RACING Josudi Well Placed In Dunedin Cup Weights

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27538, 21 December 1954, Page 5

RACING Josudi Well Placed In Dunedin Cup Weights

On weights Josudi deserves the position of early favourite for the Dunedin Cup, to be run at Wingatui next Monday. He has apparently been rated as merely a plodding twomile stayer, because he will meet several horses he beat with ease in the New Zealand Cup last month on much better terms over a mile and a half at Wingatui. Josudi did easily the best of the South Island stayers in the New Zealand Cup, finishing fourth behind Dormant, Hy-Spin, and Topatoa. That day he carried 7st 2Jlb, including 2Jlb overweight. He has been given 7st 51b, only 2-Jlb more, for the Dunedin Cup, and he will meet some horses which were well in his wake at Riccarton on very advantageous terms. The Hob has been lifted 111 b on his New Zealand Cup weight to fill the position of top weight with 9st in the Dunedin Cup. The Hob was beaten well out in the Riccarton two-mile race, and has done nothing since to suggest that over half a mile less ground he will be ’ able to concede more weight to Josudi and beat him. The Hob is nine, and probably near the end of his career. Josudi is five years younger, and probably still improving. The Invercargill-trained Mar jo has been rated as one of the most likely improvers over the shorter* race. He has been lifted 15.1 b on the 7st 31b he carried in the New Zealand Cup, in which he faded after being one of the leaders round the home turn. Marjo was tenth in the New Zealand Cup. but a long way behind Josudi. Pleasure Bent is up a stone on the 7st 71b she was finally weighted at for the New Zealand Cup. though her actual rise is 12|lb; she carried IJlb overweight. Bosky and Trinidad have both been lifted 121 b. Neither made much impression in the New Zealand Cup. finishing behind The Hob and Pleasure Bent more than half-way back through the field. Dunedin Cup entrants which were weighted for the New Zealand Cup but did not survive the first acceptance included Sawdust, Overboard, Dinner Chat, and Zingabo. Sawdust was weighted at 7st 21b for the New Zealand Cup and has 171 b more at Wingatui. Dinner Chat is up 131 b. and Overboard and Zingabo both 111 b.

At the weights Josudi has a firstclass chance of again finishing in front of those he beat over two miles at Riccarton, and it may be found that he will be well in the picture in a finish possibly dominated by lightweights.

Danger Point has won four open handicaps, and ended a long run ol failures with a win at Invercargill last month; so there will be solid backing for a form horse, such as h is. with only 7st 81b. Ray Ribbon, one of the best stayin three-year-olds in the South Island Fulgent, a most consistent handicap performer with placed form over the distance: and the recently-promoted Sir Willjam will be a formidable Riccarton trio from their places in the weights.

Ray Ribbon has 7st 91b, which is

31b under weight-for-age; Fulgent has 7st 81b; afld Sir William, 7st lib. Dalstar Amiss Dalray’s half-brother, Dalstar, has gone amiss and was blistered last week. He seemed on the verge of useful form at the time of this set-back.

Dalstar is trained for Mr C. Neville by V. B. Johnson. Fatehpur Sikri, another member of Johnson’s team, is having trouble with a tendon, and is unlikely to race during the holidays. Gold Ember Destroyed Gold Ember, this season’s Wanganui Guineas winner, broke a foreleg during the funning of the Grandstand Handicap at Awapuni on Saturday, and was destroyed. He was a bay colt by Speeder from Golden Ash by Illumination, and was trained by G. W. Moore for Mr E. B. Arnold, Hawera.

Gold Ember won his last four races as a two-year-old. The Wanganui Guineas was his only success this season, but he was fourth in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas and fourth in the Churchill Stakes at Riccarton. His fixte wins and three placings realised £1555 in stakes. Faster Growth Two British scientists reported last month that young racehorses grew 15 per cent, faster than normal when treated with a daily dose of aureomycin. That means the Queen may have some giant two-year-olds running under her colours soon. The scientists, who experimented at the British National Stud, said a horse treated with the “magic mould” might be as mature at two as an untreated stablemate at three. Promising young horses from the stud are leased each year to the Queen and race in her name. Messrs W. S. Gordon and J. H. Taylor. of the Agricultural Research Council. gave six of the stud’s foals aureomycin. At the end of 13 months the six averaged 701 b heavier than a control group of six which did not receive the same treatment. Irish Purchase. The purchase of the 1952 Kentucky Derby winner. Hill Gail, by Ireland's wealthiest racehorse owner, Mr Joseph McGrath, is one of the most interesting events in Irish bloodstock circles for years. Mr McGrath’s Nasrallah, which he sold to America in 1950, is now the leading sire of two-year-olds. Some months ago another American sire. Fighting Don, was purchased by two Irish owners, and is now at a stud in County Meath. I The first mare with Man o War blood to be imported by Ireland from the United States. Bells of War, a daughter of War Admiral, has been purchased with a . two-year-old filly, Imperia, by Major Cyril Hall, manager of the Aga Khan Stud. Although American importations are a novelty in Ireland. Irish importations are an almost every-day occurrence in America; the Ihtest of these is one of| Royal Charger’s most famous sons. Sea | Charger, which has been bought by an, American syndicate. Sea Charger won the Irish Two Thousand Guineas and the Irish St Leger, and was second in the Irish, Derby.