THE OAKS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 16, 18 July 1931, Page 21

THE OAKS

FKENCH FILLY WINS

A LUCKY OPENING

DAY ENDS IN DOWNPOUR

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 12th June. After tho Derby comes the Oaks. This is also a great clay on the Epsom Downs. "Ladies' Day," it is generally called, principally no doubt because fillies of renown contest the big event,, but partly, too, because it is a popular day with lady racegoers, and is always somewhat of a dress show in miniature, if the weather will allow. Last week the day was rough, and by the time the chief event of the programme was reached rain was beginning. Soon it came down so heavily that it developed into a deluge, accompanied by a series of thunder and lightning storms, so that thin frocks looked the most miserable coverings imaginable. The meteorological- conditions caused a very unpleasant windup to an otherwise very pleasant meeting, from the public point of view. Bookies have a sorry tale to unfold. The King and Queen were again present, with' Princess Mary, Countess Harewood, the Earl of Harewood, and other members of their family. The King looked remarkably well and seems marvellously to have regained his vigour. Ho certainly was 'in excellent spirits. Whereas the King had a white carnation in his buttonhole, and Lord Lousdalo had a cream gardenia, all the men in the Jockey Clurj enclosure seemed to favour a-large clove carnation. But the deep crimson on a black lapel was not so effective as was the cream or the white. However,; what everybody was mostly interested in in a good programme was the big race. This developea into a thrilling duel between the French-bred filly Brulette (Elliott) and Lord Ellesmere's classic winner Four Course. (F. Fox up). Brulette is a bay filly by Bruleur—Seawood, by Spearmint, and, like her own brother, Hotweed, she is a genuine stayer. Her owner is Lieutenant-Col-onel C. W. Birkin. Four Course is by Tetratema —Dinner. THE RACE DESCRIBED.

The Oaks is about a mile and a half, and is contested over the same course as the Derby. There were fifteen runners. In addition to Brulette and Four Course these were: Links Tor (Lancegaye—Leighon Tor), owned by Mr. W. M. G. Singer; Shell Parade (Major L. Holliday), Bacchante (Sir H. do TrafEord), Tantine (Mrs. E. Harmsworth), Lindos Ojos (Lady M'Calmont), Volume (Lord Astor), Dusky Sue (Lord'Glanelly), Suzo (Mr. R. S. Clark), Pinehin (Mr. E. Robson), Meg Merrilees (Miss Shaw Hellier), Lady Marjorio (Mr. M. H. Benson), Pallet Crag (Mr. N. Field), and Turbine (Duchess of Westminster). , ; . In the distance it.was plain that an excellent start was made, with Suze drawing well away by herself- at two furlongs, followed by Pallet Crag, Meg Merrilees, Lindos Ojos, Four Course, Dusky Sue, Links Tor, and Lady Marjcrie. Round Tattenharn Corner, Liudos Ojos was leading, but then she ■seemed to drop rapidly out. Links Tor, Four Course, and Brulette drew away from the others at the distance, but Links Tor was the- first to weaken. Four Course then took command, but Brulette came through on the rails close home and got up to win a good race by one length; three:quarters of a length divided second and third. Shell Par-

adt was fourth, Bacchante fifth, Tan-

tine., sixth, Lindos Ojos soventh, Volume eighth, Dusky. Sup. ninth, Suzo tenth, Pinchiu eleventh, Meg Merrilees twelfth, Lady Marjorio thirteenth, and Turbine last. Time, 2min 39 l-sseo.

Brulette, bred in Franco and raced there, was brought across the Channel a few days before the race. She was a very popular choice, being by Bruleur, a successful sire of French stayers.

"I think she is something out of the common," declared Lieut.-Colonel C. W. Nirkin, after the. victory. "As a matter of fact, I recently refused a big sum for her, and, needless to say, I am glad that I did. I was undecided whether to bring her over or keep her for the French Oaks. She goes back

to Franco immediately, although I.have not made up my mind whether I shall run: her in the Grand Prix de Paris or the French Derby. She is a lazy sort, and it was a long time in the race before she got properly going." JOCKEY'S DARING. The view expressed of Elliott's riding by such seasoned racegoers as the "^porting Life's" staff was that it was the most daring piece of horsemanship ever seen in a race of such hnportanco as The Oaks. "He took the chance of securing an opening, and the* opportunity came his way. It was as well that EHiott rode the filly, as he knows the, peculiarities of the Epsom course botter_ than any of the French jockeys. . .Four Course had every chance. Fox: rode a. similar race on her as he did on Cameroniau in the Derby. At a mile, or a mile and a quarter, she would have won easily. Throughout the.-.race-she. was better placed than either Brulotte, Links Tor, or Shell Parade. . . .

"Links Tor came on the scene after being ono of the backmarkors at the top of the hill. She had to mako a slight detour coming into the straight, whore Brulotte began to make up ground, after being a little outpaced in the early stages. She was'on the heels of Four Course, Lindos Ojos, and Links Tor a quarter of a mile out, and then her jockey decided to make an effort oil the rails. Fortunately he found enough room to squeeze'through, though his mount came desperately close to colliding with the rails." The, time of the race, 2min 39 1-osee, does not compare favourably with that taken by Cameronia'n.

. THE OPENING GIVEN. "Hotspur" ("Daily. Telegraph") comments:— "Certainly Brulette was,a lucky winner in that Links Tor came away from the rails to give her tho room to come through. , But what an unlucky loser she would have been had this not hap-1 .poned! It was her misfortune rather than her fault that she could not extend herself on the descent of the Tattcnhjun Corner, and so lost ground at a vital point, but after that she.put in such a great work that it was only fiti.ing it-should bo rewarded.as it was. Colonel Birkin, who was present, was much congratulated, especially by many well-known visitors from France. Congratulations were also extended to the filly's very able and most successful trainer, Frank Carter."

Sporting Life" suggests that now a French-bred filly has won a British classic perhaps the French authorities will, open their classic events so that English owners can patronise them. The King and Queen 'showed deep concern man accident in an early event when Lord Sefton's beautiful colt Velvet Glove, broke a fetlock. He was removed with some difficulty by a float but had subsequently to be destroyed' The suddenness and ferocity of tho storm enabled >\ good many "weishcrs" to escape. Some small bookies frankhsaid they could not pay, and rather than stand about in tho deluge to argm. their claims, the disappointed winners decided to ■ cut their Josses and get under some kind of cover. The. trek to tho local stations was a sorry ono through running rivers of chalk-whiten.

scl water and squashy bog. The Oaks Day is always a'quieter day than The Derby, and therefore usually more enjoyable.