GOLD ROD AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 13

GOLD ROD AGAIN

VICTORY OVER CUDDLE

(From "Vedette.")

MELBOURNE, March 3.

From a Dominion viewpoint the weight-for-age event at Flemington on Saturday, the Essendon Stakes, was a real triumph. Four of the five runners were bred in New Zealand and they filled the first four places. ' Gold Rod had to be ridden right out to defeat Cuddle, who ran her'best race for the trip. Cuddle as usual went to the front just after the start and was in the lead into the straight, where she had shaken off Young. Idea, who had been forcing the pace with, her. Gold Rod then moved up, but Golden Promise went with him and Gold Rod was hampered slightly. Gold Rod closed on Cuddle about a furlong from home, but the mare grimly stuck to her guns with McCarten riding Gold Rod hard. Fifty yards from the post the whip was pulled on Gold Rod and he just won on the post by a short head. ! AS ANTICIPATED. The Newmarket Handicap worked out rather as expected, with Aurie's Star, admirably ridden by McCarten, just lasting long enough to beat Pamelus. Aurie's Star was about six lengths in front at one stage, but on the post was going as well as Pamelus, whose effort was exhausted. Pamelus, with four seconds in important races in Melbourne, has been very unlucky, but they have meant £1750, a real crumb of comfort. Last year's winner, Regular Bachelor, came home fast down the centre of the track, but his inability to begin is fatal for him these days in short races. The much-discussed Country Party was the only New Zealand representative but he shaped poorly and was never in the hunt. The Sires' Produce Stakes provided a boil-over, McCarten's mount, the hot favourite Ajax, racing most ungenerously and finishing nearly last. Ajax was hanging out all through the race and very badly in the straight. When McCarten attempted to straighten him up he resented it and under the whip declined to do anything at all. The race provided a great finish, [with Hua, Caesar, and Nightguard going over the line abreast. Hua, a very promising Heroic colt trained by the 78-year-old James Scobie, just won. Hua possibly was a little lucky to beat Caesar, for that colt also hung a trifle. This was explained on Monday by one of/the forefeet having split. The pus was removed and the foot bound up, but the colt was still lame and he might have to miss some of the rich races. With a first and two seconds in three starts at Randwick, Caulfield, and Flemington, it is the record of a good one. The Veilmond colt Lochlee was unlucky. He collided at the start and was practically out of the race when the field settled down. Even then he just missed a place. Sweet Memories was easily the best of the fillies, for she.led for six furlongs and then struggled on into fourth place. SOLOIST DISAPPOINTS. Soloist was £■ starter. in the Pines Hurdle Race, but ran very indifferently He was well supported but his rider hardly showed great dash or judgment. ■ . Peerage was credited with ■ winning the Victorian St. Leger, but really Ashley Reed won the classic., With i only three runners he outmanoeuvred O'Brien on Prince Quex at the turn, obtained a two lengths' break, and used the advantage just to squeeze home. J. T. Jamieson broke his run of outs, in Melbourne when Upoko Ariki won the Brunswick Stakes. It was not a strong field but Young Crusader set a clipping pace for a mile and Upoko Ariki was credited with running the mile and a quarter in 2min 3fsec. He was first into the straight and stalled off strong challenges by Mutable, Royal Messenger, and the. fast-finishing Viceroy. Upoko Ariki was favourite but at a fair price. . . , Talking's failure was the feature ot the Randwick Stakes at; headquarters in Sydney. He was the leader to the turn but weakened from that point and finished fifth. He was in the market but it is doubtful if his trainer fancied him a great deal, for the colt has had only two or three real gallops, jmo doubt his enthusiastic owner, Mr. Alan Cooper, was mainly responsible for the mild plunge on this most expensive purchase. The winner was Kings Head, a very smart galloper who has come to his best this season. Talking subsequently was reported cut on one leg due to a kick at the barrier, but it was very slight and did not excuse jus failure. Old Lough Neagh came fast on the outside in the straight for second place. He is a remarkable veteran. The second day at Flemington on Tuesday saw Cuddle well beaten by Golden Promise over the mile and three-quarters of the King's Plate, with Gay Blonde the only other runner. Thus the W.f.a. field such as it was was all from New Zealand. Cuddle, ridden by McCarten, tried to win all the way, but Gay Blonde went to her about five furlongs from home. This left Golden Promise with the last run and he sailed away from Cuddle in the straight Cape York, one of Mr. W. R. Kemball's cast-offs, won the Autumn Handicap in a desperate finish. He came from last at the three furlongs. He has done the most of his recent racing in Adelaide and is apparently a plodding stayer. While Cape York was winning Greenhorn, who carried the Kemban colours was well towards the rear.