SECOND LEG AT YONKERS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29224, 7 June 1960, Page 4

SECOND LEG AT YONKERS

Fettle To Have Test Run

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK. June 6.

The Australian pacer Fettle will

■ . ork out at .Yonkers Raceway today and his’driver Ron Hayes is expected to decide whether he will be fit enough to run in the 50.000 dollars second leg of the International Pace on Thursday night (June 9).

Fettle was withdrawn from last Thursday’s 12-furlong first leg of the International event, also worth 50,000 dollars, because of tendon trouble in his right hind leg. Since his withdrawal, however, he has been kept in light work and has been reported as doing well. Next Thursday’s race will be run over 10 furlongs. The final event of the series—another 50.000 dollar Attraction—will be run over eight furlongs on Thursday, June 23. If he runs next Thursday Fettle will be the unknown factor of the field in that it will be his first race appearance in the United States. Like New Zealand’s Caduceus, he is looked upon as a stayer and the first leg of the race was expected to suit him much more than the others. On that reasoning the 10 furlongs is expected to be more in his line than the final run over, the mile. Fettle, however, will not be the only unknown performer in the run. New Zealand’s Caduceus, fourth in last week’s event, won high praise for his tremendous burst of speed in getting away from the barrier and leading the field into a 20-second first quarter mile. Opinions about his staying ability altered somewhat. and he seen now as a big threat in the shorter events.

The American champion. Bye Bye Byrd, which holds the world record for the mile, is another horse which will come right into calculations as the distances of the International shorten. The 12furlongs found Bye Bye Byrd lacking in stamina. He “died” near the finish and fell right back through the field to finish seventh —and last—with the fast pace maintained throughout the race obviously too much for him. Might Withdraw

There were rumours this weekend that Bye Bye Byrd might be withdrawn from the remaining two races of the International following his poor performance, with his “suspicious” ankles said to be the real cause of his failure to run out the race distance.

If Bye Bye Byrd is withdrawn and Fettle does not take his place in. the field, another American pacer might be nominated to fill the gap. Mr Budlong, a recent 2min 1 3-ssec mile rater or Tar Boy, which last Saturday clocked 2min 3 2-ssec for the mile, are seen as the likely horses. Widower Creed, winner last Thursday, in 3min 4 2-ssec, which equalled the world record, must be considered for the remaining two races. He proved himself conclusively over 12 furlongs and is known to be a top miler. The 10furlongs, therefore, should not give him the slightest worry. He win face, however, tougher opposition from now on from the same horses that he beat so well last week. Caduceus. with a solid race behind him, is expected to provide much of that opposition. Canada’s Champ Volo, third in last Thursday’s event, cannot be disregarded. The Canadian champion ran an excellent race and had enough left at the finish to keep Caduceus well out of the placings.

America’s O'Brien Hanover, "econd to Widower Creed by a length and a quarter, should also do well over the 10-furlongs. He held the lead for a time in last week’s race before surrendering it to Widower Creed, but was able to keep going strongly to the post, although unable to catch the winner.

All-in-all. the 10-furlongs run and the later mile will not allow punters to ignore any of the International entrants. America's Speedy Pick, which took over the running from Caduceus after the first quarter-mile and which finished fifth in the 12-furlongs. was having only his second race of the season and must be better for the run.

Canada's Mighty Dudley has a consistently good record at home and his sixth over the mile and a half did not fairly reflect his ability over shorter distances.

Toss in Fettle, with his frontrunning ability, and the International pace from here on looms as a really tough one for the tipsters.