"THE YELLOW PERIL"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 23

"THE YELLOW PERIL"

FAMOUS 1905 AT RANDWICK

The offensive against Sydney meetings, and particularly the big Randwick stakes, at present being conducted by the New Zealand horses in Australia, brings back recollection of the remarkable record of success the New Zealanders had at the famous 1905 A.J.C.. Meeting. ; In. that year the. contingent sent over was not nearly so great in numbers as in recent years, but in quality it was hall-marked. The meeting was staged in September and extended to four days. The New Zealanders opened quietly by .capturing the A.J.U. Derby witli Noctuiforin, who was one of. Mr. G. G. Stead's team. On the same afternoon Maniapoto, a much-fancied candidate, who carried substantial support, failed to gain a place in the Epsom Handicap. It was only a moderately auspicious opening of the campaign, but on the second day the New Zealandersshowed they were there, and, to the consternation of Australian owners, trainers, and backers, they cleaned up the card, winning every one of the six events. Machine Gun, sold by Mr. G. G. Stead a little time previously, began that day by taking the Shorts Handicap, and then Mr. Stead took the Spring, Maiden with Isolt. Maniapoto (ridden by F. - "V. Jones) made short-work of the Metropolitan Handicap field and New Zealanders were three up for the afternoon. But there,was more to follow. The next race was the First Steeplechase, and, though not owned in New Zealand, the Dominionbred Sultana won. Mr. Stead stepped in again, and the two remaining events, the New Stakes and Squatters' Handicap, were captured by his pair, Isplt and Nightfall. The whole six" events liad been won by New Zealand-owned or bred horses. There were still two days to go and more plums to be picked. On the third day Mr. Stead won the Grantham Stakes with Sungod and the Wycombe Stakes with Isolt, and the Craven Plate went to the New Zealand-bred GladsJ'.Nne, then owned by Mr. Sol Green. Just in ease anything had been overlooked, the New Zealanders lined up again on the fourth and concluding day, and Mr. Stead was again prominent, winning the Members' Handicap with Isolt. Long before this the bookmakers had closed their bags whenever a New Zealander was produced, and- a race with one of Mr.

Stead's horses in would see the ring, calling, "Ten to one, bar one," but there was no business doing. After Isolt had led the field home in the Members' Handicap along came the Dowling Steeplechase. The New Zealand Haydn was the favourite, but this usually safe conveyance did not complete the course, However, that did not matter a great deal, because two other New Zealanders, Up-to-Date and Dingo, were in the race, and they carried on the good work, to finish first and second. The finale came when Nightfall, in the Randwick Plate, cantered home 20 lengths in front of her opponents. Many races before the meeting ended the New Zealand invasion had been called "The Yellow Peril," as the majority of the horses bore yellow jackets, or yellow was a conspicuous" colour.