TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25483, 1 May 1948, Page 4

TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS

WINNER NOT IN STUD BOOK For the second time in recent years the English Two Thousand Guineas been fought out by the two leading two-year-olds of the previous season. In 1945. the great Dante suffered the only defeat of his career when Court Martial beat him by a neck. In the previous season Dante, Manner of his five races as a two-year-old, was the top-weight in the Free Handicap awith 9-7. with Court Martial, a winner at his only two starts, next with 9-6. Court Martial may have been a shade lucky to beat Dante in the Two Thousand Guineas, but the pair vindicated the handicapper’s judgment. This year’s rac.e was another triumph for the handicapper as the winner. Mv Babu, was top weight in the Free Handicap with 9-7 and The Cobbler, which suffered a head defeat, was awarded 9-5. The third place-getter, Pride of India, won the seven furlongs Dewhurst Stakes as a two-year-old, and was given 8-11. At the epd of last season the general opinion seemed to be that My Babu possessed better stamina than The Cobbler. Four of .the five wins' My Babu gained as a two-year-old were over six furlongs and his successes included the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. His stake winnings as a two-year-old totalled £10,243.

The Cobbler gained five successes as a two-year-old, but only one, The Middle Park Stakes, was over six furlongs. He also won the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes at Sandown Park, and the Coventry Stakes at Ascot and won a total of £13.568 in stakes.

That The Cobbler possesses more stamina than was anticipated is indicated by the result of the Two Thousand Guineas. My Babu beat him by a .head only and covered the x mile in lmin 35 4-ssec. .which represents exceptionally good time for three-year-olds carrying 9-0 in the early partaaf the season, especially on a course that is not by any means level. In the past there have been good reasons for doubting the accuracy of times Jon English courses, but in recent yearS the matter has been receiving more attention.

There is-little doubt that My Babu will retain his position as favourite for the Derby, but whether he will stay the mile and a half at Epsom will not be proved until June 5, the day the race is run.

Mv Babu was bred in France, and is a bay colt by Djebel from Perfume, by Badruddin (Blandfoi d-Mumtaz Mahal) from Lavendula by Pharos from Sweet Lavender, by Swynford from Marchetta by Marco. Sweet Lavender was a sister to March Along, which stood at the stud in Australia some years ago. Perfume, the. dam of My Babu, is also the dam of Sayani. which won the Cambridgeshire in England in 1946, the year that French bred horses staged their first big invasion of England after the war. Djebel, the sire of My Babu, won the English and French Tu-o Thousand Guineas in 1940, but was beaten into third place in the French Derby. Djebel is by the great French sire Tourbillon (sire of Caracalla), from Loika by Gay Crusader and is not eligible for the English Stud Book, which automatically disqualifies My Babu.

The Cobbler is by Windsor Slipper from Overture, by Dastur from Overmantle, by Apron (by Son-in-Law) from Arabella, by Buchan from‘Polly Flinders, by Polvmelus from the famous mare Pretty Polly. This is one of the non-staying lines from Pretty Polly, though The Cobbler no doubt inherits some stamina from his sire, Windsor Slipper, which was unbeaten and was by Windsor Lad from Carpet Slipper, the dam of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner. Godiva, which was probably a better class racehorse than Djebel.

The third horse. Pride of India, is bred to be a good being by the Two Thousand Guineas winner Colombo from The Bud. by Diophon (also a winner of the Two Thousand Guineas) from Papilla, by Papyrus from Cyrilla by Cylenne. He is not likely to enter calculations for the Derby.

Master Meruit’s Steeplechase* Test The 1945 Grand National Steeplechase winner, Master Meruit, will make his reappearance as a steeplechaser in the Egmont Steeplechase at the Egmont Racing Club’s meeting at Hawera to-day. To fit him for his task Master Meruit has had two races on the flat this year, and' a fortnight ago won the Riverslea Hurdles at Hastings. Last Thursday morning, he schooled brilliantly over foursteeplechase fences at Hawera. Master Meruit has had a long and careful preparation for his comeback to steeplechasing and he will be in excellent order for his task to-day. There now seems every chance that he will stand up to another campaign as a steeplechaser and his performance to-day will, give an indication of his prospects for the major steeplechase events of the season. After he won the Grand National in 1945, Master Meruit looked as if he would rank with some of the great jumpers of the past, but all did not go well with him the following season, anti after he was beaten into the fourth place in the June Steeplechase at the Hawke’s Bay winter meeting in 1946, he was put aside and did not reappear until this year. He may come back every bit as good as he was before and at present he is probably more forward than most of the steeplechasers that are to be candidates for the big events this season. He has 12-0~ to earry to-day and fh most of the forthcoming events he contests will probably be required to carry the fixed maximum weight or very near to it. However, with a class steeplechaser this is often to his advantage and so it may prove to-day. Master Meruit won the Egmont Steeplechase tnlee years ago and on that occasion the race proved the first step on the road to fame as he f6llowed up by

winning the Wellington Steeplechase and the Grand National. A. Midwood, who rode him on that occasion, will again he his rider in his engagements this season. Swift Fox Injured Swift Fox was kicked while at the post at Te Aro’ha last Saturday. An Xray examination disclosed that he has splintered a bone in the leg. Hopes are entertained that he will be able to race again, but he will be off the scene for some time. Swift Fox is a four-year-old brown horse by. Foxbridge from Speed Mint and is a brother to Shining Night, a successful performer in Sydney a few seasons ago. He is owned by Mrs A. Powell and trained at Paeroa by Mrs E. H. Sloane. Defene Retired to The Stud

Derene has been working at Greymouth during the last month, where she has been quartered at J. C. McClure’s Stable, but her doubtful leg has given trduble again, and she Is to be retired to the stud. Derene raced as a two, three,., and four-year-old and during her career started 34 times for nine wins and 11 placings and a total of £4942 10s in stakes. Her most Important successes were gained last season when she won the Great Easter Handicap and the Members’ Handicap at Ri •’carton. Derene was a brilliant sprinter, but was hampered throughout her career by unsoundness and was a constant source of anxiety to her trainer, E. J. Jennings, who raced her in partnership with Mr J. D. Tait. She was bred by Mr A. O. Oakley and is a five-year-old bay mare by Defaulter from Citoyenne, by Chief Ruler or. Robespierre from Dame Winkie, by Winkie from Stepka, by St. Leger from Stepfeldt, by Nordenfeldt from the imported mare Steppe, the ancestress of many horses, both sprinters and stayers. Derene is a sister to Centime and the brilliant Citril, which has been the best th£ee-year-old sprinter at Riccarton. Qualifying Run for Steeplechasers With a view to qualifying as hunters, the Riccarton steeplechasers, Lunaria, Colonel Smart, Cavalryman, Tiny Atom, and Hughsotis, took part in a qualifying run at Rangiora last Thursday, organised by the Brackenfield Hunt Club. A second qualifying run will be held next Tuesday.

Attractive Yearling L. Cavalier is handling a likely type of yearling colt by Lord Bobs from Lady Argosy, the dam of Major Argosy and General Argosy. Like the last two named, the colt is chestnut in colour, but he. has no white about him. He is a very shapely individual of medium size, and looks like one that will come early. His breeder, Mr J. M. Samson, has had several good offers for him, but they have been declined. Coming to Hand

A well-grown two-year-old gelding by Leighon from Lady Pym in E. J. Jennings’s stable is coming to hand, nicely and will soon be ready to sprint a few furlongs. He is a brother to the winners Killeymoon (W.R.C. January Handicap), Leighon’s Glory, Roeon, and Embassy, and a half-brother to First Consul, winner of the West Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes. His dam, Lady Pym, is by Weathervane from Dame Winkie, the grand-dam of Defene and Citril. • The Martarma gelding Leeston, which was trained by Jennings as a two-year-old, is back in his stable. Leeston won two races as a two-year-old, but he has failed to come up to expectations since. He is a speedy galloper that is partial, to soft going

Longsword May Race Again Wnen Longsword pulled up lame in the Wairarapa Cup at Tauherenikau on New Year’s Day, his case looked hopeless. Since then he has had . the run of a paddock at Ngatarawa, and his trainer and part-owner, J. E. Olliver, says there is every chance of the horse coming into work again shortly. Longsword, one of the best handicap performers of his time, and winner under weight-for-age conditions, has been kicking up his heels like a two-year-old, according to his trainer. Though his damaged limb has yet to be put to the test, it is thought that he may be able to race again. Answers to Correspondents F. Price, Addington.—No. The horse you refer to is De Vinci, which was incorrectly cabled as Da Vinci.

“Inquirer,” Frankton.—Yes. Earliest copy here is 1890-91.