CAULFIELD CUP

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22491, 27 August 1938, Page 19

CAULFIELD CUP

DESERT CHIEF SELECTED OWNER'S CONFIDENCE New Zealand has a great chance of winning the Caulfield Cup, but in the important New Zealand races in the autumn there was not a Melbourne Cup possibility. This is the opinion of Desert Chief's owner (Mr G. J. Barton), who returned recently from the Dominion (states the Melbourne "Sporting Globe"). Royal Chief, winner of the Derby, and Stretto, are Mr Barton's pick of the horses that will visit Australia in the spring. "Royal Chief struck me as a colt who is outstanding to a mile and a half, but would not run two miles in the Melbourne Cup," Mr Barton said. "But if you want the winner of the Caulfield Cup, don't pass Dessert Chief."

Royal Chief and Smoke Screen are the two best three-year-olds in New Zealand, but only the former was nominated for races in Australia.

The colt, Mr Barton said, was a great galloper, both last season and this, but he would not quite measure up to the best in Australia. By Chief Ruler, Royal Chief has gone on improving and when he last raced gave promise of developing into a fine four-year-old. However, Mr Barton said that he did not see a horse that could beat Desert Chief at the weights. Royal Chief (8-12) will have to give Desert Chief, who is two years older, 161 b. His owner bases his assumption on Desert Chief's early four-year-old form, when he won the Herbert Power Handicap at Caulfield. All of a sudden after that success, the chestnut lost' form and he puzzled his owner and three trainers, until recently he came into Jack Fryer's care. The chief trouble, it was found, was due to sand, a malady suffered by innumerable horses trained on the seaside courses of Melbourne. The sea sand had the same fascination for Desert Chief as it has for so many others. . , A good portion of sand in the stomach is thought by his owner and trainer to be the reason the horse earned the name "Desert Thief. Having got rid of this trouble, it was found that Desert Chief, who had done very little racing before this season had become very self-willed. Ibis Fryer cured by making himself the m Mr° r Barton now says that Desert Chief never was a rogue. He simply was not being handled correctly and in addition was not 100 per cent.

Advantage in Weight Recalling his good form two years aeo and adding to it the recent good efforts of Desert Chief, Mr Barton said he felt justified in thinking his horse would beat the younger horses at his great weight advantage. "Stretto is a Caulfield Cup possibility She would not be a Melbourne Cup proposition, but over the shortei course there are not many that I would name ahead of her.