ROYAL ASCOT RACES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 10, 11 July 1935, Page 10

ROYAL ASCOT RACES

SOME SURPRISE RESULTS

(From Our Correspondent, by Air Mail.) LONDON, June 22. Of the twenty-eight races that make up the Ascot programme it is hard to pick any very outstanding event, for each race would "make" an everyday card, but two there are which deserve special mention—the Gold Cup, a weight-for-age race run over 21 miles which often enough sets the seal of perfection on the classic contenders of the previous year, and the Royal Hunt Cup, one of the finest betting races of the season. Considerable rain had made the going heavy, and the results mostly were surprises. SELLING PLATER'S WIN. For instance, the chief event on the first day, the Ascot Stakes, went to an ex-plater, the five-year-old Doreen Jane (Duncan Gray—Clochette), who cost Sir Abe Bailey 360 guineas at Sandown last April, the favourite, Lady Houston's R. B. Bennett, .being nowhere in the picture. This is the second time in the course of a few years that Sir Abe Bailey has taken the Ascot Stakes with a mare bought out of a selling event. . Doreen Jane toyed with the field ot 24 over these two stiff miles, and won by five lengths from Mr. Martineaus Apple Peel (Apelle—White Coral) and Lord Carnarvon's French-bred Cactus II (Guido- Reni—Canossa). Coming into the straight Apple Peel made up ground, and he looked to be the dancer to Doreen Jane, who was leading the field. But the further they went the more Doreen Jane drew away from the others,-and D. Smith rode her past the post the easiest of winners. H. L,. Cottrill, the Lambourn trainer, was not surprised, for the mare had ; won a good gallop at home. ' ' " Another surprise . to backers was Lord -Aster's victory in the Gold Vase, a two-mile race, with Flash Bye a beautiful Hurry On colt bred by the owner from Picture, and trained by J. Lawson at Manton. One-is always delighted to see Lord Astor, a non-bet-ting owner, lead in his winners, for he looks so genuinely happy as he surveys the victor with critical eye. The trophy is the gift of the King. The American-owned hurdler, Mr. G. H. .Bostwick's Canandaigua, was made favourite, although his trainer, Ivoi Anthony, was doubtful... whether .he would stay the distance in such going. He was always in the middle of the field and finished there.. This was 'the first race that Flash Bye had won. In the Newmarket Stakes it is recalled, he could not live with Bobsleigh and.Hairan. The winner's dam, Picture, is a daughter of the Triple Crown winner, Gainsborough: Lord Derby's FelstedEulalil colt, Black Fell, was second in A hBlack d Watch colt, Black Speck, out of Little Mark, won the highlyfmportant event *% Z°Z?ti£SrMCoventry Stakes.' Bred at the wim toft Stud, Black Speck was sold as a foal for 20 guineas, and changed hands again last fear at 750 guineas as a ye Thenfwo-y ear-old events-are .important Is expert eyes watch them in the hope If discovering next year's classic winners. Another of these. events, the Oueen Mary Stakes, was gained by, the Vkomtf de yFontarce with.^e^renchR-^ e fiSS^lS)^b7ihp r!lo| irv?t her eood position and tinisnea seventh Quite early in the race Fair Ranee \va? in front; with the Golden vlrse filly well placed. Tide-way, Buzz Fuzz and Lovely Rosa were also promtaent from the .tart. Fair Ranee was never headed, and won by a neck from Sir Abe Bailey's Lovely Rosa, with Lord Astor's Traffic Light who was running very fast at the finish, only half a length behind the second. A COMPLETE SURPRISE. Royal Hunt Cup Day is the most popular of the four at the Royal Meeting, and the handicap has never presented a more striking appearance than it did this week. Of the 45 acceptors there were only eight absentees. In this field of 37 Lord Astor's Law Maker was favourite, with Lord Ellesmere's Dignitary second favourite, and Mr. O. V. Watney's Wychwood Abbot third, favourite. The market underwent remarkable changes when it was seen how badly Law Maker, Wychwood Abbot, Shining Tor, Badruddin, and Guinea Gap were drawn. The onlookers were dumbfounded when three complete outsiders came home in advance of so many who were better fancied. The result was: Mr. H. Bar-nard-Hankey's French-bred four-year-old, Priok (Asterus—Poet's Star), Sir Henry Lyons's seven-year-old- Scattercash (Greenback—The Trend), .and .Sir A. McAlpine's four-year-old grey colt, Llanarmon (Gay Crusader—Luc'ina): Priok was the longest-priced winner of the Royal Hunt Cup - for- ■ manyyears. The.totalisator takings-were a record for any single race in . .this country. The win pool amounted .to £16,030 18s, and the place pool to £13,229 6s. The, coming victory of Priok could be forecast a quarter of a mile from home. His not very familiar colours were in front Howards the stands side then, and he was going" so easily that • one could not. look, .elsewhere for, the winner. Priok did not race in England last year. This season he had had three races, and only, in the most recent of them had he reached the first three. Then he was third to Faitcs Vos Jeux in a small race at Wolverhampton. ■' , Priok, who had been an expensive failure at Dunstall, is trained by P. Whitaker, once a famous cross-country rider, and in latter years a - successful trainer of flat racers and jumpers. S. Middleton, the stable apprentice, is chiefly known as the partner of that old horse Witticism, who has given him much practice in public. The boy, who has never had so great an occasion, went through in quite good style. "I was always lying handy," lie said. "About three furlongs from the finish I took the lead, and though the horse carried me across to the left, I was never afterwards headed." Priok did not keep a straight course when. he went into the lead about three furlongs from home, but he was clear enough for this to make no difference. Llanarmon and Scattercash-improv-ed a furlong out, and the -latter- -ran on well, but Priok. was not. seriously, troubled to win by a length.. Llanarmon was a Very good third, and then came the badly-drawn Almond' Hill,' who.probably was unlucky to lose: • • Mrs. G. B. Miller's Ankaret ■ (Blandford—Sister Stella) showed - how unlucky she was in the Oaks by making every yard of the running and winning the Coronation Stakes like a genuine ■ stayer. Colts by' Blandford have made big reputations,- and in Ankaret there is a filly of high class by the champion sire. . .