RAIN AND RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 13

RAIN AND RACING

SYDNEY'S DULL PERIOD

(From "Vedette.") SYDNEY, June 10. Racing this week, already down to its lowest winter ebb, has been reduced further by bad vyeather. Sydney is used to its racing going, on smoothly with little interruption, so that racing in rain and then "two blank days in addition to Sunday, left racegoers at Ascot on Wednesday with renewed vigour. .■ ■ Saturday's meeting at Victoria Park was dull in the extreme. ' This is one of the old pony clubs indulging in its one Saturday fixture for the year. A wet morning and a showery afternoon reduced the attendance to a bare minimum. The racing was as poor ar the attendance, and one Melbourne trainer on his way through to Brisbane expressed himself very forcibly. For some reason the atmosphere of the old pony courses remains the same and many of the regulars give them a miss, including a number of leading bookmakers. , ■... Duke Caledon cantered away with the first division of the V.P. Flying Handicap. He is already being talked about as a possible Epsom Handicap horse. It is a long way yet to the big mile on Derby Day, but if Duke Caledon trains on he might be right in that important race. He defeated Glenwitch and Bulldozer very easily and that pair finished first and second in the principal handicap at Ascot on "Wednesday. . There has been a report this week that D. Munro had been offered a big retainer to go to India and then to France and England, the engagement being for three years. Munro, however, is assured of a good regular income in Australia and has decided to stay at home. Talking returned to Randwick this week and will be trained again by F. Williams. Mainly because of the extraordinary price paid for him last year—£ 19,000— Talking has been news, but many good judges believe that the glamour will soon disappear or become at most of negligible proportions There is grave doubt if Talking will come up again to his three-year-old standard, which was not the £19.000 level, even if he did win the Derbies. Gold. Rod is a late worker these days, and the big chestnut looks well and healthy. He will be a magnificentlooking horse this year. Lynch Law is another of commandins appearance. There is only one point against him, he is rather overtopped, but has a good solid set of legs to all outward appearances, although a weakness in one caused the curtailment of his autumn racing career. Lynch Law and Ajax have been made nominal first favourites by doubleevent bookmakers who have opened volumes on the two Cups for the second leg, the Melbourne Cup. Lynch Law and Ajax have not met, but they are two extra good gallopers. In early.races Lynch Law will have the advantage, for although unbeaten he won only three small races, the prizemoney of which does not bring him within the scope of the penalty clauses for some of the early races of the spring. Silver Coat has yet to win a race. In a jumpers' flat race of a mile at Ascot on Wednesday he just failed after leading to the last few strides. He seems to lack just that extra ounce necessary to win races. The colours of Beauford were carried to the fore at Ascot by Trinco, a three-year-old by Royal Sun. Trinco, is raced by Mr. Keith Mackay. who shares the white jacket and tartan sash with his father, Mr. W. H. Mackay. Trinco, beaten twice recently at six furlongs, won over seven furlongs at Ascot, a real sprinters' course. He was aided by No. 1 position at the barrier. The runner-up was J. Pike's charge, the top-weight Timurkhan, who raced in the interests of. H.H. the Maharajah of Kolhapur. Timurkhan is to be shipped to India by the. first available steamer.