"NO COUNTERPART"

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 13

"NO COUNTERPART"

ROYAL ASCOT MEETING

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, June 20.

There were no members of the Royal Family to impart interest to the Royal Pavilion at Ascot this year, and in place of the Royal Standard the Union Jack was unfurled above it But the flowers were there, chiefly blue hydrangeas, and the attendance did not suffer. Many improvements had been effected for the comfort and convenience of the patrons. The meeting is conducted on a non-profit-making basis. Actually, a prqfit is made every year, lout all the money goes back to the upkeep of the course and towards maintaining tradition as the most up-to-date course in the country. Not a year passes without some improvement being effected.

Ascot has made tremendous strides from its inception in 1711. It is today the fixture of the year in the racing world. There, is no counterpart. There is more money to be won at Ascot during the four days than at any other meeting. There are no selling races.From start to finish the programmes are arranged to attract the best horses in the country of all ages and over all distances. .There is not a single event of less value to the winner than £1000. Lord Hamilton of Dalzell, the King's representative there, described the condition of the turf on tHe track as probably better than it had ever been, tor the new reservoir containing five million gallons of water will always be available to use over the entire course. "The reservoir, which is filled by rain water drained into it from every part of the Heath," he said, makes us independent of any company, and in times of drought we shall still be able to have perfect going and no hardship will be caused to anyone." Hundreds of thousands of tons of earth have been transferred from these excavations, and have been used to raise the lawns of the Royal Enclosure by nearly 10ft, thus providing a more perfect view for the privileged occupants. WIN FOR THE KING.

Of course, everyone missed the pageantry of the Royal procession, but everyone rejoiced exceedingly when the Kings horse, Fairey (leased for the present to Lord Derby), won the Waterford, Stakes, with R. Perryman m the saddle. Earlier.in' the afternoon ferryman had won the Ascot Gold v? iol^ h°l d' Stanley's filly Quashed, and had defeated the American crack S 1™*3- Fairey beat the Aga Khan's laj Akbar, who was second in the Derby, by three lengths. : Fairey had not been'out since the Newmarket Stakes, and so had missed .the .great effort which running for the Derby involves. In this respect he had an advantage over Taj Akbar, who was moreover set the task of giving him 151b. From the outset the Egerton House colt held a conspicuous place, and after rounding the bend he was in clear command. Then Taj Akbar came along apparently full of running, but Fairey showed that he had something in reserve. The effects of the difference in the weights were manifest in the final furlong, and the Royal colt-won by three lengths. Both first and second are sons of Fairway, the Sandrmgham-bred ' winner being out of the Lemberg mare Polish Air. The New Stakes for two-year-olds was won by the Aga Khan's Le Grand Due (Blenheim—La Douairiere) from Mr. M. Field's Foray, the'favourite, in a field of .19. The victory caused a Turf expert to exclaim: "That is the Derby winner for 1937." SUCCESSFUL WOMEN OWNERS. One of the most speculative features of the week was the Royal Hunt Cup. There were a good many genuinelyfancied candidates in the field of 31. The winner, the second, and the third, Guinea Gap, Voltus, and Rosecrag rfr spectiyely, were outsiders. The Aga Khan's Hairan was favourite. Guinea Gap;, owned by: Laay:-v.Nuttali,r ana" trained at Lambourn by IL L. Cottrill, had won the Liverpool Cup in the first week of flat racing, and had run four times since, finishing second three times and third once. Lady Nuttall, a comparative newcomer to the ranks of ownership, is a keen hunting woman, and is a well-known figure to hounds with the Quorn and Belvoir. She first met her trainer, Harry Cottrill, hunting in the Shires.

Guinea Gap is a good-looking son of Bachelor's Double. • The handsome, well-ribbed-up chestnut' battled out every inch of the last furlong narrowly to. outstay the equally game Voltus over the 7 furlongs and 155 yards event. Beautifully jridden by R. A. Jones, who made the'most of a favoured position in the draw, he came with one long run to settle the pretensions of Voltus- and Rosecrag, both of whom made a praiseworthy, though fruitless, effort to.overhaul him. Guinea Gap can generally rise to tlie occasion. . ': ■ . ,' .

The trophy is not a "cup." It is a silver rose-water dish. It is the principal prize of the.second day's programme. - . ■■ - -

Lady Ludlow's Ipsden won the Fern Hill Stakes on the same afternoon, and another successful woman owner was Lady Zia Wernher, whose Precipitation (Hurry On—Double Life, by Bachelor's Double)"won the King Ed.ward VII Stakes easily by four lengths from Mr. J. A. de Kothschild's Esquemeling. ■ '

The Gold Vase, inscribed "The Gift of his Majesty. ]936." was won by Mr. James A. de B.olhschiWs Rondo (Bolinghroke—Sardana). The trophy is a two-handled cup, in sold, a reproduction of an early XVIII century cuo. Nothing had seemed more unlikely than the success of Rondo, who had never been in the first three in any race, though he was fourth in the Kisby ; Handicap, a seven-furlong race, with only 6.10 on his back. Yet this rank outsider proved equal to vanouishinß a hot favourite in Fearless Fox and winning hi* Maiesty's gift by a decisive margin. But Ascot is noted for its surprises.. . '