SPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 123, 20 November 1941, Page 16

SPORTING

TEMPORARY CASUALTY

KENTUCKY BLEEDS

CANTERBURY CUP MISHAP

(By, "Binocular.")

During the course of the New Zealand Cup Meeting there were quite a few cases of bleeding, one of the sufferers being Kentucky, and it is to be hoped that it will not be a recurring affair. Kentucky has been rather an answer to the oft-expressed idea that the early racing of two-year-olds, especially an September and October, has a damaging effect; upon their later career. Actually, Kentucky made his debut under silk at Avondale on September 16, 1939, and between that date and November 30 he was produced six times. In all, he had 16 outings in his first season for two wins and eight placings. As a three-year-old Kentucky had no fewer than 28 races, winning five and being placed in seven, and this season he has had six starts for two wins arid a second. He had proved himself to be a particularly able miler, and it was most unfortunate that his essay over a mile and a half in the Canterbury Cup should have been responsible for the trouble that overtook him. A Casualty. Another casualty in the ranks of T. R. George's Trentham contingent who attended Riccarton was Kevin, who was badly galloped on during the run-1 ning of the Stonyhurst Handicap on the final day. He will now have to be spelled. In the Otaio Plate, 1-J miles, the stable had two runners, Kevin and Phyto, and although the latter was the stronger supported it was .the former who paid a dividend when he attended Military Maid home. That performance brought the brother to Martara into favour for the Stonyhurst Handicap, 1 mile; on the concluding day, but the mishap during the running ruined his chance. Phy to continues to be a disappointment, but a race on the country circuit should not be beyond her. Better Records. : Two former northerners who have shown improved form since being transferred to the South Island are Parchment and Military Maid. The former is still something of an erratic customer, for after running away with the Apprentices' Handicap in great style on the opening day at Riccarton, he failed to reproduce the standard on the later days. Presumably he races best when fresh. Prior to the opening of the New Zealand • Cup Meeting Military Maid had broken. a run of outs by scoring over a mile and 35 yards at South Canterbury and in a seven and a half furlongs event at Rangiora. At her third successive start she won the Otaio Plate at Riccarton. brilliantly, seeing out the mile and a quarter journey in great style. Transferred to open company on the fourth day. she ran a creditable third in the Cressy Handicap, 1 mile. This mare is well enough bred to carry her account much further. . Good Family. Even though Winning Flight did,not fulfil expectations in the juvenile events at Riccarton, there was some excuse for her. At the jump-out on the opening day she cannoned into another runner.to rick.her back, and although her trainer thought her sufficiently recovered1 to take her place on the final day a slow • beginning ruined what chance she had. A plain bay, she comes from a well-performed family that, has already produced good winners in Ortyx, Dark Flight, and Gold Flight, and she should also make a name for herself. Grey Family. In Salutation the imported sire Theio (a son of Tetraterha) has a worthy advertisement, even though Battledress proved thfr filly's superior in: :the New Zealand Derby Stakes. Two other produce of the same sire who raced at the Cup Meeting and who were distinctive by reason of their colouring. King Herod and Cataract, showed enough promise to indicate that they will win races. Both were bought at the National Sales, King Herod by Mr. J. H. Grigg, of Longbeach, Canterbury, for 250 guineas, and Cataract by another southern owner, Mr. J. Mitchell, of Studholme, for 115 guineas. Exceptions. That No. 13 saddlecloths are not always unlucky has been demonstrated on two occasions of late in Australia where important events are concerned. In the Caulfield Cup Velocity carried the allegedly unlucky number, and in the Melbourne Cup Skipton was also No. 13. However, by way of contrast, at the New Zealand Cup Meeting not1 a No. 13 got on the winning list, although two did run second during the four days' racing. They would certainly have been unprofitable to follow, although in several instances the backer would not have had to make an investment owing to there being insufficient runners..

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. I'Honeful.''—The official starting times vrere 11.45, 12.38* 1.23, 2.6, 2.49. 3.32, 4.15, 5.0.