SURPRISE IN AUTUMN

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 66, 20 March 1933, Page 4

SURPRISE IN AUTUMN

PRINCESS ARGOSY SCORES

EVERY POST A WINNER

The Irish-bred Princess Argosy, who ranks as a five-year-old to New Zealand time, upset all calculations in the Autumn Handicap, the day's main handicap,, going •out to a. break shortly after the star 6 and letting nothing ever get near her. She was the rank outsider of the field both ways, and straight-out she paid a dividend of over a score.

It was a typical-styje effort by the winner, who was the pacemaker at Trentham in the Wellington Cup in January and in other recent handicaps. In Friday's Thompson she was considered to hold quite a fair outside chance, but, although among the leaders Most' of the way, she did not get out clear in the style she likes best, and ehe was finally the last horse except three to complete. Her only prior success this season was in the Southland Handicap, the main item on the second day of the Southland New Year Meeting, but last term, she scored three, very decisive wins in her first season's racing. She was ridden on Saturday by the former Trentham. horseman, W. H. Jones. She was one ; of several yearlings her fewaer, Mr. J. M. Samson, bought in the Old Country three years ago. She was got by Haki, a-son. of the St. Simon horse Rabelais, fronr Little Spitfire, by Argosy itdta Wild Vixen, by Wildfowler (a halfbrother to Birkenhead). Haki-was an excellent stayer, winning the Ascot Stakes, Goodwood Plate, Doncaster Cup, etc' Argosy (by Bacheldr's Double), who may be remembered as having been the sire of the imported Joybird, also assists towards mating a staying pedigree. - The race, because of the way it was run, needs little description. Along the back Princess Argosy, who had managed t6 keep the early pace down, had a lead of three lengths over Rocket and Spearful, with Gay Crest and Awaken two lengths away, then La Poupee, Eminent, and Shatter.. Nearing the half-mile she began to sharpen up the pace and increased her break to five lengths, Shatter at the same time commencing to move up along the outer. At the straight entrance she had extended the gap to six lengths and was still going well, thbugh she was now doing her best. Shatter, aha Gay Crest attempted the task of drawing.her back, but neither was up to it, and finally Eminent finished fast down the outer from the back to snatch second money by half a head from Shatter, but still three lengths behind the winner. Gay Crest was only inches away fourth, and Spearful was a fair fifth. There was 4n interval to Rocket; .La Poupee, and Awaken. • ■

Shatter, a very hot straight-out favtmrite; also first choice on the place inachine, -went a characteristic race, >but "Vith nothing taking on the ultimate winlier till he came along his task was made yity'' difficult, especially when the leader iflidic&ted little sign of quitting on reaching the straight. The effort he had to start from nearly five furlongs out was ' severe on him, as he prefers a much shorter run, and finally he had to yield to Eniinerit's late bid.

Eminent, suited by the small size of the field, went another excellent race, and he benefited to aa extent over Shatter by~ being able to hold the last run. Hib tactics, however, never really gave him a. chance as against the winner, whom .Voitre undoubtedly anticipated would Stop, kg on other occasions.