way, by virtue of better stamina, drew away to win In very nice style.