Patience Paying Off With Weidersehn

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31776, 5 September 1968, Page 4

Patience Paying Off With Weidersehn

(From the Australian Racing Correspondent of "The Press") SYDNEY. T. J. Smith’s patience with Weidersehn looks like paying dividends, now the gelding is a four-year-old. Weidersehn forced his way to favouritism for the A.J.C. Metropolitan by a runaway win at Rosehill on Saturday. Starting at long odds-on he had no trouble at all to win the Seaforth Handicap, run over one mile and a quarter. It was his fourth win tn succession, the first being at one mile and the last three at one mile and a quarter, each of them accomplished more easily than its predecessor. Weidersehn is by Le Filou from Ta Ta, and is owned by a former bookmaker, Mr T. Powell Smith always has had a high opinion of the horse, but, strangely, not as high as has the Adelaide trainer, B. Cummings, one of the outstanding trainers of staying horses. IMPRESSED Cummings saw Weidersehn as a young horse last spring and said that he would develop into the top Australian stayer.

He well could be right, too, but Smith still says that the

best staying prospect in his stable is another four-year-old, Roman Consul, which unexpectedly won a sprint when brought back to racing a month ago, and which, because of this, was a shortpriced favourite for another sprint race on Saturday. Roman Consul was unplaced, but be met trouble and was unbalanced in the middle stages so that an excuse could be made for him. Roman Consul is by Agricola from Jinks. Last spring he beat Winfreux in the Chelmsford Stakes, but could finish only third in the A.J.C. Derby, won by Swift Peter. Roman Consul will not be raced in sprints again, but will be put over distances more suitable for him. MIXED DAY Smith won two races on Saturday but it was indeed a mixed day for the stable. One of the big disappointments was the display by Jupiter (Agricola—Pink Pearl) which was a hot favourite for the Welter Handicap but was beaten a long way from the post This horse has been most disappointing, for he shows glimpses of form in races and on the track, but each time the stable Is really confident he lets bis backers down badly.