PROMISING THREE-YEAR-OLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 7

PROMISING THREE-YEAR-OLD.

PHAR LAP AND A.J.C. DERBY. Though the New Zealand-bred gelding Phar Lop was counted out of the placed > division in the Warwick Stakes, won by Limerick, ho is given credit for running a good race, and he was only beaten by a narrow margin for third position in firatclnas company. In tho decision of the Chelmsford Stakes last Saturday Phar Lap beat all his field with the exception of the speedy Mollison, and he ia sta'ted to have finished up hia task most impressively. , Phar Lap's displays evidently encouraged his owner to allow him to remain in tho A.J.C. Derby and his name still figures in that important classic event. l Phar Lap who ia owned by Mr. H. R. Telford, ia by Night Raid (son of Radium), from the Winkie maro Entreaty. With a strain of Musket blood on each aide, which comes , to him through Maxim and Carbine, that should certainly assist Phar Lap, and a tick can be placed opposite his name for events ahead. HURDLE RACE RECORD. LEONTES' FEAT. Red Fuchsia's time (3m 37 4-ss). when he won the Sydenham Hurdle Race, two miles, at Riccarton on the 17th ult.. nnd which was claimed as a world's record for the distance named. wa3 not allowed to stand long. A Melbourne cablegram to hand states that Leontes eclipsed l?ed Fuchsia's performance by winning the Boomerang Hurdle Race, run at Moonee Valley last Saturday, in 3m 3GJs. The cabled account of Leontes' fast feat furnishod no particulars as to the impost ho carried, but, as ho ran unplaced in IS events Inst season, it would seem safe to infer that he wa3 allotted a light impost. It will be interesting to note what position Leontes takes as he ages, for he is row only in his fifth year. Something can be said for Leontes on the score of breeding, for he is by Sea Prince (son of Persimmon and grandson of St. Simon), while his dam, Perdita. is by Wallace (son of Carbine and gTandson of Musket). THE A.J.C. DERBY. EULOGY OF HONOUR. Honour is going to prove a mighty three-year-old. just as he was an all-conquering two-year-old last season, when he came to Randwick and won his only contest, the £6OOO Sires' Produce Stakes (writes C. J. Graves in the Guardian). Some who have seen the work he haa done since his recent arrival from New Zealand already wish that they had been brave enough to give the price asked for him when he was put up for auction at Randwick last Easter. It is said that the reserve was 6000 guineas, tnd nobody got near that offer. But it ia quite on the cards that he will prove worth a lot more money. The question is whether he will stay. As to his apeed, there is do question. A gallop at Randwick recently emphasised his brilliance. But whether he will run the Derby distance or not, he is likely to prove a great stake-winner at lesser distances. Honour is such a magnificent galloper that he Beems at his ease even when putting up good time. Trainers of rival Derby candidates eagerly await Honour's attempts to go a distance in order to Bee whether he can stay. They recognise him as one to be feared at shorter distances, and if he can go further rival Derby chances are frail. THE NEW ZEALAND CUP; REVIEW OF THE WEIGHTS. With Rapier and Star Stranger engaged in the New Zealand Cup it did not admit of any doubt as to tho two horses Mr. J. E. Henrys would range up at the head of the list in casting the handicap , for the two-mile race, but the exact position in which be would place the brown son of Greyspear and the bay son of Martian formed the subject of not a little discussion. Rapier (9.6) is accorded the post of honour, . Star Stranger being awarded lib. less. In framing the handicap for last year's New Zealand Cup Mr. Henrys awarded Star Stranger 9.6 and Rapier 9.0, so that he now estimates Rapier at eight years to be a better horse than Star Stranger at six years old. Of course. Rapier has more recent , form to recommend him to notice than Star Stranger owing to the lattter going amiss last spring. All the same, I think Star Stranger's form is superior to that of Rapier, and, if tho two bays go to the post for the New Zealand Cup in their best form. I fancy the Martian gelding will be rated more highly than his Canterbury rival when tho question of favouritism comes to be decided.

Nightmarch (8.12) has been awarded 2lb. below weight-for-age, and, as a New Zealand Derby winner, he is not harshly treated. Paquito (8.9) is popularly ticked off as a horse likely to be well in the limelight this season, but in summing him up it will bo as well to await' the character of his performance in the Metropolitan Handicap, the distance of which extends to a mile and fivo furlongs. That race should furnish something like a line as to whether the son of Thurnham is likely to stay out a two-mile journey. Princo Humphrey *8 8) can be voted decidedly well treated for a horse that won tho Australian Jockey Clun 3 Derby, for the impost oppoiite his i tune represents 6lb. below wrushvf. '-ago. Concentrate (8.4) is entitled to a tick opposite his name, but in considering the dual St. Leger winner it has to bo remembered that he is owned in the same interest as Oratrix (8.0). The latter has an impost 131b, in excess under which she won the cup last year, but that doe 3 not mako her out to be harshly treated. Corinax (8.0) must be given a chance, for he demonstrated that ho could stay properly when he won the Auckland Cup last December, and I think tho opinion may be confidently expressed that he will bo found racing attractively at aix years oW. Seatown (7.10) is nicely treated and tho same can bo applied to Pink Note (7.9 J.

A horse that will probably form the gnbject of much discussion between this and cup duy is English-bred Hoylake (7.9). In the decision of the New Zealand Cup last year Hoylake cracked on the pace at a rapid rate, with the result that he had r.o reserve to combat the respective challenges of Oratrix and Rapier. With only 7,'J to carry, the question of poundage should not bo of much moment to a horse of tho solid physique of Hoylake. There aro some who will not stand Hoylake, but tho grey horse did sufficiently well last spring to warrant his being kept on the right side, and, should he train on all right, there will, I opine, be encouragement to offer the prediction that he will improve on the position he occupipd in the big race last November. Pink Coat (7.4), who can be regarded as the three-year-old likely to prove most prominent, is, of course, entitled to notice, but whether the big son of Hunting Song will be submitted to the test of endeavouring to win over two miles this spring is a point on which there may be a doubt. Twenty-seveii horses are ranged up at the minimum weight (7.0), but it must be left for time to reveal whether any come up to tho two-mile standard. In the meantime the' 11 horses that figuro in the list from 9.6 to 8.0 will, I fancy, claim most attention. LIMERICK IN WORK. TIDAL'S AILMENT. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received September 16, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY. Sopt. 16. Limerick worked on the grass at Randwick this morning. Trainer Jones thinks he will be able to gallop the New Zealand champion to-morrow. t It was discovered this morning that Tidal was suffering from injuries to his off fore heel. Trainer Price states that the Auck-land-owned horse may not start auain before the spring meeting at Randwick, which opens on October 6.