THE TURF.

Northern Advocate, 22 October 1919, Page 3

THE TURF.

POITREL AND GLOAMING

THEIR TEST IN AUSTRALIA

A writer in the Sydney "Referee" say.s:— It was certainly Messrs W. and I\ A. Moses' lucky month when Poitrel was ofl'ered at auction as a yearling at Randwick in April, 1916, and failed to reach a reserve of something less than SOOgns. They thereupon decided to have him trained, and though, like most of St. Alwyne 's progeny, he was not a success as a two-year-old, his deeds since have made him a profitable horse. He ran a great race when he beat Desert Gold in last year's Spring Stakes, and an almost equally good one when he downed Gloaming in that race on Saturday Inst. The rain of Thursday and Friday was opportune for Poitrel, as though n hard track might not have disposed of his chance, it may have jarred him sufficiently to have adversely affected his prospects ia other races at the meeting. On the other hand, Mr Greenwood thought the track might be soft enough to tell against Gloaming. Still, the latter was a sound favourite, though, of course, Poitrel and Sasanof were well backed. Outside the three mentioned, support for anything was of the lightest. Kennaquhair and Cetinge looked well, but it was too much to expect either to quite win. GLOAMING OUTSTAYED. Rather unexpectedly, Sasanof was the early leader, but as he drew the rails, and nothing else evinced any desire to get to the front, he could not avoid the position. The pace was slow, with Gloamiag as Sasanof's nearest attendant at the mile, and lan 'Or last. A little further oh Gloaming went on with the running, and Prince Viridis moved up second, while before reaching the half-mile, lan 'Or also joined in. At the half-mile Sasanof and Poitrel were nearest this trio. Gloaming drew away at the bend, and was going so strongly when he turned into the straight ahead of Prince Viridis, Sasanof, Poitrel, lan 'Or, and Kennaquahair, that a win for him seemed certain. Poitrel was hampered for the few strides in trying for a run, but then he got through. He quickly closed on Gloaming, and Deeley, who probably thought he had the race quite safe at the leger, lost no time in getting to work. Gloaming responded gamely enough, and momentarily looked like stalling off Poitrel. The chestnut, however, hung on, and worried the New Zealander out of it in the last few strides. FORM OF BEATEN HORSES. No excuse was possible for Gloaming. He certainly made the running after passing the mile, but the pace was not severe, and until Poitrel came to him he was going comfortably. Halfway down the straight Kennaquhair momentarily showed a bold front, but Cetigne, running on better than the chestnut, gained third place. Sasanof was disappointing, but the slowness of pace that enabled lan 'Or to .run from, last at the mile to nearly first in the next three furlongs probably, told against the New Zealander..

Thana did not. look, her old self, but she. finished ahead of Prince Viridis and lan 'Or, who weakened in the straight as a result of their oarlies efforts to run down Gloaming, The last home were The Fortune Hunter and Carbern, but as both look well they may be seen to greater advantage in handicaps before the close of the meeting. I timed the final mile carefully, and, commencing on Sasanof, and finishing on Poitrel, made it 1.40. The latter actually did it much faster, as h« was some lengths behind Sasanof at the mile post.