RACING Fine Record Not All Luck Of The Irish

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30216, 22 August 1963, Page 4

RACING Fine Record Not All Luck Of The Irish

Any trainer in the world would probably give his right arm for a horse as good as Noblesse, or Ragusa, or Khalkis. But the Irish trainer, Paddy Prendergast, has all three of these grand gallopers, and they are giving him a season that will probably be long remembered.

Up to August 9 Prendergast’s horses had won £63,414 in Ireland, £3BOO in France, and £77,982 in England. That makes the best part of £144,000 with the season only half over. It could easily be a quarter of a million by November.

Some will say that is a lot of luck for one man. But they are forgetting that Noblesse, Ragusa, and Khalkis were all bought at public auction for a total of only 10.500gns. Rag osa showed he had made marked improvement si nee the English Derby when he won the Kng George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes last month. In the Epsom Derby, Ragusa struggled into third place half a length ahead of Tarqoigan. At The Curnagh. where Ragusa won the Irish Derby, the margin between the winner and Tarqogan was increased to seven lengths. And at Ascot Tarqogan, admirably ridden by Scobie Breasley, could finish only a distant third, nine lengths behind Ragusa, on which Garnie Bougoure had dropped his hands well before trie end. Ragusa won so impressively that some of the good judges felt even the brilliant Noblesse would have been given one of her hardest races if she had started. Khalkis, brilliant winner of the Ecl: pee Stakes this year, was taken seriously ill the week-end before last with acute enteritis, and for several days if was a matter of touch and go whether the Vimy colt would survive. The crisis was over after three days, but the colt will not race again this seaeon. Change Of Luck Fortunes of the Smith stable m Sydney took a turn for the better last Saturday when two New Zeaiandbreds were winners. The change of luck coincided with the return from overseas of T. J. Smith, who took ill while in England and was away from home for longer than expected. The first winner for the Smith stable was Wellman. This three-year-old. is a contemporary of Cicada, an im-

press:ve sprint winner in the colours of Wellman's breeder, Mr L S Otway, at Matamata last Saturday Cicada and Wellman came from a family that produced a rich crop of winners a few years ago. They descend from Ann Acre, a mare by Acre from Lady Lois tracing to Phar Lap’s imported ancestress. Miss Kate Ann Acre’s first foal was Green Gables, a winner. Her first mating with Foxbridge gave New Zealand racing Bridge Acre, the best filly of her tame. a Wellington Guineas winner and earner of £5330 when stakes were low A year after Bridge Acre came AJ-Sirat, also by Foxbridge He was brilliant at two years and won the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton and the Great Northern Foal Stakes And he stayed well enough t» win the New Zealand Derby Misfortune in the shape of

a wind affliction came his way later. Near the end of his career he was in training ait Riccarton and finxing it beyond him to “keep up" in weak high-weight and hurdles fields. Cicada's granddam, Chubin, was foaled three years after Al-Sirat and she won six races. Karloon was Ann Acre’s last foal, being foaled two years before ttie old mare was destroyed in June, 1954, at the age of 22. The second winner for the Smith stable at Rosehill was Sir Winston, a half-brother to the good -winner, Domitare. This five-year-old Alpenhom gelding started at 12 to one in the Glenlee Handicap, seven furlongs, and won brilliantly from 17 rivals. A.J.C. Derby Hope The last two A.J.C. Derbies have been won by New Zea-land-breds. but Australians are predicting a home victory in the Sydney classic this year. The one many are looking to with much confidence is Romanda, a bay colt by Pipe of Peace. Romanda won the Hobartville Stakes, seven furlongs, at Rosehill last Saturday. Like the Summertime colts. Summer Prince and Summer Fair, recent winners of this classic, Romanda is a lineal descendant of Precipitation. His dam. Rapids, is by Midstream and descends from the famous foundation mare, Teppo, ancestress of many fast two-year-olds which later developed classic form. Several trainers with Derby prospects in the stable are behind schedule because this has been one of Sydney’s wettest years, and good training gallops have been impossible at times. Bargain Missed

Someone missed a bargain when bidding on a grey Rejoicing II colt stopped at 325gns at the 1962 sales. The vendor, the former

South Islander, Mr J. H. Lindsay, bad four colts from his Balcarres Stud offered right at the start of the sale, and three of them aroused little interest. Bidding on Last Count, a promising galloper now in training at Riccarton, stopped at 200gns, and he was passed in. The Rejoicing colt was offered next, and was also passed in. Now he is in Basil Conaghan’s Caulfield stable, and he has made such a good impression lately that he is being regarded as one of the most promising three-year-olds in Melbourne. His name is Spotted. At Caulfield last Saturday, Spotted won the mile Second Belhaven Handicap, for three-year-old colts and geldings, by four lengths. Earlier in the day his stablemate, Ripa, was beaten by the same margin in the First Waratah Handicap, for three-year-old fillies. Ripa (Pride of Kildare — Gold Spi) was one of the top two-year-olds in Melbourne last season. Another minor place-getter at Caulfield was Navarro’s half-sister. Beautiful Star. This Castle Donnington mare was runner-up in the Waverley Handicap, seven furlongs.

Heidi For Stud

“The Press" Special Service CAMBRIDGE, August 21. The useful handicap mare, Heidi, has been retired to the stud. Heidi won only three races, but built up a sequence of minor placings in open handicaps. Her main successes were in the New Zealand Oaks at Riccarton in 1959 and in the Auckland Cyp Trial at Pukekohe last December. She was trained by J. W. Winder at Cambridge for the last three seasons. In all she won £3805.