SPORT IN BRITAIN

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4010, 28 July 1931, Page 2

SPORT IN BRITAIN

LONDON, June 4. THE TURF. One direct result of the sweepstake “boom ” has been to make the ordinary citizen take greater interest in racing, and in particular the Derby. Opinions on such a subject are naturally mixed, but when we have the British Government making a profit from the “ tote ” form of betting, it is absurd to cavil at sweepstakes. Actually, a well-organised sweepstakes would be of great benefit to the community. It would stop a lot of betting on horses, and football, it would lead to millions of people investing money at a fair interest, and finally enable Hie Government to borrow money at IP P el cent, and loan it again at a higher rate. After all, there is no compulsion about the matter, and if sweeps were allowed it would be up to all to please themselves as to whether they bought tickets or not.

—The Derby.— The Derby of 1931 will long he remembered as one of. the best lor years, ft is always popular when a favourite wins, and in modern times this has not happened very frequently. Because ot the way favourites have la lied, since the war was one reason Cameronian did not, start at a much shorter price. don’t like favourites for the Derby, was often heard when mixing among punters at Epsom on Wednesday. Considering that Mr Dewar said that his crack satisfied him he could sta one and a-half miles (at the Press Club Derby lunch this week) it was suipiisinn- this public tip was not more followed Alter all, Cameronian had beaten the best in the Guineas. , There are several items ot exceptional interest associated with the Derby o_ 19J1. For the first time in history it has been possible lor a man to '' lll with a horse nominated by a sportsman wiio had joined the great niajoiitj. Under the old absurd ond unia.i u ie, the death of a nominator put the hoisc out of the race. The late Lord Dei ar

spent a fortune trying to wm '\ K> ’ but failed. Mr J. A. Dewai, s nephew, has been lucky enough to in herit a string of horses, including on (rood enough to carry off the Der n. " Luck alone will .not ensure success, and a bjg tribute is due I'red failing Co- the manner he has wiought provement in the winner since the guineas. To have trained four Deibj winners since the war is indeei a uniph for the Hlackhainpton turn ex. The judgment shown by box, the joekey also had a lot to do with it. He was the oldest jockey in the race, ami yet had never before ridden the Derbj winner, though he finished at the t of the winning jockeys list last scaso . Well away, Cameronian was going a hit too fast before reaching the ton or the rise, which marks the first tom furloims Fox realised this mid pulled his mount behind two other horses, which steadied him down. Approaching the famous Tottenham Corner, box was able to get a nice forward position, and as Gallini, the leader, faded away, the ultimate winner was left m limit. When Orphen challenged, box sat down to ride in earnest, and Cameronian had enough to respond and win cle\crly, if not easily. _ The time, 2min .‘SO 3-ssec, is _ 1-tsec-slower than the record for the present course of one and a-half miles set up bv Cali Bov and Felstead in 192, and 1928 respectively. In distance, this would represent about 30yd*. . And now a word about Lord Roseberry’s colt was decidedly unlucky in drawing the third position from the inside, which is not favourable on the course it seems that \\ rnggthe jockey, was shut in for a long tunc and it was only towards the very end that ho got a clear run. Consiuoiillg all things. Sandwich did well to gain a place, and this colt will be worth support ju the future.

GOLF. Macdonald Smith, a native of Carnoustie, and H. Cotton, an ex-public school bov, were associated as two very iikelv players for the open goll championship. This because but!) spent considerable time on the course in advance, preparing lor the big tost and finding out how” to avoid the many traps. Smith, now a citizen of the lanted States, played wonderful goll when heading the qualifying _ competition, over thirty-six holes, his 70 and i 1 representing record golf lor the Barry and Carnoustie courses. Cotton had difficulty with his drivers, for ho tried several, but he was on his game when the competition proper started. He alone tried to carry the burn with his second shot at the last hole, and having succeeded, he looked set for a 4. His chip was feeble, however, and he finished with a 5. S. J. Farrell, of the United States, who like Cotton had a first round of 72, only required one putt on seven greens, whilst only once did the Englishman get down in one putt. Here is one illustration of how American players do so well. Another important factor is that most of them use an exceptionally heavy* niblick, with a broad and weighty sole, (letting into bunkers did not appear to worn* Farrell and Sarazen, who “ exploded ” the ball from the sand on to the green and then got down in one putt, time after time. This ability is of great value on a course like Carnoustie, which is stiff with bunkers, to say nothing of the many times a burn lias to be carriedT Cotton has already done enough tins season to show that he ought to be England’s first choice for an international side, so that a Ryder Cup team without him would not represent the best.

CRICKET. The Worcestershire players are upsetting the leaders in the cricket championship table. Unexpectedly they beat Gloucestershire in the match at Stourbridge largely through wonderful howling by Root and Brook. Even better bowling was seen in the match against Kent, also played at Stourbridge, where P. F. Jackson took six wickets for 25 runs in the first venture of the visitors.

The bowlers have not had matters all their own way, as Staples and Walker > bowed when batting for Notts against Somerset. They made 113 and 125 respectively, very tine batting on a pitch by no means easy. J. C. White also played an innings of 100 for Somerset. The most sensational howling of the week was Mitchell’s six wickets for 11 runs, followed by six for 19 on behalf of Derbyshire against Somerset at Ches-

1 terfield. Bowlers are indeed meeting with success just now, due to a combination of rain and sun. ! BOXING. I The quick ending to the boxing I match between Len Harvey, of Eng--1 land, and Reno Davos, of Belgium, at ! the Albert Hall this week has not thrown much further light on to the actual form of Harvey. His many English admirers went to know if he is the same man he was before embarking on his last trip to the United States, which was by no means the triumph expected. Beating Davos in half a round and with three punches merely shows that Harvey is quick to seize a chance, it would also appear that he has learnt the value ol a : knock-out punch, so often advocated in i these notes as being vital to success. ! Although the Belgian was about olb 1 heavier than the English boxer, the i latter looked better trained and ; harder. Davos may possibly have been : the second best middle-weight in the

: world two years ago, as some authoriI ties believed. To-day he is well down tlie list, and it is deal that fourteen years in the boxing game has used up so much of his vitality and speed that he can no longer be considered among the first flight During tire short period the contest lasted, Harvey did all that was pos sible. A left punch to the body found the mark, and doubled up Davos. He was hurt and tried to get in close to avoid more punishment and gain time. Harvey saw his chance ami again sent the left to the same spot which further weakened Davos, who clinched. Very cleverly, Harvey pushed his rival away with his right elbow, and at the same moment shot his left to the body. It was a shrewd move and a stiff punch, Davos dropping to the boards being counted out. He knew all that was happening, but simply could not stand up to the three body blows he received. Perhaps Harvey has learnt something from his trip to the States, and at least he put some “ginger” into his punches. His win will make Ids admirers still more anxious to see him in another match, and possi’uv Len Johnson, of Manchester, will oblige, unless Jack Hood, ol Birmingham, again tries bis luck.

ATHLETICS. In the history of marathon racing since the rebirth of the Olympic Games at Athens in 189(5, there lias been nothing to equal the remarkable success of Stan Ferris, of the Royal Air Force. He jumped into prominence by running second to M“ Wright, ol Scotland, in the Polytechnic marathon from Windsor Castle to Stamford Bridge, London, in 1924. That gained him selection for Britain’s team at the Olympic (fames and he was first home fur Great Britain and seventh in the race. Following this, lie won ihe 1929 inclusive, and also gained first place in three English championship marathons, promoted by the A. A. A. An operation fur apociidicitis kept him out of the 1930 marathon, but he was among the sixty odd starters in the big Poly, race from Windsor on Saturday. Running with his usual good

judgment, Ferris gradually unproved his position, and after 11. \\ . Payne retired at twenty-two miles, he had matters all his own way. Ferris entered the Stamford Bridge track lor the final one and three-quarter lap* strong and well and he was smiling broadly and looking happy. it will interest students of form to hear that Perris was striding oft (sin during the last lap. a remarkable exhibition at the end of a 26m 38o\d.s journey. Hei c are his times lor various stages: Five miles, 3l)min 3scc; ten miles, GUmin Riser; fifteen miles, Hi 29niin 49see; twenty miles, Ili oßinjn 34sec; twenty-four miles, 2h 21 min 54sec; twenty-li'e miles, 21) 28min Msec; and the full twenty-six miles 38Gvds in 2h 35min 31 4-osee. These times reveal the value "I a steady start and taking time to settle down before making any attempt to go out for victory A slight rain led at times, and there was little wind, so that the conditions may be called fair to good. The lime is the best in Hie history of the Polytechnic marathon, hut Payne holds the record lor the course, some smin faster, and made in the A.A.A championship race. Perris still ranks as Britain’s best Marathon man. hut as he was unequal to the task in the Olympic Games races of 1924 and 1928, it can hardly he expected that he will succeed at Los Angeles. If all goes well P. Nurmi will probably win that race. It is the present intention of the wonder!nl I* inn to try for the 10,000 metres first and then the .Marathon, and the writer .s prepared to see him win both. —Visitors Do Well. —

Although the visiting competitors failed to win on Saturday, they ran well in the Marathon. J. Lisscn, of Belgium, was fifth; G. L. .lupin, of France, seventh; and I*. Wright, ol South Africa, ninth. The Pretori i harrier ran steadily, being fifteenth at five miles, after which ho slightly improved his position, as shown. Whilst the Marathon men were on their journey the interchib championship for the Kinaird Cup was decided at Stamford Bridge. The Achilles A C., composed of past and present Oxford and Cambridge ’Varsity men, had another easy win and the strength of this combination is rather spoiling the competition. The outstanding performance of the day was the win of S A. Tomlin, ol the Higligate Harriers, in the three miles. He won nicely in 14min JO 3-osec, the track being a bit heavy. As two other runners were within a dozen yards, England has some good men at the distance. Tomlin is the runner who won the three miles at the Empire (James at Hamilton last August Another satisfactory run recently was the “quarter” of G. L. Rampliu at Oxford, when representing the Amateur Athletic Association against an Oxford University team The Army crack beat J. A. T Hanlon in 48 4-osee, the race being rim in lanes, with two corners and a nice straight. As Hanlon beat Branguin, the English champion, at 440 yds. on Saturday, it looks as though Rampliu may prove the best in the countrv this season

—South African Athlete in Form.— It seems that F. P. Reid, of Edinburgh University, who is from South Africa, is an all-rounder of quality. At the ’Varsity sports last Saturday, ne again won the Australasian Cup by scoring most points in certain events. He showed 10 l-oscc for the 100 yds. 22 3-osec for the furlong, and 50 1-osec for the “quarter.” The last named beat the Edinburgh University record, which Eric Liddle accomplished in 1925, a year after he had won the Olympic Games 4,00-metre race at Paris.

Mention of the South African is a reminder that I had a chat with Bevi!