MT. DENBY’S BAD LUCK

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26985, 10 March 1953, Page 4

MT. DENBY’S BAD LUCK

FAILURE TO WIN TWO MILE RACE

ANOTHER BOLD EFFORT ON SATURDAY

Mt. Denby is probably the unluckiest horse in New Zealand not to have won at least one of the two-mile handicaps this season. He had his last chance to do so in the Autumn Handicap at Trentham on Saturday, but a combination of . circumstances brought about his defeat

The handsome four-year-old chestnut was a firm favourite at odds of about three to one, bu the would haye had to produce a phenomenal effort to lead for the last nine furlongs under top weight of 9-2. As it was there was great merit in his attempt to do so, considering how close he finished to the winner, Winslow Boy. Mt.’ Denby’s rider, C. H. Mackie, faced an awkward situation at quite an early stage of the race. Mt. Denby had one of the wide barrier positions in the big field and Mackie took advantage of the horse’s brilliance to hurry him up in the rush for positions. By the time the field swung through the straight’ for the first time Mt. Denby was one of the leaders, and four horses wide. It was a dignified procession rather than a race and none of the jockeys on the lightweights showed any inclination to go to the front and make the horses near the top of the handicap carry their weight. Mt: Denby had been pulling hard and Mackie was hardly left with a worth-while alternative, but let his mount go into a clear lead near the nine furlongs.

Hie Orari mare f Dreenagh, went forward near the six furlongs to join Mt. Denby from there to the home turn. Mt. Denby had to shake off her challenge and then cope with the efforts of Windsor and Winslow Boy, which had been fairly close at hand all the way. At the finish he was only a length from Winslow Boy, which he was conceding 161 b. and half a length from Windsor, 181 b lower in the weights. This was Mt. Denby’s third race over two miles this season. He ran in the Auckland Cup on an interrupted preparation* and finished eighth. He was an improved horse when he came south to Trentham for the Wellington Cup in January, butahe just failed to beat Crimson King, which carried 131 b les£. Mt. Denby’s winning performances in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap and the Trentham . Stakes later at the meeting created a wide impression that he was not right at his peak for the Wellington Cup. Mt Denby had only one race between the two Wellington meetings, and that was in a sprint at Te Aroha on February 21 when he finished second to the brilliant Wakatu. On Saturday he appeared to be a fitter horse than on Wellington Cup day, but his run in the Autumn Handicap has probably worked further improvement in his condition. It will take a good horse to beat Mt. Denby over a mile and a half in the President’s Handicap on Saturday. Winner In South Island

Winslow Boy won his first three races in the South Island, being prepared for those successes by J. S. Shaw. Since then he has won six more races and his stake winnings now total £8255. Winslow Boy did his two-year = old and most of his three-year-old racing for Mr M. J. Moodabe. He was placed in his first season and opened his winning career at the Grand National meeting in 1950. He won in modest company at Westport and Greymouth later in the season, and soon after he was transferred north later in the season, he started racing for Mr L. A. Donald. The Foxbridge gelding made an early return for his new owner, having his first win in open company at the Waikato winter meeting in May, 1951. He had been placed earlier at Whangarei, but his win was unexpected and his dividend was big. Last season Winslow Boy won £2555, the result of three wins and one placing, but his spring form this season was weak. Winslow Boy is the first produce of the unraced imported mare Under Way, by Michoumy from Austin, by Sir Berkeley from Amorelle, by Volta from Amanthe, Bend 1 © 3 ' 1 * 5 from Beaker - a daughter of Baby Austin, a half-sister to Under Way, won the Epson Hyde Park Stakes and was later successful in India. Austin left four other winners, and she was closely related to several other useful performers. Windsor, like Winslow Boy. was lightly supported. It was thought he would need easy going before he wcnild be able to match the best of the other stayers for ability. He had won the Waikato Cup. two miles, earlier in the season on a heavy track. Windsor is a five-year-old gelding by Great Tradition, which was by the great stayer Brumeux from Laurel Wreath by the Grand Prix de Paris winner Cri de Guerre. Great Tradition’s granddam. Cinnamon, was three-quarter sister to Dalray’s sire, Balloch, and his third dam, Buchna, was a sister to Mr Standfast and half-sister to Beau Pere. This is great staying blood.