RACING NOTES FROM HOME

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 50

RACING NOTES FROM HOME

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, May 13

Dismal, ohilly weather was the most marked feature of the Newmarket meeting opened last Tuesday, hut sport on the whole was good and the fielders had little the best of the deal. On the first day four favourites got home in seven events, but iu the big race, the Newmarket Handicap of £905, the bookies had a turn. In a field of ten Jupiter Pluvius (3yrs, 7.1) was made a hot favourite, no better odds than 6 to 5 against being forthcoming when the field had mustered at the post. The only other animal seriously backed was Piestwick (4yrs, 6.0) at 8 to 1, tens being ou offer against Sir K. Cassel’s colt Exchequer (4yrs, 7.8) and Morgindale (4yrs, 7.0) and from 14 to 20 to 1 against the rest.

Prestwick paced the field for the first mile of the ten furlong journey, closely pursued by Exchequer and Jupiter Pluvius. The favourite was in trouble at the distance, and up the final incline Sir Ernest Cassel’s colt wore down Prestwick and won by a length, the favourite .struggling on into third place three lengths off. The winner is a son of Florizel 11. and Ways and Means. In the Somerville Stakes, of £370, for 2-year-olds, Mr J. B. Joel’s gigantic colt Lancaster Gate (Orme —'Serpentine) was opnosed by eight other youngsters, including Sir E. Cassel’s filly, Crossbow, by Carbine, out of that beautiful mare Marguerite 11. The odds of 0 to 4 laid on Mr Joel’s colt were never in danger for after waiting on Crossbow to the distance the colt came clean away and won by a couple of lengths from Carbine’s good-looking daughter. On the morrow the principal,event if the meeting, The Newmarket Handicap' of £ISOO for three-year-olds, was decided. The race was principally interesting because it renewed the antagonism of the three placed horses in the Two Thousand Guineas, viz., Mr L. de Rothschild’s St. Amant, Sir John Thursby’s John-o’-G aunt, Mr J. Masker’s Henry the First, all of which have engagements in the Derby and St. Leger, and moreover enabled two other Derby and St. Leger candidates in Lord Farquliar’s Craven Stakes winner, Airlie, and the King’s big colt Ohatsworth to take an airing in public. This quintette formed the field. The public were' hot

and strong for St. Amant, on which odds or 9 to 4 on were freely laid, the slashing John-o’-Gaunt being second favourite at 3 to 1 and Henry the First a healthy 100 to 7 chance. Against Airlie 25 to 1 was l&id here and there, but the King’s representative was friendless at) 100 to 1,

The race was worth going miles to see. I rom the start St. Amant made play at a warm pace frofn John-o’-Gaunt, with Henry the First close at their heels and so they came on to the Bushes. Hereabouts Kempt on Cannon gave the favourite a reminder, and a moment later was seen to.be keeping his whip at work. A hoarse yell “Amant’s beat,” rent the air. Angry denials followed, but they were silenced by John-o’-Gaunt giving the favourite the go-by." In a few strides the big bay had established a dear lead fiom St. Amant, but hardly had the shouts pi his backers proclaimed his victory than Heni’y the down upon him and challenged vigorously. Stride by stride Mr Musker’s horse oveihauled the leader and fifty yards from home the pair were dead level. Amid intense excitement they raced past the post and only the judge in his box could tell which had won. His verdict was ‘‘Henry the-First by a short head.” Four lengths away, barely clear of Airlie, St. Amant struggled into third place. So were the Two Thousand placings turned about and the Derby favourite disgraced. The result leaves the Derby a very open event for our three-year-olds have been beating one another in a most perplexing fashion since the opening of the season. Their form, indeed, suggests that if the French candidate Gouvernant keeps well, our “Bunband” is like to take a trip across tho Channel.

Yesterday the KingJiad a long overdue smile from Dame Fortune when his colt Rosemarket (Orion —Rose Madder) proved the best of the dozen youngsters competing for the Breeders’ Stakes of £407 over the Rous Course. The colt, which is one of the King’s own breeding, and is engaged in next year’s Derby and St. Leger, was making its debut and started third favourite to Prudent King at 7 to 2 and there was a storm of checking when at the distance Rosemarket was seen to have tho verdict in safekeeping. He won readily by a length from Kha.mmura.bi, which beat tho favourite two lengths for second honours. This was the King’s first win during the current season, and lie was present to see lib colours carried to victory.

The only other race of an3 r importance was the Payne Stakes of £760 for 3-year-olds, run over the last mile arid a-half of the Oesarewitch course. This fell to Mr J R. Keene’s St. Leger candidate Sweeper (8.12) } Ben Brush—Fairy Slipper, which, starting at 100 to 15, in a field of eight, ran home an easy winner b- a length- from the favourite Antonio (8.4).

The “horses for courses” theory received striking exemplification last Saturday at Kcmpton Park, when for the second year in succession Mr A P OunnliftVs Aimoricun-brod son of Galore and Stefanette, Ypsilanti. carrying the steadier of Ost 51b. cleverly won the rich Jubilee Handicap of £2655, bringing ms total wins on the Ivempton course up to four, and his winnings on that stretch of turf up to £7470. Ypsilanti’s victory makes it clearer than ever that a goo i class animal, can despise weight on rhe “Jubilee” course. When the Stakes were run for over a mile Bendigo, wit a 9.7 Minting with lOst, Orvieto with 0.7. and Victor Wild with 9.7, proved in turn that weight had no terrors for a good animal at Ivempton, and since tbn race was extended to a mile and a quarter only one horse weighted below bst. has jiroved successful. Last year Ypsilanti (syrs, 8.1) started at 7to 2in . a field of 19; this year ho was opposed by fifteen other animals, most of which were in receipt of over 281 b, and was third in the betting at 109 to 12. the favourite being L’Aiglon (4-yrs, 7.6), at 3 to 1, with Dean Swift (3yrs, 6.2) second in demand at 100 to 15. This pair, however, had nothing to do with the finish, for after holding a prominent position in the middle division to the mile mark Ypsilanti ranged alongside the beaten favourite, ' and, making the remainder of the running, won easily by three parts of a length from Cerisier (4yrs, 5.9), which beat General Cronje (4yrs. 7.3) a si mi hr distance for second money, the placed horses starting at 10 to 1 and 14 to 1 respectively.

Ypsilanti’a jockey in both “Jubilee” victories was B. Dillon, who has thus equalled the performances of Bradford, N. Robinson and F. lvickaby in riding the winner of this race two years in succession.