False Step For Yonkers Win

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 4

False Step For Yonkers Win

[Specially written for "The Press" by JOHN NOBLE)

I think False Step will win the final of the International pacing series at Yonkers Raceway, New York, this week. His second to Ap'mat last week after having five horses in front of him a little more than a furlong from the post, was a most impressive debut in the United States.

To casual observers False Step might have appeared unlucky, but he had the advantage of racing covered up right from the start. Under those conditions it was not surprising to see him running on so strongly. Had he not missed the first race of the seriea and some work, his trainer-driver, C. C. Devine, would probably have moved him into the clear before he became jammed in. The general opinion is that Devine did the right thing in saving his horse. False Step is certain to parade a fitter horse in his future racing. Apmat will again be a hard horse to beat He has been the best horse on the first two nights of the series. Last week he raced without a trail before he went to the front and stayed there. He was under a hard drive at the straight entrance, but did not falter and won handsomely. Aranta outpaced the field early, but could not achieve sufficient advantage to get across to the rails around the first turn where she was three wide. She got to the front at the end of the first quarter in a little worse than 29sec. the fastest section in the race. This drained her stamina and left her battling on eight lengths from the winner at the finish. No Advantage In New Zealand Arania’s main attribute has been her ability to begin quickly and assume a commanding position early. Ths is completely nullified at Yonkers by the flying start, from which most horses can begin fit twominute speed or better. She will fare better when she is dropped down a class o-Nwol

at Roosevelt Raceway in a few weeks. It was interesting to hear the various exclamations of excitement in the stand occupied by trainers and drivers when the 10 starters in the Good Time Pace raced into the first turn, which is right in front of the stand. Obviously the local horsemen were alarmed by the vigorous manner in which the visiting reinsmen drove their horses into favourable postions while saving all the ground they could. The general practice here is for horses to race wide a pert on the first bend until a straight is reached. Then some semblance of a bunch is achieved. The confidence of many American critics has been shaken by the performances of the Australian and New Zealand horses, and there now seems to be considerable doubt as to which training methods are the best.