BRILLIANT AJAX

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23196, 16 November 1938, Page 13

BRILLIANT AJAX

UNDOUBTED CHAMPION HIGH PRAISE FROM CRITIC GREAT UP TO TEN FURLONGS # BY PHAETON Of Ajax €t does not come as a sur- ■ prise to hear an opinion that ho could win high honours in England. If the Australian horse could bo depended upon to withstand the change, there would be good reason to view his prospects brightly. ' History reveals that many horses transported from Australia to England were never able to reproduce the form they displayed in | the land of their birth. Merman, The Grafter and Newhaven certainly scored important victories, but Patron, Aurura ' and Strephon were pronounced failures. Writing in the Sydney Referee, 1 "Pilot" says: "If the owners of Ajax i signified their willingness to race that • horse in America next year, there would bo great bidding by some of the clubs. It is practically certain that- offers ,wpuld go to £20,000 for a special race against such horses as Seabiscuit, War Admiral 1 and Stageland. Distances favoured in ' America are nine and ten furlongs, and, ■ without in any way belittling America's cracks, they would find Ajax a tough j proposition at either distance. " Ho is one of the best horses up to a mile and a-quarter that has ever raced in Australia, and, recollecting Phar Lap's performances in the Agua Caliente Handicap, Americans will recognise that such an high opinion of him means quite a lot;" MELBOURNE CUP CATALOGUE THE SURPRISE , The outstanding character of Catalogue's victory in the Melbourne Cup is not disputed, but the Australian critics did not spare the New Zealand gelding in referring to his physique and general appearance. " Chiron," of the Australasian, dubbed him " the ugly duckling" of the Cup field, adding " a plain, angular-looking gelding and totally devoid of quality." The Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Referee declared in his reference to Catalogue: " Ho wouldn't win a prize at a country show." The fact that Catalogue was always racing well up with the leaders in the early stages of the contest, that he romped away from his opponents over the concluding seven furlongs, and that he won by a good margin will ensure the victory registered by "the ugly duckling" special mention for a good few years when Melbourne Cup surprises are being related. A survey of the list of winners of the Melbourne Cup reveals that in the 78 contests six horses only ranged above six-year-olds have won, the list being as follows: — 1865—Toryboy, Byrs.. by Wollaston, 7.0; won by two lengths. 1873 —Nimblefoot, 7yrs.,. by Panic, 6.3; won by a short head. 1885 —Sheot Anchor, 7yrs., by St. Albans, 7.11; won by a head. 1893 —Tarcoola, 7yrs., by Newminster, 8.4; won by half a length. 1004 —Acrasia, 7yrs., by Gozo, 7.6; won by three-quarters of a length. 1038 —Catalogue, Byrs., by Lord Quex, 8.4; won by three lengths. leading filly NEW ZEALAND OAKS WINNER Peerless, the New Zealand Oaks winner, was included with the collection of yearlings sent to auction at Trentham in January, 1936, by Mr. J. Donald, and she was bought by Mr. R. J. Murphv, of Wellington, for 425 guineas. The leading lines in her pedigree are as follows: — Sire: Bean Pere, by Son-in-Law and grandson of Dark Ronald, from Cinna, by Polymelus, son of Cyllene, from Baroness La Fleche, by Ladas, son of Hampton, from La Fleche, by St. Simon, son of Galopin. Dam: Prestige, by Limond, son of Desmond and grandson of St. Simon, from Homage, by Absurd, son of Sundndge, from Eulogy, by Cicero, son of Cyllene, from Kelibia, by Upas, from Goletta, by Galopin. RACING IN ENGLAND FRENCH-BRED HORSES SCORE A number of important races was won by French-bred horses in England this vear, the winners including Bois Roussel, Derby; ' Phakos, Lincolnshire Handicap; L'Ouragan, Prince of Wales Stakes; Helleniqua, Cambridgeshire Stakes; and Contravent, Cesarewitch Stakes. It is not the first time that the French have captured the double, Cesarewitch Stakes and Cambridgeshire Stakes. Fifty-three years ago Plaisanterie, a three-year-old filly by Wellingtonia, led big fields home in each race, and at the time it was said a large amount was won from the layers of the odds in England. STUD ITEMS THE BEND OR LINE A feature in connection with this year's Melbourne Cup and also the New Zealand Cup is "that the respective winners trace to Bend Or through a very notable channel, Cyllene. Catalogue, winner of the Melbourno Cup, is by Lord Quex, §on of Lemberg and grandson of Cyllene. Arctic King, who scored in the Now Zealand Cun. b. v Dominion-bred Rabbi, son of Paladin, the latter being by Polymelus, son of Cy Cataiani, dam of Catalogue, was sired in England and foaled in New Zealand. At. a sale of bloodstock in England in 1914 the Svmington mare Symbolism, in foal to Catmint, was purchased on account of .a Canterbury breeder, and in the year following she produced a filly foal in New Zealand, who was nained Catalani. ENGLAND'S GREATEST STUD The Slodmere Stud has frequently been cited as the most successful bloodstock breeding concern in the world. A reference to the record of bloodstock sales in England shows that from 1919 tq 1938 the Sledmere Stud sent up to auction 308 yearlings, which realised the great sum of 636,567 guineas. Tins year's collection of 10 was not so strong numerically as in some previous years, but the financial return of 29,950 guineas was satisfactory. A colt by Bnrliatn, son of Blandford, who was sold for 13,000 guineas, topped the list. • PRIZE-MONEY INCREASED TRIAL STAKES ALLOCATION [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Tuesday The committee of the Waikato Racing Club has increased the prize-money for the Trial Stakes, which has necessitated a division. The valuo of each division will now be £l5O, £IOO going to the winner, £3O to the second and £2O to the third horse. The sweepstake of £3_will be divided in the proportion of 37J per cent to the wniner of the respective divisions | and 12J per cent to the second horses.