SPORT IN BRITAIN

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4137, 12 December 1933, Page 7

SPORT IN BRITAIN

LONDON, October 11. THE TURF. A splendid race was seen in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket this week. The event is badly named, as being a handicap it has no real resemblance to a championship, which, cf course, calls for equal terms to all. However, “ a rose would smell just as sweet under anv other name,” so that the thrill provided by Dastour and Chatelaine was a real one. The former, carrying 1261b, was conceding the three-year-old 101b, and the handicapper was so right that it brought them level. The race was run over li miles, and when Scarlet Tiger dropped back beaten the other two commenced a great duel over the last quarter of a mile. Dastour just showed in front when a furlong from home, but the three-year-old made a gallant effort when Gordon Richards called on his mount. Well Chatelaine responded and momentarily gained the lead. ihen Beary managed to get a final spurt from Dastour, and the gallant animals passed the post level. A dead heat counts as a win, so that Richards swelled his total on his first racing day of the week. It brought his success for the season to 221. Racegoers are still talking about the remarkable riding of Richards at the Chepstow Meeting, when he rode six winners one day and five the next. With another success in his last effort before Chepstow this gave him twelve winning mounts in succession indeed a wonderful record. It may not be properly known to the youthful element following racing that Richards has a more difficult task than Archer was confronted with. Richards is under contract to ride for Beckhampton it wanted, and after that as second claim to another Wiltshire stable. If neither stable wants his services he is free to accept other mounts. He is not one

to pick and choose, but rather inclined to accept the first offer coming. Racipcr in the ’eighties was somewhat dirferent. The fields were smaller, and therefore the odds against winning less than now. Leading weie in a better position to pick their mounts. Had Richards been a free lance this season, and therefore able to ride more fancied animals, he would have exceeded the 250 mark before this stage. BIG BOXING. Sportsmen who have been reading these notes for some time will recall ( the writer’s assertion made when Don M'Corkindale went into the professional ranks, that the South African would make a bold bid for the world’s heavyweight crown. Of course the element of luck enters into boxing as in other games, and there are periods when the talent may be better than at others. Jack Dempsey at his best probably ranks as the best heavy-weight ever yet known. Thus Georges Carpentier and Gene Tuuney were up against it, and it was only when Dempsey was on the down grade that he lost his title. With Tunney retired and both Dempsey and Carpentier ranking as veterans of the ring, there was a chance for another. As boxing history dining the past few years has shown, there is no very outstanding heavy-weight. Carnera, with his physical advantages, appeared likely to carry all before him. but somehow he has not provided the fireworks anticipated. Larry Gains has a fine record, including a points deci-

sion over Camera and a win over M'Corkindale, also on points. Of the three M'Corkindale is the most likelv to improve. It is true he has been in the boxing game some years, but although he won the English cruiser championship of England for amateurs in 1920 it is only since he went over to the professional ranks that he has given his natural gifts a real chance. He is sure to profit by his United States experience, and perhaps develop that aggressiveness which is so vital to success. The average British boxer may lie very scientific, but often falls down badly because he is too good matured. That is the natural disposition. There arc many old n.c.o.s who could tell interesting tales of the exploits employed to arouse the fighting spirit in many of the young civilians who joined the Army during the war. This is illuminating, and what applied in 1911-18 is an object lesson to-day. British boxers are not “ tough ” enough, and it is due to centuries of civilisation. When things are going badly the Briton is usually seen at his best. It means that he requires rousing up, and it is a bit unkind to suggest the clever boxer and non-slogger is timid. Rather is it that his nature is kind and not cruel enough. The contest between J. M'Avoy, of

Manchester, and A. Sexton, of London, for the middle-weight championship was decided at Manchester this week. It was a real fight from the gong, and, although Sexton was knocked out in the tenth round, he showed himself a worthy rival for the title-holder. RUGBY. Dr Fred Reid, who won both the IUO and 220 yds amateur sprint championships in 1932, is taking up Rugby seriously. He may follow in the footsteps of Eric Liddell, who also won the same running honours but after dropping out of international Rugby. When Liddell realised he had outstanding speed, he devoted all his attention to sprinting, and how he won the 400 metres at the 1924 Olympiad will be remembered. It is to be hoped Reid will meet with no mishap on the football field to stop his racing. England managed to beat Australia in the test match under Rugby League rules, the old Northern Union style. It was a fine game, the outstanding ability of Sullivan, of Wigan, being a feature in the success of the home side by two goals to 0. SOCCER. In the Association world, the trans-

ter of Lambert of Arsenal to Fulham has aroused wide interest. When Arsenal can part with such a talon tod player it suggests the club is well served in the matter of centre forwards. It will be Fulham s cam, and the West London Club ought to do well in the second division this seaS °ft was no mean performance on the part of Portsmouth, the leaders, to 1)1 av Leicester City to a goal, the Midlanders being hart to beat at home. The defeat, coupled with the success ol Tottenham, led to a change in the leadership. Tottenham played leal championship football when at home to Sunderland, as the 13 goals to 1

triumph suggests. There were 45,000 spectators at White Hart Lane, which shows what a following the “Spurs” have. Motherwell continues to do well in the Scottish League, and, with a lead of three points over Rangers, will take a lot of catching. It has given unbounded satisfaction among real sportsmen that the unfortunate friction between Australian and English cricket authorities has ended satisfactorily. Winning a test match is pleasing, but if the methods employed are such as to create bad feeling between the two countries, then it is not worth it. From the start of the “ bodyline ” bowling trouble the waiter has taken the stand in these notes that something should be done to stop bowling which is towards the batsmen and with short-pitched bails rising head high. The assurance of the English cricket authorities that Australia can send a team to England with the knowledge that matches will be played in the best spirit of cricket, is splendid. The air is cleared, and all can now look forward to the next series of tests in England with the knowledge that the best of feeling will prevail.

A few years ago the late Tommy Conneff’s record of 3min 2 4-ssec for six furlongs was considered about the “ best ” running record on the tables. .1. E. Lovelock brought it down to 3min 2 l-ssec, and now Jules Ladouniague, of France, has run the distance in 2min 59 2-ssec. The latter put up these figures in a special attack on the record at the Stade Jean Bonin Stadium, Paris, on Monday, and it suggests that the “mile” in 4min is a step nearer. Ladoumague is probably the best “ miler ” in the world to-day, and had he not got into the bad books of the French authorities regarding his amateur status, he would probably have won the 1,500 metres for France at the last Olympic Games. It is unfortunate that Ladoumague and Beccali, of Italy, cannot meet in a race. With Lovelock and Bonthron also joining issue, something startling would result. Amateur and professional golfers and cricketers meet in competition without any apparent harm, and no real reason can be advanced against the same policy in athletics. Tommy Green, the Olympic walking champion, was not quite speedy enough for A. A. Cooper, of Woodford, in the Finchley Charter celebration sixmile road walk last Saturday. Cooper finished in 44min Bsec, beating Green by Ssec. The distance is too short for Green, who is at his best between thirty and fifty miles, where his excellent staying power and judgment come into play.