Park Lane Could Win Derby

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 4

Park Lane Could Win Derby

IFrom the Australian Correspondent of "The Press’’]

Perhaps the conqueror of Eskimo Prince in the A.J.C. Derby to be run next Saturday has been discovered. He could be Park Lane, the son of Summertime (imp.) and Ladyship, now trained by T. J. Smith. At least the trainer believes the colt can beat Eskimo Prince at one mile and a half. He has said so all along, even though in the earlier racing Park Lane did not exhibit any of the ability shown by his more glamorous rival. Smith was more confident after the Trial Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Showing improved form, far improved over anything yet seen of him this season, Park Lane led practically all the way to w> i the race from Basil, which is not eligible for the Derby because his dam is not in the stud book, but who is regarded as one of the three-year-olds with a chance in the Caulfield Cup. Slow Time There was one disturbing angle to the win—the slowness of the time. It took Park Lane 2min 7 l-10sec to run the 10 furlongs. on a day when race records were being broken and a long-standing course

record almost went by the board. Gay Song (by Faux Tirage) equalled the race record of Imin 23 l-10sec in beating Proost and Peace of Mind in the Kensington Handicap (7L). Denny Lu the three-year-old New Zealand-bred, filly by Messmate (imp.) from Fayzone won the Reginald Allen Handicap establishing a race record of Imin 10 3-10 sec for the six furlongs. Rashlore went within onefifth of a second of equalling the 22-year-old seven furlongs record of Imin 22sec in winning the Waratah Handicap. In the circumstances it was disappointing to see the slow time in which Park Lane won his race, even though it was satisfying to see his exhibition of staying, for it is as a stayer that Eskimo Prince is under the post doubt. Not a great deal of light was shed on The Metropolitan by the running of the Queen’s Cup over one mile and a half. River Seine fby Tsaokol won from Icarus (by Achilles) and Quite Able (by Able Seaman), with the hot favourite. Amusement Park, an unimpressive fourth.

River Seine had a pull In the weights compared with his impost in the Metropolitan, so much so that the handicapper

declined to penalise him for the win. The only other Metropolitan candidate of note was Summer Regent, which was heavily backed for the George Main Stakes run at w.f.a. over one mile, and ran poorly after being second from the half-mile to the turn. Rashlore's win has given a new favourite for the Epsom Handicap to be run next Saturday. Rashlore, winner of 11 races, really did run up to the standard of requirements of an Epsom Handicap winner. This five-year-old is a big strong horse with the strength to stand up to a rough passage, and the determination in a finish to make a run against the odds. Disappointing Never has there been a season when the early spring racing produced so many disappointing form results. Latest to fall from grace was the erstwhile Epsom Handicap favourite, Toi Port, which on Saturday was beaten into third place In the George Main Stakes, the mile w.f.a. on the opening day of the A.J.C. spring meeting. The trainer. W. Stripe, criticised the way Des Lake had ridden the gelding, claiming that Tol Port should have been allowed to drop back in the early stages instead of being up in the lead. T. J. Smith’s luck in the Breeders’ Plate had to change: it was impossible that the “permanent” leading trainer should continue to have this race missing from his successes. Yet until Saturday it was so,

in spite of the fact that each year Smith has had a top-class string of two-year-olds, including some like Tulloch, which trained on to greater things. Stud’s Satisfaction There was satisfaction, too, in Peace Council’s success on Saturday over Ara Kingdom and View for Woodlands Stud, a nursery to which the breeding of the Breeders’ Plate winner is no novelty. The stud’s satisfaction lay in the fact that Peace Council is from New Jan, the only foal left by the champion mare of her day, Jan. New Jan is by Newtown Wonder (imp.), a sire of sprinters and she already has produced a good one in Jan’s Image. Last season 20 mares by Newtown Wonder produced the winners of 43 races. It is a growing list, an indication that the mares of this breeding, mated with sires possessing the potential for staying are going to play their part in the development of the horses to come. Melbourne's most important race was the Moonee Valley Stakes for three-year-olds which heavily backed L’Orage Boy won from Imago and New Zea-land-bred Gabadan, with the New Zeaiand-breds Figurehead and Fairford well back in the field. New Zealanders, however, were prominent in other races at Moonee Valley.

Cilldara, by Pride of Kildare, won the Glenara Handicap dim) and Franc, by Le Filou the Budgeree Purse <lm sf), the other distance race on the programme.