PREVIOUS INVASIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 13

PREVIOUS INVASIONS

ASCOT GOLD CUE

FLARES AND "JERSEY ACT"

England's successful defence of the Ascot Gold Cup, a race that has a more truly international flavour than any other in the world, was sustained for thirteen years after Massine recorded the last victory for France, but it succumbed at last this year to the attack of the American five-year-old

Flares. During this lengthy period the

crown for thoroughbred stamina several times looked like passing overseas, but always a champion arose to stall off the danger, as when Tiberius won the Cup in which Brantome suffered his first defeat and when that outstanding mare Quashed broke down the assault of Omaha by a head. The Ascot Gold Cup, in a history of over 130 years, has been won by French contenders eight times, by American contenders twice, and by an Australian once, though the Australian (Merman) was not strictly. a "foreigner."

EARLY OVERSEAS ASSAULTS. The Gold Cup was first run in\ 1807, but It was not till 1861 that an overseas horse appeared in the field. That was the French three-year-old Royallieu, who finished fifth of seven in Thormanby's race. From 1861 to 1880 every invader was a French horse, and •five of them—Gladiateur (1866), Mortemer (1871), Henry (1872), Boiard (1874), and Verneuil (1878) —took the Cup across the Channel. During the period Trocadero (1870), Verdure (1871), Flageolet (1873 and 1874), and Insular (1879) each ran seconds. The first American onslaught was made at this time. In 1879 the J eminent American financier, Mr. James R. Keene, sent over two yearlings from the States, Don Fulano and Foxhall, j and though the former was expected to be the better it was Foxhall who proved the star. As a three-year-old Foxhall, who was not engaged in tHe classics, was runner-up to Bend Or in the City and Suburban Handicap, and then he won the Grand Prix de Paris,

but in the Gold Cup a few days later he was beaten by Robert the Devil. He went on that season to win the

Cesarewitch and the Cambridgeshire, and the next year, racing only at Ascot, he won the Gold Cup from Faugh-a-Ballagh. I In 1883 the American-bred Wallenstein was third in the Gold ■ Gup to Tristan- and Dutch Oven, and two years later the aged Eole was runnerup to St. Gatien. No more Americans contested the race till 1901, when Kilmarnock 11, carrying the Whitney colours, ran Santoi to a length and the next day won the Alexandra Plate, the longest race on the English-calen-dar.

In the intervening years the French horse Elf II (1898) and the- Australian horse Merman (1900) were each successful; and in 1902 Maximum II beat Rising Glass and took the trophy again to France.

The next American contender was the unlucky Sir Martin, who was unplaced in Bayard's year (1910). The war followed shortly afterwards, ana

for over a decade there were no overseas attacks on the coveted Ascot prize. The only success subsequent to the war and prior to this year was | that of the French horse Massine in 11924. In 1929 another notable American in Keigh Count was runner-up to Invershin. The seven-year-old Twenty Grand never struck form in England and he did not run in the 1935 Gold Cup, the. race he-had. been sent over

to contest, but America and France were well represented in that field, Mr. W. Woodward's Alcazar finishing second' to Tiberius and the French horse Denver II third, with the big French hope/ Bran tome, a. poor .'fifth in. the field of six.

APPROPRIATE SUCCESS. It is most appropriate that, with a "foreigner" destined to win the Gold Cup this year', it should have been Mr. Woodward's Flares, the yearyounger full-brother to Omaha. Omaha, then a four-year-old, was sent over to England in the January of 1936, and so he was in the country for five months before the race. Halfway through the previous season he had been laid aside by a recurring lameness that baffled the experts. Prior to the development of that trouble he had. won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Dwyer Stakes, and the valuable Arlington Classic. In England he stood up to further training, but shortly after the Gold Cup he went amiss again and was retired.

Omaha and Flares were both bred by their owner, but they are somewhat different types. Omaha was a handsome, long-bodied chestnut, standing 16.2$ hands; Flares, who is a bay, is cast on lighter lines, but he developed greatly during his three-year-old term, and he measures the exceptional height of 17 hands. They are sons of Gallant Fox, who was by Sir Gallahad 111, a half-brother by Teddy to this year's English Derby winner Bois Roussel. Gallant Fox was the outstanding three-year-old of his year in America, and Sir Gallahad 111, who has several times I headed the American sires' list, was winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap in England in 1924 ibefore his export to America.

The dam of these two horses is Flambino, by the little horse Wrack, a son of Robert le Diable who was bought by the leading Kentucky breeder, Mr. A. B. Hancock, and became a very successful sire of winners and brood mares in his new home. Flambino is out of- the French-bred mare Flambette, by the Derby winner Durbar II (son of Rabelais) out of La Flambee, by Ajax (sire also of Teddy) out of Medeah, by Masque. Medeah, a French Oaks wmnter, was third dam of Mr. Woodward's Doncaster Cup winner Black Devil (by Sit Gallahad III).

Neither Omaha nor Flares is eligible for registration in the English Stud Book because his pedigree does not comply with the rule, made in 1913, that every line must trace back to a mare in the earlier volumes. Durbar II was out of a mare by Hanover and Gallant Fox was out of a mare by Commando's son Celt, and both Hanover and Celt are barred from the General Stud Book. Critical comment on this rule of exclusion, referred to in America as "the Jersey Act," because the late Earl of Jersey, senior steward at the time, was mainly responsible for it, was made by Mr. Woodward in a speech given to the Thoroughbred Club of America at Lexington, Kentucky, a couple of years ago. This annual "testimonial" dinner at Lexington has become the American equivalent of the English Gimcrack dinner at York, at which the leading breeders and owners give their personal views on how racing and its i incidentals might be improved by those in the posts of authority. :

NORMANDY SUCCEEDS (United Press Association—By Electrlo Telegraph—CopyrlEht.) SYDNEY, June 18. At the Rosehill Racing Club's Meeting, the results included:— .* THREE-YEAR-OLD HANDICAP, £175; 7 furlongs. E. J. Watt's br c Normandy, by Gascony—Auratum (Lappin) .... 1 Grey Derby, 8.4 (Farrell) 2 Baffler, 7.7 (O'Sullivan) ...... 3 Eleven started. Length; one length and a half. Time, lmin 26£ sec. Deputy Ruler ran third to Flamari and Jan in the Parramatta Mile, in which Golden Chance, Red Rosebud, and Linklet were unplaced. Chasseur was unplaced in the Maiden Juvenile Stakes. Stalin was unplaced in the Dundas Handicap, and Country Party was unplaced in the Rosehill June Handicap.

SPENDER SCORES EASILY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, June 18. Favoured by brilliant weather, the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's second Winter Meeting proved an outstanding success, the attendance being the largest for many years. The races were keenly contested, and some splendid finishes were witnessed. The June Steeplechase saw the favourite, John Charles, gain a very decisive win. However, he pulled up slightly lame, and his future is not at all bright. Spender made no race of the Hawke's Bay Hurdles once the last stages were entered upon, and won easily by eight lengths. Soho gave another encouraging display, but was not assisted by the heavy going. During the day the totalisator handled the sum of £12,076 10s, an increase of £1260 10s on the second day last year. Results:— Hastings Trial, £100; special weights; 5J furlong^.—l Proclamation, 8.7 (B. H. Morris), 1; 2 Hastings West, 8. (C. P. Shield), 2; 4 Royal Ace, 8.0 (H. J. Callahan), 3. Also started: 7 Allmetic 8.7, 8 Hillside car. 8.9, 5 Brilliant Acre 8.7, 2 Golden Melody, 8.0, coupled with Hastings West, 6 Elettra 8.0, 3 Ate 8.0, 9 Arabic 8.0. Length and a half; two lengths and a half. Time, Imin 13 3-ssec.

HAWKE'S BAY HURDLES HANDICAP, £250; about li miles. 4 Spender, 9.0 (C. Carroll) 1 5 Soho, 11.4 (P. Burgess) 2 2 Small Boy, 11.7 (W. J. McDowell) 3 Also started: 3 Iddo 11.7, 1 Lone Raider 10.7, 6 Begorrah 10.2, 8 Curie 9.12, 9 Pladie 9.6, 7 Booklaw 9.0. Eight lengths; two lengths. Time, 3min 28sec. Havelock Hack Handicap, £125; 6i furlongs.—3 Paul Robeson, 8.8 (H. Young), 1; 10 Royal Record, car. B.IOJ (W. J. Evans), 2; 2 Red Witch, 8.8 (P. Atkins), 3. Also started: 4 Quake 8.10, 1 "Mendelssohn 8.5, 11 Wilful Lady 8.2, 6 Colleen Gain 8.0, 8 Jacynth 8.0, 9 Haile Selassie 8.0, 13 The Treble car. 8.75, 5 Royal Spades car. 8.35, 7 Gai Wind 8.0, 12 Sunny Lass 8.0, 14 Punerua car. 8.3. Half a head: length and a half. Time, lmin 29sec.

JUNE STEEPLECHASE, £200; about 2£ miles. 1 John Charles, 11.3 (A. E. Lord) . 1 3 Kahunoke, 9.11 (I. RohlofE) 2 2 Don Erma, 10.0 (C. Carroll) .... 3 Also started: 5 Master Hector car. 9.7, 4 Skerryvore 9.4 (fell), 8 Harbour Bar car. 9.9, 6 Royal Toast 9.0, 7 Acron 9.0. Eight lengths; ten lengths. Time, smin 22sec. Rotopai Hack Handicap, £125; 1 mile.—6 Gironde, 8.2 (H. J. Callahan), 1; 3 Thala, 9.9 (P. Atkins), 2; 9 Flying Comedy, 8.5 (H. Gilmer), 3. Also started: 5 Hunting Mint 9.4, 2 Shani 9.2, 10 Shirred Ribbon 8.7, 8 Seyfried car. 8.7, 1 Tractile 8.5, 7 Trailer 8.0, 11 Mahutai 8.0, 4 Red Cockade 8.0, 12 Refulgent 8.0. Six lengths; head. Time, lmin 48sec. j

Corinthian Plate, £100; gentlemen riders; li miles.—6 Misurina, 10.10 (Mr. K. McK. Duncan), 2; 5 Tres Sec car. 11.04 (Mr. C. J. Miller), 3, Also started: 2 Umpire 11.13, 3 Buster Brown 11.10, 4 Gainsfid 10.12, 7 Coil, car. 10.10. Two lengths; two lengths. Time, 2min 25sec, 1

Final Handicap, £150; 6 furlongs.—2 First Chapter, car. 8.3 (C. P. Shield), 1; 1 Huntette, 8.3 (R. Marsh), 2; 6 Short-circuit, 8.0 (G. R. Tattersall), 3. Also started: 4 Big Dook 9.12, 5 Slippery 8 9 8 Speed 8.8, 7 Padishah 8.5, 3 Sardius 8.0. Three-quarters of a length; three lengths. Time, lmin 20 sec.

NOTES ON THE RACING

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

HASTINGS, June 18. In the Trial Handicap the placed horses held command throughout. Proclamation was just in behind Hastings West and Royal Ace entering the straight, and, taking the lead, was never seriously challenged, winning comfortably by three-quarters of a length from Hastings West, Royal Ace failing to stay. Two lengths back were Allmetic, Golden Melody, and Ate.

ONLY ONE IN IT. Soho, Small Boy, Begorrah, and Curie were the early leaders in the Hawke s Bay Hurdles, with Spender always well placed. Lone Raider did not improve his position until over half the journey had been covered, going up on the fence but dropping back after entering the straight. Spender joined Soho once over the last fence and drew away to win easily by eight lengths from the tiring Soho. Small Boy had also had enough and finished third. Iddo, Begorrah, and Curie were next, with Lone Raider last. Wilful Lady, Paul Robeson, Quake, Colleen Gain, and Red Witch were best away in the Havelock Handicap, Mendelssohn being last to start. Colleen Gain and Quake were the leaders turning into the straight with an outsider in Royal Record challenging, Paul Robeson, in a hard finish, prevailing by half a head. Red Witch did not recover from a knock early, and finished third two lengths away. Gaiwind and Royal Spades were next. Royal Toast led over the first circuit of the June Steeplechase, about six lengths clear of Master Hector, Skerryvore, and John Charles. At the stand double the second time the last-named took the lead, Skerryvore falling at the post-and-rails ■ and leaving a big gap to Don Erma and Kahunoke. John Charles carried on and was never challenged, making a good recovery from a bad jump at the last fence. Kahunoke outstayed Don Erma for second place. Master Hector was fourth. Acron fell at the penultimate fence.

LED ALL THE WAY. Gironde showed a clean pair of heels to the field in the Rotopai Handicap. Thala, Red Cockade, Refulgent, Trailer, and Shirred Ribbon were all handy entering the straight, Gironde drawing away and staging an unusually easy win. Thala just held off Flying Comedy. Hunting Mint was a very close fourth, but Tractile was never sighted.

In the Corinthian Plate, Misurina, the outsider of the field, sprang the surprise of the day. He led all the way, always being attended by Sky Full, Buster Brown, and Umpire. Finishing strongly, Misurina outstayed Sky Full, with Tres Sec doing best of the others. Umpire was fourth. Huntette quickly took charge in the Final Handicap, leading early from Slippery, Short-circuit, and Big Dook. After being first into the straight, Huntette was challenged by First Chapter, who prevailed in a hard finish. This pair were well clear of Short-circuit and Slippery.

TONGUE STRAPS BARRED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, June 18. At the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's First Winter Meeting on June 11 an official removed from a contestant in a hack race a strap placed there to prevent the horse's getting his tongue over the bit, and in consequence a letter was received by the club from the Owner. The matter of the use of tongue straps was considered today by the judicial committee of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, and the committee found that tongue straps could not be permitted, as an instruction had been given by the Racing Conference forbidding their use.