A PERSISTENT TRIER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 231, 12 September 1934, Page 2

A PERSISTENT TRIER

Will Try Again

The form displayed by the more prominent candidates engaged in tho Melbourne Cup will from now on be the subject of critical interest, but, says a Melbourne writer, whatever may be the general opinion as to the favourite prepost selection therb can be no denying the fact that the veteran Shadow King will enter largely into the discussions. Should he take his place in the field for the Centenary Melbourne Cup, to be run in November, it will make his sixth attempt to win the coveted trophy, for which he has recorded two seconds and two thirds. He is now nine years old, and according to statistics his pace and stamina should bo on the wane; but against that is the iuct that at Williamstown in the eleven-furlong August Handicap he disclosed his ability to beat a fair field of ipiddle-distance gallopers alter a hard-fought finish, his margin on the post being only a neck. The victory is all the more noteworthy when it is recalled that for the past lew years this event has been one of his first test gallops in his spring preparation, yet not until this season was he equal to scoring. In 1931 he ran second to Hazelwood, who was in receipt of 181 b., and the following year was beaten by .Oof Bird, who had an advantage of 29ib. in the respective weights. Last year he ran unplaced in the same race with 9.5. Shadow King should be capable of much improvement between now and the date on which the Cup race will be contested, and it is in his favour, viewed in the light of his recent success, that he is more forward this year than on previous occasions. So far as lils age is concerned, this is an encouraging feature, as tho tightening up process for his two-mile run in the Centenary Cup, which is assuredly his spring mission, need not now be so strenuous. Shadow King has won 11 races, including the Moonee Valley Cup and Williamstown Cup. His record discloses his versatility as to courses, for he has won on all the principal tracks in Melbourne. Four victories were achieved at Moonee Valley, two each at Williamstown, Flemington and Caulfield, and the other at Epsom. There need be no misgiving as to the reception that will greet this tough old Comedy King gelding should he succeed in pulling off tho big ten-thousand-po under.