RACING IN ENGLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 127, 25 November 1939, Page 23

RACING IN ENGLAND

CAMBRIDGESHIRE DIVIDED

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" London

Representative.)

LONDON, October 20. For the first time in its century of existence the Cambridgeshire was run in two parts when racing was resumed at Newmarket after more than seven weeks' interval. This was done by order of the Jockey Club, because the list of probable runners was so unwieldy that they would not have been accommodated even on Newmarket's wide track. Even with the race split in two, 54 horses started, 27 in each section.

Bookmakers were among the keenest to get to grips with the game. Most firms had not done a pennyworth of business since the war. The totalisator did not operate.

In present circumstances the attendance was good, and it seemed, that the public were only too ready to seize upon the opportunity to relax for a spell .in a lighter vein of thought. Trainers, too, were glad to be given an outlet for their weeks of preparation. No fewer than 169 horses contested the seven races on the opening day. The ground was almost perfect for racing.

The most important success of the day was that of Gyroscope, who won. Class I of the Cambridgeshire by a neck from His Highnesbs. He was well ridden by the apprentice, R. Lacey, who wore the colours of Mrs. H. Leader, the wife of the lad's master. Lacey allowed Gyroscope (a 150 guineas yearling in Ireland) to settle down and find his legs before dashing to the front five furlongs from home. He was strongly challenged by His Highness, who reached his head at one point but weakened a' little in the last 50 yards. Hot Bun II was third, with the North Country horse Sansalvo and Fairchance next. - ;

Gyroscope was once owned by, a syndicate of six owners who commissioned H. Leader to buy a number of yearlings in Ireland two years ago. He is now the sole property of Mrs. Leader, who was 'present to see her gelding win. Class II of the Cambridgeshire was won by Lord Dufferin's Orichalque, whom J. Simpson rode brilliantly. He did not ask the six-year-old to do anything until close home, * and then Orichalque produced -an astonishing burst of speed to overtake Mrs. Bendir's, Quartier-Maitre, who had revealed great merit by going to the front below the distance under 9st 7.1b. The ex-plater, Never Surprised, paid tribute to selling plate form by occupying third place. The winner was trained by- Major Beattv. Another winner -trained by Major Beatty, and owned by Lady Beatty, was Black Toni, a two-year-old brown colt by Felstead.