THE KING’S FIRST “CLASSIC”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 167, 29 June 1928, Page 2

THE KING’S FIRST “CLASSIC”

GREAT ENTHUSIASM SCUTTLE FIRST PAST. ONE THOUSAND GUINEAS. London, May 16. It gave all the racing correspondents great pleasure to chronicle the 'details regarding the King’s first classic race triumph, which His Majesty achieved at Newmarket, when his brilliant three-year-old' filly, Scuttle, bearing the Royal colours, won the One Thousand Guineas by a length from Lord Dewar’s Jurisdiction, with Lord Derby’s Toboggan six lengths further behind. , The crowning glory of the victory, which (as Hotspur writes in the Daily Telegraph) means so much for the good of the turf in this country, was that the King was a witness, and was therefore able to engage in the thrills of what was quite a dramatic race, and then to note with unconcealed delight the acclamation and intense satisfaction of the people. Accompanying His Majesty were the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary, who derives vast pleasure in the breeding and racing of the King’s and Viscount Lascelles’ horses. Lord Lascelles himself had been • down for a few days with influenza, but was able to anticipate complete recovery by making the journey from London. Thus, there were all the signs and portents of the anticipated triumph, and though they were noted with much satisfaction, it scarcely required this evidence to emphasise the big chance which Scuttle was known to possess. The prize, a sweepstake with 1000 guineas added, was worth £8470 to

His Majesty. Not since Minoru won the Derby for King Edward in 1909 had the Royal colours triumphed in a classic race. As Prince of Wales, of course, the late King scored a succession of such victories. King George’s successes have been on a much more modest scale. and Weathervane’s Royal Hunt Cup in 1923 was his previous most important win. EVERYONE’S CHOICE. His Majesty and Princess Mary went to the box in which Scuttle was saddled by her trainer (W. Jarvis), watching the simple but meticulously careful operation with keen interest. Scuttle was almost everyone’s choice. But confidence becamj violently- disturbed by happenings at the post. The starter was out to make the start from a stand ! according to the ukase of the stewards. Had the horses gone into position like counters into their respective slots and then assumed a statuesque nose all would have been well, but there was the usual restiveness, and shortly Scuttle became the most unsettled of the party. She was so seriously ill-behaved that onlookers feared she was goi- to lose the race before starting foi t. Obviously her antics, her stu l ' "rnness to yield to the coaxing of Childs, must be sapping her vitality. In those few minutes there was suspense which almost hurt. Back she went, sliding, backing, and doing her best to get further behind the waiting line of horses. They must have been awful moments, but the jockey never lost his patience, which is also true of tho starter. _ Then came a moment when she was in a fair position again, and the starter gave the signal. The tape shot upwards, and the race had begun, though without Scuttle among those that had got off fairly. It was, of course, her own fault that she must have lost several lengths. It was when the leaders were leaving tho Rushes and the non-stayers were quitting that the situation underwent a dramatic change. Childs asked the filly to pull out more, and, as he found her responsible, he drove her up to Jurisdiction, and just before entering tho Dip the royal victory began to assume definite shape. She had got the better of Jurisdiction when in the Dip she swerved and lost a length It enabled Jurisdiction to prolong her big bid, and that bid would have been successful had it not boon for the stamina and longerstriding action of Scuttle. Beautifully balanced again, and urged forward hv a touch of the whip, she meed like a piece of machinery up the hill. The cheering had already broken out, and it grew in _ volume when it was realised that Jurisdiction was held and beaten. “Tho King! The King wins!” was the cry when il was seen. 150 yards from ilio post, |1...t Pl.-lmrds was using Ihe whip, while Childs was liilir;.-, easily in Hie

knowledge that his mount had quite a lot iu reserve. Here was a performance such is seldom seen of a filly winning a classic race after meeting with such serious difficulties, even though most of them had been of her own making. It stamped her at once as being altogether exceptional and an even brilliant classic winner among filles. BRED AT THE ROYAL STUD. Scuttle was bred at the royal stud at Sandringham, which is managed by Major F. Fetherstonhaugh.. “Hotspur” recalls that when Scuttle’s dam, Stained Glass, was in training at Egerton House Mr. Richard Marsh was the King’s trainer. They were thinking quite a lot of her, when one day at exercise she fell and fractured her pelvis. For some time afterwards she was in her box in a sling, and no horse could have been a better patient. The decision to persevere in saving her for stud purposes proved to be a happy one indeed. The classic winner of last week is the result. She has again been mated with Captain Cuttie, who, by the way, in something like two months’ time will be in his permanent home in Italy. Scuttle is one of the first batch of yearlings that Major F. Feather'stonhaugh, manager of the King’s stt\jble, had the honour of breeding for His Majesty.