AN ENGLISHMAN'S VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1939, Page 26

AN ENGLISHMAN'S VIEW

In build and performance, Ajax is equal to the best horses in England, said Lord Hamilton, of Dalzell, the King's representative at Ascot, and who has been on a visit recently to Australia. Lord Hamilton said that Ajax was one of the finest horses he had ever seen. Efforts should definitely be made to keep Ajax in Australia because of his stud value.

to her task throughout. Rounding to the straight she, raced to the front past Cherry Picker and Hunting Squire, but over the last furlong she was just unable to hold a seasoned challenger at bay. She will race next at Hawke's Bay next week. Verey Lights, carrying the same colours as Pearl of Asia and having her first start from G. W. New's stable, was handy on the fence all the way after a good start, and she finished on best of the others. She is a well-bred filly, a three-year-old daughter of Night Raid and that good Tea Tray mare Spoon. Floral Robe, the second favourite, was back with Ctfisinier most of the way, and she then came through the leaders for a close fourth. She was definitely unlucky; .

Still more unlucky appeared to be Yed Prior, who ran into trouble wherever she was steered. This filly looked very fit, and it will surprise if she is not soon a good winner.

Cherry Picker, drawn wide, quickly hit the front, and he hung -on in promising style to be alongside Yed Prior at the post. Little Dorrit, Travail, and Brazil were others running on. Hunting Squire impressed as a likely early improver. Colin and Snigger both failed over the last two furlongs after

being prominent till that stage, and Colonel Bogey was never, sighted. SEQUENCE AT END. Trebor was hotly backed to register his sixth win in line in the Woodhey Handicap, but.he found the task well beyond him. Deficit set out to make the topweights carry their impost all the way, arid nothing ever got in a serious Jalow against him, as he ran home very strongly after reaching the straight two lengths clear of Blonde Princess and Tidal Gift. ■ This was Deficit's first win since he took the Wariganui Guineas two and a half years ago. After that success he was never the same horse, and finally Mr. W. Higgins put him up for sale last summer, when Mr. L. Butler, of Inglewood, bought him for 30 guineas. Mr. Butler -believed that there might be good still to be found in him, though he had the opinion of nearly everyone who knew the gelding against him, and his judgment has at last been borne out. When he recently reappeared at Wanganui, Deficit impressed good judges as a horse who had made very considerable improvement during his spell. Deficit was the, first classic winner that Mr. Higgins ever bred himself, and he had to show himself a really abject failure after that before Mr. Higgins would consent to his sale. He is a half-brother by Lackham to the crack two-year-old Beaulivre. Blonde Princess, improved with her racing at Trentham, was most serious in pursuit of the winner, and she was an easy second. Red Cat, fourth most of the way, but troubled by her weight, beat Tidal Gift for third, and Trebor could have been fourth, but was eased up when a place was well' beyond his reach. Golden Flame and Eurotas were best of the others, and may be early improvers. Dorak, left at the barrier, took no part in the race. SUBMISSION BEST JUVENILE. The betting was all for Pearl of Asia and Serenata in the Cloverlea Nursery Handicap, but the recent Trentham form was upset by Submission, who ran to the front from La Bru at the end of a furlong and refused to yield the lead in the straight. Though one of the better-supported of the others, this filly was at double figures. Submission proved herself to be one of the best juvenile fillies of the season, as she was conceding weight to the rest of yesterday's field. The performance was • the more attractive, as she drew No. 13 marble, but was alongside La Bru and Lutanist in the van in a few strides. This was her third success. She is bred in the purple, being a full-sister to Episode, Honour, and Courtcraft, and, as she is one of Limond's last crop she has been kept by her breeder, Mr. G. M. Currie, to be used in due course at the stud.

Pearl of Asia was perhaps a bit unlucky, as she did not begin too well and had a next-to-hopeless job with the race half over. She improved on the turn, however, and drove her way through courageously along the rail in the straight to be an easy second, and only a length from the winner. Lutanist, one of the vanguard all the way, had every chance, but the race should benefit him for his Easter engagements. Serenata was never far from the front, but an outside draw forced her to remain out on the track, and after moving up to Lutanist in the straight she weakened into fourth. Vascories dashed round to second on the turn, but also tired over the closing stage. There was little separating these three horses at the post.

Prudent Prince and Aranui ran useful races among the others, but they were ahead of Pearl of Asia to the ctvaicrht. T,a Tiru. third into the

her. The best of the remainder were Newbury Queen, Lively Lady, and Caution. Kehua was squeezed back at the start and Moradabad also" made a poor beginning. YOURS TRULY NARROWLY. Yours Truly, backed won to a short price, duly materialised in the Te Mata"i Hack Handicap, but he was thrashed right out to gain the verdict by the narrowest of margins from Sudan, with Inquisitor finishing on well only a head away. Yours Truly on this occasion was kept in behind the leaders instead of out in front, as at Trentham last week, and the result was that he was well boxed in on the home turn. When the field opened out just after entering the straight his chance came, but after bursting through to the front he had to be kept fiat out to hold on to the spoils of his effort. This was Yours Truly's third successive win, and, considering that he is now only running out hack nominations, he was well treated with 8.9 in yesterday's field. He appears to have come solid after being used patiently till the last month, and he may now be taken to Hastings next week to run in the Hawke's Bay Cup. His win was another instance of the horses for courses rule, as he won his first race at Awapuni at Christmas.

Sudan was also always well up in the running, but she was forced, over

a bit of ground, and on this account was unable to challenge till after Yours Truly had entered his claim. She finished strongly and with a touch of luck she would have beaten the favourite.

Inquisitor had a poor run over the middle stages1, but he came home resolutely out on the track and just short of the post he looked a likely winner. He, too,- had none of the luck on his Windsor Chief finished through the others for fourth. Settlement moved forward on the turn, but he-was a handful for his youthful rider, who could not get the best out of him in the straight. Birkology,. a Gisborne visitor with some support, might have been nearer if he had not been forced out when making a forward run on the turn. Thrasos (the early leader), Te Huia (who went to the front six furlongs from home and led into the straight from Thrasos), and Bumble (who went up fast along the back) all tired over the final portion. Etzel was prominent for a space along the back but out on the course.