FROM STUD AND STABLE Owen’s Sedge—Film Star’s Glamour Horse

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30092, 28 March 1963, Page 4

FROM STUD AND STABLE Owen’s Sedge—Film Star’s Glamour Horse

Americans are making an all-out bid for supremacy on British race-tracks, according to English sports writers—and they seem to be succeeding. Not long ago the American-owned filly, Noblesse, broke the Doncaster mile record against a field of colts. And one of the top American-owned colts, Crocket, unbeaten as a two-year-old, is now sharing favouritism for the Derby. This year, American-owned horses are already favourites for four of the classic races (betting on the St. Leger, the last of the classics, has not opened yet).

But if the victory which wUd clinch the supremacy of American owners is to come, it will be not in a flat face but in a steeplechase—and the greatest of the steeplechases at that—toe Grand National ait Aintree. One American, the film star Gregory Peck, is determined to win it—and he is not relying on sleight-of-hand or camera angles. A while ago Peck paid £7OOO. sight unseen, for a 10-year-old horse named Owen’s Sedge. Then, Owen's Sedge was quoted at 33-1 for the tough Aintree race; now he is 12-1, and the publicity surrounding his sale had nothing to do with his rap-idly-shortened price. In a year when the Grand National field is distinguished by quality (three previous winners are among the acceptors) as well as quantity (57 second acceptors> Owen’s Sedge has become the •’glamour” contender, virtually because of a single win.

The win was in the Leopardstown 'Chase, an Irish race in which Owen's Sedge, carrying 10-10, outclassed a field of 13 top 'chasers, including the Liverpool top-

weight, Frenchman’s Cove, and the strongly-fancied Camckheg. Currently Owen’s Sedge is abating favouritism for the Grand National with Frenchman's Cove, but several bookmakers are predicting that at starting time he will be outright favourite. A 10-year-old son of Owenstown and Lady Sedge, by His Reverence. Owen’s Sedge has been most promising since has ’’rst appearance five seasons ago. Once he was an unreliable jumper, and he still makes occasional serious mistakes (usually in the early part of a race). But last year, when he finished fourth with 12-7 in the Topham Trophy at Aintree, he showed that the big fences are not beyond him. The main doubt about his chances in the Grand National seems to be bis stamina. English racing writers say that in the past he has often seemed barely able to master three miles, and he might be a very tired horse at the end of four miles and • half of the Aintree race. Other writers say he should have no trouble with the distance, and that several Grand National winners were not true “park stayers” anyway, but fast jump-

ens which took toe big fences so easily their speed carried them through. Owen’s Sedge is trained by Tom Draper and will be ridden by Pat Taaffe—a formidable combination.

Sydney Conference Mr G. H. Grigg, president of the New Zealand Racing Conference,. and the vicepresident, Dr. A. McGregor Grant, wiU leave for Sydney next Monday to attend one of the biggest and most important racing conferences ever to be held in Australia.

lit is the third Asian racing conference, jvhich will be held from April 3 to 5. Messrs T. C. Lowry, W. R. Stead and J. G. Alexander will also attend the conference, representing the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. This will be the first time the conference has been held outside Asia. It will be attended by more than 100 delegates representing 32 racing and breeding organisations from eight countries. The eight countries are Malaya, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, India, Philippines, New Zealand and Australia. Final Command’s winning run in the open sprint at Taunanga last Saturday is regarded as one of the best ever done on a country track in New Zealand. Final Command came from

third last and won as he liked by four lengths, recording Iman 10 4-Ssec for six furlongs. He was timed to run the last three furlongs in a shade better than 34sec.

A lightly-fleshed gelding, Final Command was to have raced on the Gisborne-East Coast circuit, but fretted on the trip and was taken back to Tauranga without a start on any of the five days’ racing. Tauranga is Final Command’s home track; he is trained there by M. B. (“Paddy") Abbot. Final Command is by Final Court from Expansion by the Auckland Cup winner. Expanse, from Navareena. Navareena did not race and is not in the stud book, but is known to have been by General Latour from a thoroughbred mare, Lucullus.

She was 22 when she foaled Navareena.

She also produced Scalene, by Surview, dam of a handicap performer in Kaha; and Silver Cup, dam of Hot Punch and April Love.