HOW RACE WAS LOST

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 88, 13 April 1935, Page 27

HOW RACE WAS LOST

REMINISCENCE FROM PAST

ST. PAUL AND HIS RIDER

The modern horseman with bis present art of riding is very much different from what he was in my youth, writes a veteran Paraparaumu correspondent in an 'entertaining reminiscence of an incident of many years ago, biit he is still capable of falling into the same errors, and therefore this story I am going to tell may at least point its moral to the younger generation of riders.

When one is travelling about the country one is ever struck with the great difference there is inwnen. In the shops and factories, on steamboats, and in every walk of lite certain mun stand out from the crowd. On the racecourses the same state of affairs exists. We have some great horsemen, men who thoroughly know tJjeir job, clean living, alert, and intelligent, who understand horses and know how to get the last ounce out of them in a close finish. On the other baud, we have the rattle-brained, slapdash, incompetent jockey, who thinks ho can win ou any old goat, and, riding to the gallery, tastes again. . and again the bitters of defeat. ST. PAUL'S GAMENESS. It is close on forty years ago that St. Paul, one of the gamest bits of horseflesh that ever looked through a bridle, went to the post to try and win the Auckland Cup. St. Paul was a horse on the email side, and he was burdened with the crushing weight of 9.10. The main topic of conversation for many days before the race was could little St. Paul win with bis big weight? Some hard-headed racegoers said that the weight would kill him, and that lie would never get there. Others again pinned their faith to the little idol. They argued that although the horse was small.he was very courageous, and they confidently backed him to add the Cup to his long list of successes. It was a beautiful summer's day, such as is so often to be experienced at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. A very large crowd for those times was present, for how could people keep away when St. Paul was ' ready to do battle and uphold the prestige of Auckland as a lioine of the thoroughbred! But, dear readers, do not for one moment think that everyone present was i anxious to see St. Paul win. The gentle- ! men with the bags and pencils were very far from smiling. They were wishing that St. Paul would go lame, or that somebody would give him a bucket of water — in fact, they would not have cared had there, been an earthquake to rip up the track, anything to stop him winning.

They had good reafiou, too, to feel disturbed. Did they not stand to lose thousands of pounds if the horse won? Was not half the population of Auckland backing him, and Auckland ready to show the world' what loyalty really was? "THEY'RE OFF!" '■ '. . Much as tho bookmakers would have liked to postpone the running of -that Auckland Cup until St. Paul died, they very soon found that' time and tide waits for no man. With a mighty roar, "They're off!" and another Cup field had been sent on its way. Nothing iinusual happened during tho first mile and a half, but rounding the turn into the straight for the run to the finishing post, St. Paul was in front and holding his position1.. Men became wildly excited and climbed on the fences. But the keen eyes of the bookmakers suddenly brightened, and a smile spread over their faces. They had detected something, and

a little further on so had the public. It was now the bookmakers' turn to feel excitement, but a great silence was settling down on the.multitude. The terrible truth was tieing forced home to all and sundry. St. Paul, a furlong off the post, was dog tired. - The great question was, would St. Paul last- ; it out? On he came with hia stride getting shorter, neck outstretched to the full, and nostrils wide open. Yes, St. Paul was flat out, yet running the greatest race of his career.

His jockey, johnny Chaffe, already very anxious, began to wonder how close was the nearest horse. He must have a look. Suddenly he. tunipd half round in the saddle, and gallant little St. Paul, the pocket Hercules, the bulldog fighter, with a heart like a lion, was thrown out nf his stride by his jockey's unpardonable blunder. Horseflesh simply could not stand such treatment. St. Paul faltered and becameunbalanced, and 'Airfares, coming with oj great run, beat him by half a length to' the post., • .. , It is strange that St. Paul, having the Auckland Cud almost won, should thus be deprived of the crowning feat of his career by man A nis greatest friend; but while young Chaffe was no doubt heart-broken by his mistake, St. Paul himself, jauntily prancing as he was led -—-t- to his stall, apnarently did not understand, and. not understanding, Buffered not.

RACING FIXTURES. Apl. 15—Westport .T.C. Apl. 20—Tuapeka C.J.C. Apl. 20, 22—Wairarapa B.C. Apl. 20, 22—FeUding J.C. Apl. 20, 22—Auckland R.C. Apl. 20, 22,.23—BJverton B.C. Apl. 22—Beaumont B.C. Apl. 22—Walpukurau J.C. Apl. 22—Kumara B.C. Apl. 22, 23—Canterbury J.C. Apl.-24, 27—Greymoutn J.C. Apl. 27—Marton J.C. Apl. 27, 29—Avondale J.C. May 1—Beofton J.C May 4, 6—Hawfce's Bay J.C. May. 4. 6—Egmont J.C. Slay 4," 6—Westland B.C. May 6—Dunsdin J.C. In Australia. Apl. 17—Victoria Park B.C. , Apl. 20. 22—Willtamstown B.C. Apl. 20, 22, 24, 27— A.J.C. May 1—Kensington B.C. Way 4—A.J.C. (Warwick Farm). In England. Apl. 23—Great Metropolitan Stakes. Apl. 24—City and Suburban Handicap. May 1—Two Thousand Guineas. May 3—One Thousand Guineas. Juue S—Derby Stakes. Juna 20—Ascot Gold Cup. TROTTING FIXTURES. Apl. 17—Rotorua T.C. Apl. 20, 22—Hawera T.C. Apl. 20, 24—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Apl. 27—Taranakl T.C. Apl. 27—Methven T.C, May 4—Cambridge T.C. May 2, 4—JKorbury Park T.C.