CLASH NOW UNLIKELY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 13

CLASH NOW UNLIKELY

AJAX—DEFAULTER

BIG SYDNEY CUP SUPPORT

(From "Vedette.")

SYDNEY, March 23

Defaulter's lack of dash in his track work has caused some misgiving but his trainer, F. Roberts, does not appear to be upset and is emphatic that his .charge is doing all required of him. Local trainers do not think he is receiving enough work but Roberts should know his horse. There appears little chance now of Ajax and Defaulter meeting. Defaulter sidestepped Ajax in the Rawson Stakes at Rosehill, and Ajax is leaving the Chipping Norton Plate at Warwick Farm and the Autumn Plate at Rand-' wick to Defaulter. Defaulter this week was the medium of an extensive commission in doubles and is now the Sydney Cup favourite. Practically every Doncaster Handicap candidate who looks to have a chance has been coupled up with him. Generally he has been greatly admired, and, providing he does well in his first race, he will start a very hot favourite in the Sydney Cup. DILEMMA FOR OWNERS. High Caste has thrived more than ever since returning to Sydney, if that is possible, and he will have his first race here in the male division of the Fairfield Handicap at Warwick Farm on April 1. As this event has a 9.5 maximum,- it should provide another winning bracket for High Caste and a problem for the handicapper. This will be nothing to the dilemma of owners and trainers of the majority of other candidates, who of necessity will be carrying a light scale of weights. So far as can be seen, High Caste will have weaker, opposition in Sydney than he had in Melbourne, for there is no two-year-old here approaching the quality of Zonda, the filly who did make a semblance of a race of the Ascot Vale Stakes. Caesar, one of the few tubed horses j in Australia, defeated a very smart field at Rosehill last Saturday. He was a possible rival for Ajax as a two-year-old until an accident and wind trouble intervened. Now he , appears. to gallop almost as well as ever and is regarded as a Doncaster Handicap possibility. His form was overshadowed, to a degree, however, by that of St. Constant, who finished fast and would have won in another stride. UNLUCKY ST. CONSTANT. St. Constant Avas the most improved horse of the spring and almost won the Epsom Handicap, should have taken the Caulfield Cup, and then took the Cantala Stakes. He was third last in a big field on Saturday and flew down the straight. He will be ridden again by D. Munro at Randwick. Gold Rod carried top weight in this event, 9.6, and finished fourth, which was- a little disappointing, King's Head, 9.6, running a much more convincing race to finish third. As a Doncaster Handicap trial the race pointed to St. Constant, Caesar, and King's Head, with Korimako. a possible outsider. This Magpie mare finished on well to run sixth. From a Sydney Cup viewpoint, the Club Handicap at Rosehill was not very instructive, the useful but moderate Val William winning rather luckily from Sal Volatile. Sal Volatile was checked when making her run three furlongs from home and then was beaten narrowly, another factor in her defeat being the inexperience of her apprentice rider. She is a good stayer but whether she will n.egotiate the two. miles of the Sydney Cup remains to be seen.