PROSPECTS IN N.Z. DERBY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25346, 20 November 1947, Page 4

PROSPECTS IN N.Z . DERBY

RACING

RICCARTON STABLES WELL REPRESENTED With no three-year-old with outstanding form it was to be expected that the field for the 1947 New Zealand Derby would be a large o>e, and if all of the 19 three-year-olds remaining in the race line up on Saturday it will be one of the largest fields on record. The largest field in recent years was in 1944. when there were 14 starters. Local stables will have a strong representation consisting of Kartikeya, Magnaform. Banshee. Glen Cona, Count Minerva, Detract, and General Argosy. If Derby honours are to come to Riccarton it seems most likely to be through one of the first three. Kartikeyas only success to date was in the Dunedin Gu’neas, in which he beat Excellency very decisively on a heavy track. But for having defective feet, Kartikeya’s record might have been an impressive one. There is no three-year-old at Riccarton that is a better galloper but firm tracks mitigate against his chances on race days. His trainer, F. A. Roberts, has now had rubber concussion pads fitted under his plates, a practice adopted by many Australian trainers during the summer months, and this may overcome the colt's disability. Kartikeya is to be ridden by L. J. Ellis, "Who was successful last year on Royal Tan, and altogether has won the race four times. At A Disadvantage Magnaform did not race up to expectations in the Wellington Guineas at Trentham. but on the third day he was very narrowly beaten ip a mile and three furlong hack race. A small but solid colt, Magnaform comes from a family that has produced several good gallopers which were below average size, and showed sound form up to a mile and a half. Magnaform is at a disadvantage in that he is a few months younger than most of the field, being a December foal. In the past there have been horses that were not actually three years old successful over the' Derby distance. A notable case was that of Reputation. He was placed second to Balboa in the N.Z. Derby in 1914 after First Flight, which had beaten him for second by half a head, was relegated to third place for interference in the straight. Two days later- he came out and beat Warstep and Balboa in the Canterbury Cup, then run over two miles and a quarter. Reputation was then aged two years and 11 months. Banshee has already won over a mile and three furlongs, and she is likely to run out the distance better than most. Like the majority of Royal Chief’s progeny. she is a solid finisher and very game. Her trainer, F. D. Jones, has always had a good opinion of Banshee, though he does not claim her to be anything out of the ordinary. The great thing in her favour is that she stays well and will always give of her best. The remainder of the Riccarton candidates all give promise of developing useful form. Detract, a stablemate of Kartikeya, won a mile high-weight handicap at Rangiora on Labour Day. Glen Cona is a big unfurnished gelding by Wild Chase. He is a bold galloper, but it is problematical how he will fare over the distance. Count Minerva and General Argosy are maidens, but both are bred to stay. Thimble’s Good Form

Ten of the field are from North Island stables, with Thimble likely to be the most favoured representative. Thimble recorded an excellent performance when he won the Manchester Handicap, over a mile and a quarter, at Feilding last Saturday, beating a number of New Zealand Cup candidates in the fast time of 2min 4 3-ssec. Thimble was never further back than fifth in the running and, after trailing Alright and Tremello into the straight, had the measure of the field with a furlong to run, carrying on to win with something in hand. Thimble thus stands as the only three-year-old in the field to have been successful in open company. A medium-sized colt of the readymade type, Thimble has done well since he won the Wellington Guineas, but many will not favour his chances over a mile and a half at Riccarton because he was sired by the sprinting bred Theio, whose stock have mostly shone at distances short of a mile. However. Thimble is stoutly bred on his dam’s side, being a halfbrother to a solid Jittle stayer in Don Qu ex, which won the Wellington Cup in 1944, and holds the record for the race since it was restored to its original distance of tx£o miles. Thimble’s effort over a mile and a quarter on the turning track at Feilding was encouraging, but it is still no guarantee that he will stay the Riccarton course. An Improving Filly The Wellington Guineas running gave the distinct impression that Sweet Nymph was a little unlucky not to have improved ©n her third and no runner looked more open to improvement. A beautifully-bred filly. Sweet Nymph has size and quality. Her sire Neptune should impart stamina to his stock and her dam, the imported mare. Sugar Kandy, ran eighth in the English Oaks. She was by Colombo, Which, though, not a genuine stayer, ran third in the Derby, from Belle Mere, a sister to the great Beau Pere. The long straight at Riccarton will be to her advantage and it would be no surprise to see her successful. The last filly to win the New Zealand Derby was Silver Scorn, In 1932. The Hawkes Bay Guineas winner, Distinction, does not boast of much size, but he is bred to stay and runs his races like a stayer. He has quite a useful record in classic races this season, having run fourth in the Wanganui Guineas, and second in the Wellington Guineas, in addition to his success in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. His trainer, W. J. Bromby, also has Renowned in the race, and, though she looks likely to develop useful staying form, she hardly looks up to the task facing her on Saturday. On his running in the Ruahine Hack Handicap at Trentham on Labour Day, following a good fourth in the Wellington Guineas, Bronstar looked a Derby possibility. However, he is a heavy topped colt and if the ground remains as firm as it is at present. Bronstar may not show to the same advantage.. He ran third in the open seven furlong sprint at .Feilding last Saturday, his first start in open company. Liebestraum won over a mile and a quarter as early as September, but unfortunately he has been troubled by soreness since. He is likely to stay every bit as well as one would expect him to on Ms breeding, and his chances on Saturday are likely to be determined by the going. Gildchase has won over a mile and three furlongs in high-weight company, but may fall short of the required class. Prince Coronach and Master Fox also appear to be in that category. Interest in Excellency Much interest will attach to the showing of the crack southern filly, Excellency. In her two appearances to date this season, Excellency finished second to Kartikeya in the Dunedin Guineas and second to Regal Gem in a hard finish in the Desert Gold Stakes. Excellency has brilliant speed, but it will be surprising if she masters distances beyond a mile. Apart from not being a staying type, either by nature or conformation, she is not bred to stay on her dam’s side. She will lack nothing on the score of condition. A filly much more likely to he in evidence is Waimanu, which has already won over a mile and a quarter, and has a very good record, considering the amount of racing she has done. She may not be up to Derby class, but the distance should not trouble her. The remaining candidate, Beaugard, has not shown very good form, having failed over a mile in hack company at Invercargill last Saturday. He received a rough passage over the first two furlongs and was well back at the half-mile, but did his best work at the finish to get up into sixth place.

Cup Candidates Galloped Two of the visiting New Zealand Cup candidates, Broiefield and Langue d’Or, ran the last seven furlongs in a gallop over a mile and a quarter on the plough at Riccarton yesterday morning in Imin 33 4-ssec, the last three furlongs in 39 2-ssec. Broiefield was a length and a half in front at the finish. The Welcome Stakes candidate. Golden Amber, was seen to advantage in a halfmile sprint on the trial grass with Top Deck, a candidate for the same race. The latter, with the worst ox the weights, broke away in front, but was soon steadied, and Golden Amber had drawn up to him at the end of a furlong. .After that Golden Amber was always doing the better and towards the finish drew out to finish' two lengths in front to return the smart time of 47 2-ssec. Dual Engagements Only three horses claim dual engagements at Riccarton on Saturday. Airwyn is in the Welcome Stakes and the Spring Nursery Handicap, and Howe and Aganev in the New Zealand Cup and the Riccarton Handicap. The last-named will definitely run in the Riccarton Handicap. In Solid Order Signal Officer is carrying more condition than he was at this time last year and moves freely in his work. Southern reports state that this season Signal Officer has raced and worked more freely than at any previous stage of his career. Leading Rider’s Engagements In the New Zealand Cup Gay Stroller Will be ridden by W. J. Broughton, who will also ride Thimble in the New Zealand Derby, Voltaic in the Stewards' Handicap, Air Belle in the Welcome Stakes. Mesalliance in the Riccarton Handicap, and Robin Redbreast in the Spring Nursery Handicap. Broughton has ridden the winner of the Stewards’ Handicap three times in the last four years. He has won the Welcome Stakes twice, the Derby once, and the New Zealand Cup once, on Spearful in 1931. Promising Hack Spare Part, which is engaged in the Apprentices’ Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday and is a candidate for the Otaio Plate on the second ’day, registered a

a event at Invercargill last Sahirday. In a big field he was one of the first out. but at the end of a furl? ng %. e W ? s almost knocked off his feet, his rider, L. W. Hare, losing his whip in the scrimmage. Spare Part looked hopelessly placed at the five furlongs, but had raced into fourth place at the three and finished on over the last furlong to get withm a length of the winner. Pageantry winch he meets on 31b better terms on Saturday Spare Part is a four-year-old gelding by Salmagundi, trained by T. E. Pankhurst. He has taken time to dev^ lo P\ *? ut he is now a big horse that should be up to weight and is the type likely to be suited by the roomy track at Riccarton. Regal Gem Scratched Regal Gem was scratched for all engagements at the New Zealand Cup meeting at 9 a.m. yesterday. Regal Gem won the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham last month.