SPORTING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22547, 1 November 1938, Page 17

SPORTING

ENGLISH RACING CAMBRIDGESHIRE WON BY FRENCH MARE HELLENIQUA’S NARROW VICTORY (F«OM ova OWN GOUSIFOXDHT.) LONDON, October 13. Probably the most delighted con- ' fraternity last night were the bookmakers. They must be jubilant that practically all the ante-post betting transactions on the CambridgeshireCesarewitch double have become waste paper. They reckon that the public have lost £1,000,000. The Cambridgeshire was run yesterday at Newmarket. This is a handicap event over one mile one furlong. When.' two days before the race, the favourite, Mr J. V. Rank’s Frenchbred Michoumy, had to be scratched on account of tendon trouble, the first “leg” of the numerous -doubles had '“gone west," and the prospects assumed a more open character, and attention became more or less riveted on other French candidates—notably upon Mr A. K. Macomberjs big horse. Khasnadar (Kantar-Taraskoia), who had a good reputation in France and who had come to Newmarket in good time to finish, his preparation. E. C. Elliott came over to ride this four-year-old, trained by C. Halsey. The colt has won his last three races in France, one of them over 10 furlongs, and his owner has won the Cambridgeshire twice before. Khasnadar, indeed, became the best-backed Cambridgeshire candidate. French sportsmen had rowed in for a good win, not «niy on him, but on the lightlyweighted Quartier Maitre. Monsieur R. de St, Alary’s Le Ksar •Iso was favourably mentioned. Others included Sirtam and Desiderip. The Winner But the French candidate of whom Jery little was known over here, a five-year-old mare called Helleniqua. owned by Monsieur Jacques MeUer. ■•cured the prize of £ISOO and the *«wy of the race. She started at 50 to 1, and the totalisator dividend was £l3 Is 9d for 2s, equal to odds of Marly 130 to 1. Helleniqua, whom B. Guimard rode at 31b overweight, accounted by heads from Khasnadar and .*“• Middleham-trained Domaha (owner, Mr Swan, rider, Gordon Richards, who declared 21b oversight). It is 10 years since a CamOrldgeshire has gone to France. Four in the Struggle In the field of 29, Domaha was veawn No. 29, the most unfavourable Potion, and he had to race on the outside of the field all the way. He was however, in hearty galloping ®°oo, and as they left the Dip was in ■ “ont, with Mr Elagrave’s well-fancied youvert in hot pursuit. Helleniqua *»wnN°. 2, one of the best positions) Khasnadar were on the stands fi, They met the hill with fine reTOlutioa. and steadily gained on the other pair. .The crowd had worked to a great Pitch of excitement as the four horses struggled for the mastery, and there as a thrill in every stride. HelleniHUa and Khasnadar gradually overruled their English rivals, and the lormer forced her head m front pracucally on the post from Khasnadar. n? w c om Elliott made an extra bid for “te honours in the last two strides, '-ouvert was fourth. ..fthy yards from the winning post 5 Ju* quartet was practically in line. *“ e little French jockey on HelleniOua seemed to be using his whip very y ’ * 3ut the mare ran on very ’Wsaely, and in a thrilling race home sained the verdict by a head over r'osnadar, who just beat Domaha' * ® head for second place. Couvert •Quid only be another half a length 'Way fourth, and just in front of *dgehill, fifth. Then came Golden foreign sixth, Quartier Maitre Seventh, Agincourt eighth, and The last. Helleniqua (Agathos—Hallatte) has ; 'ron four times and been placed in six ‘ a «s this season in France. , A Long Break Jf-Webb, her trainer, said: “What a J?“3htful return to my delightful New- ■ , et . I was bred and born here, and > ls is the first race I have won in SJgland for 52 years. I have raced in vjjhce. I fancied Helleniqua, as she M i. Ve T y good form across the ChanJ l . having won 14 races and over 2000 r ' stake money. Standing only 15 I maintain Helleniqua has two so game is she. Her owner, Mr bred her.” , Jjjumard, who speaks only French, Mbit" v? had ev ery confidence of winway from home. My hoi’ss (he gamest 1 have ridden, my twenty-second ’ winner.

Thirty-two my age, and. 32 on the card. It was my happy omen.” The winner, says the writer, looked no bigger than a plating pony. Chantilly trainer Webb • had ■ brought her over mainly to try to sell her as a brood mare. Mr Martin Benson, payer of £60.000 for Nearco in the summer, is stated to have , turned down before the race an offer to let him buji her for 450 guineas! Her little parchmentfaced French rider looked as though he could have been ‘‘blown over” as easily as his mount. It is said that a jockey who has never ridden over the Rowley Mile course is at a big disadvantage. Guimard did not seem to suffer in this respect. In a finishing battle wtih Elliott, a Newmarket expert, he rode splendidly. France Astounded French racing experts are reported to be astounded at the victory of Helleniqua, although it is recognised that she was given a very low weight and was ridden by one of the finest lightweight jockeys in France. . How Others Fared Edgehill, from the North, was In front going into the Dip, but when put to a real test could not hold on. . Thankerton, another candidate , from the North, made a smart beginning and showed pace for five furlongs, when he began to fall away. Zaimis (Mr Michalinos, well fancied) and Lady of Shalott (Mr Mosenthal) were favourably placed until the descent ipto the Dip was made, when neither was capable of making further headway. Mr W. Woodward’s Gainly, who had both forelegs bandaged,' was apparently. going easily for seven furlongs when she lost her place. -Le Ksar and Sea Bequest, on the high ground along with Domaha, found plenty of pace, the former lasting longer, but he did not relish the final hill. Mrs Benson’s Moody was always finding the pace too good, and while Artist’s Prtnce was prominent coming to the Bushes, he never promised tb repeat his success of last year. Bombay Duck ran without distinction', and while Blandstar was well placed in the first hall of the journey, he could hot maintain the gallop. : ■ ■■ ■ 1 ■ Sir Abe Bailey, who la not having particularly good, luck on the 'turf this year, had two runners In the big race —Ramtapa (which he very much fancied), and* Golden Sovereign, which was prominent‘in the final placing. Ramtapa , has the reputation of doing big things at home, but . has ,- -usually failed to reproduce that form in. public. : Prior to; Michoumy’s withdrawal there were hopes that Mr. J. V. Rank would pull off the big ;autfimn dbuble with Michoumy and Black Speck. The latter is still favoured for the Cesarewitch, to be run a fortnight hence. This five-year-old Black Watch—Little Mark colt won over a mile and a quarter yesterday at Newmarket; • TROTTING NOTES Reminders The next meeting of the New Brighton Trotting Club will be held on December 3. Nominations will close on November 17. A meeting of the Boaid of the New Zealand Trotting Association ‘will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8. Nominations for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s spring meeting will close;at 5 p.m. to-morrow. At the Stud Anna Wong, a winner at Greymouth, has been mated with U. Scott, and it is expected that she will do little more racing. This was her first success to date, biit The is a pacer with sufficient quality and breeding to make a successful matron. American Bred The American-bred stallion, Lusty Volo, has arrived in. Wellington, and his purchaser, Mr C. S. Donald, who inspected him during the week-end, is more than pleased with his handsome pacer. Lusty Volo came into prominence during the season just closed as the sire of a number of winners, including Colossal, who at the Carthage, Ohio, -meeting, -won the Three-year-old Pace in three straight heats in 2min ISJsec, 2min 15sec, and 2min 16sec. The track was heavy, and commenting on this performance a writer in the “Horseman and Fair World” has the follqwing:—“The good colt Colossal won his eighth victory in 10 starts this Season when he romped to a straight-heat Mn in.the three-year-old pace without having to extend himself. This youngster, .which took a two-year-old record of 2min Sfsec at Lex-' ingtdn last autumn as Buddy Volo, is expected to reduce his mark materially before the end of his campaign.” Calumet - Axworth, ‘ another horse In Donald’s care, was represented at the Fremont meeting by a winner in Betty Worthy, who, in the 2min 18sec Pace, won in 2min 9sec, 2min llsec, and 2min lOisec. Still another winner was Volo Hedgewood, by Lusty Volo, who won the 2min 14sec pace in 2min lOsec, 2min 9Jsec. and 2min SJsec.