RECOVERY OF FORM

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 76, 31 March 1931, Page 6

RECOVERY OF FORM

CHIDE BACK TO BEST

FIRST AUSTRALIAN WIN

Probably one of the most gratifying features oC the racing at Warwick Farm (>few South Wales) on Saturday, outside possibly the successes of the New Zealand pair, Movie Star and Hnvaspol, was the ■win of Chide, who notched his first victory, at his sixth start, since being purchased by the New South Wales sportsman, Mr.vT. C. Trautwein, for (5000 guineas nearly eighteen months ago. It is the first win Chide has had since his triple New Zealand' Cup, Canterbury Cup, and Stead , Gold Cup success at the 1920 New Zealand Cup Meeting. Chide, now a five-year-old, proved difficult to train after his arrival in New . South Wnlcs/and the only race he had last season was in the Rawson Stakes at Rosehill on sth April, when he finished a poor second to Niyhtmnrcli. He was started twice unsuccessfully in the spring, in jlhe Flying Mile (won by Don Moon, with Eaglet second) at Eosehill on ICth August, and in the Warwick Stakes (in which Amounis beat Phar Lap) on 30th August. ■ He was not produced again till the Eoschill Meeting' on 28th February last, when ho parried top 'weight (9.5) in the Dundas Handicap, seven furlongs, and, although out of ;i place, was galloping strongly at the finish. , Just.prior to this race he had been working attractively at Randwick, and it was stated at the time in some papers that he appeared to be .recovering his lost form. It was also:mentioned that he showed no sign whatever of: any .shoulder, urisoimdncss. . | A NEARLY SURPRISED. I

His next start was again at Rosehill, two -necks later, when, at forlorn odds, he earned 9.5 into second place behind Gemlight. This was easily his best effort in Australia.to that date, and as a result he firmed strongly, for. the. Sydney Cup. Opposite the Leger (about a furlong from the post) many' thought he was going to beat Gemlight,,but the latter held him off by a bare length. It ■will bo remembcied that; Gemlight's improvement on a poor showing was the cause of a demonsliation.

That Glide's recovery of his true form was more than apparent only he finally demonstrated last Saturday, his next start, when, ho appears to have soundly trounced a first-class field, * including Walerline, the Epsom winner, Cathmar, Glare, and the three-year-old champions Veilmond, Tregilla, and Balloon King. All except him and Glare carried the full 71b penalty, and Watei'line would have carried 9.4, against his 8.13, but this does not detract from the merit of the victory, for, from the brief cabled description ,of the race, it looks as though he might'have succeeded -even had' he' had' the full penalty as well. There is no doubt Chide "■•will now advance near the top line for the two-mile Sydney Cup, in which ho has top weight, 0.5, or Sib more than Waterline. The very fact that he established a (onrse recoid for ]% miles on 'Saturday shows that he must be bade to. his best —and at lhat ho is nra/ly ltnb.eatable. "Before lie tacklrs the Cup he will probably have another lace in the Autumn Stakes, a. milo and a half wcight-for-age event at Rnnduifk on Saturday, and that will give a final line on his Clip'chance. NOT OUT OF TURN. None \. hi begrudge Mr. Traiitwein the tuni (ji"lii(k he is having "with Chide. Thci •• is i,u move cnthunia&tic owner in .\ if' .•! .i His fault, if any appears to Jio in Ins having an itch for outbidding i-K'.iK in order to acquire a brilliant ]>v former. Chide was his secand 6000-giundi purchase, the other being tho then (1920) three-year-old Runnymede, also a Xow Zealand champion at the time of his sale, but who was destined to win only one small race for his purchaser. Chide was bought by Mr. Trautwein. with the ostensible purpose of a preparation for last year's Sydney Cup, but after his disappointing showing behind Nightmarch at Rosehill last April, it was decided not to race him in the Cup. It was stated at the time that Chide appeared to go wrong at intervals in the shoulder muscles or cannon bone, and his trainer therefore recommended that he be put aside till a five-year-old, in spite of a report from his former owner-trainer (Mr. G. 'Murray Aynsley) that no regard should be paid to the peculiarity of action, which had existed, ho said, for nearly a year. The patience exercised, however, may now have its reward, and Chide may ijiii tho-Sydney Cup for Mr. Trantwcin v —but a year later than planned.' Should he do- so he will have carried the highest weight to victory since David scored under 9.7 in 1923.