TOPSY-TURVY FORM

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 5, 6 July 1937, Page 13

TOPSY-TURVY FORM

ENGLISH THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Three-year-old form in England this season has been all topsy-turvy, and "Fairway," a writer in the London "Sunday Times," had some pointed comment to make about it in an article after the Derby. He stated that though Le Ksar and Cash Book were handsome winners of the Two Thousand Guineas and Newmarket Stakes respectively, they ran moderately in the Derby, performances that served to confirm earlier suspicions that 193 1 would be anything except a vintage year as far as the younger horses were concerned. , It was difficult to find legitimate and ample excuses for the failures of Le Ksar and Cash Book, he wrote, particularly in the case of Cash Book, who was so well placed and looking so promising when nicely in the straight. And just when we expected to see him come' bounding through ahd assert his superiority he dropped out with disconcerting swiftness, for all the world like a rank non-stayer. LE KSAR'S POOR EFFORT. There was little to be said in extenuation of Le Ksar's poor effort. His jockey said the colt was unable to act downhill, but I am afraid that does not excuse the colt. As soon as the field had settled down he seemed unable to find his feet uphill, and one noticed him bearing company with the rearmost division. When the field reached Tattenham Corner there he was on a wide outside—in the next parish, so to say—and completely out of touch.

Discussing the Derby winner. Midday Sun, he commented that during the winter and early spring nobody gave a second, and probably not a first, thought to him. How could one treat

seriously for the Derby a colt whose two-year-old form had been so moderate that when the handicapper cam? to give his view of the merits of the juveniles at the end of the season, his appraisal of Mid-day Sun was no more than 7st lib? It is reasonable and usual to look for potential classic winners in at least the Bst division, but rarely does- a Derby winner come from so humble a position in the season's Free Handicap. Even when the colt won the Free Handicap he was not seriously entertained for the Derby, for, as it'was argued, he had practically two stone to make up to come up to the level of such as Foray, Pascal, Perifox, and Goya 11. RAPID PROGRESS. But his progress was rapid and sustained, and he showed quite plainiy that he was not so much the inferior of the more fancied horses by running .third in the Two Thousand Guineas. I suppose the natural upshot of this will be that as soon as there is any betting on the St. Leger Mid-day Sun will be made favourite —which is quite logical. The colt looks the kind likely for the job. , , Another factor that makes the form appear so moderate is that Sandspnte filled second place—and once looked the possible winner. Not on any form could this colt be fancied, and he seemed to be at his right price when starting at 100 to one.