"ADVANCE AUSTRALIA.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5951, 14 July 1906, Page 14

"ADVANCE AUSTRALIA.”

CARBINE'S SON WINS THE DERBY TIME RECORD BROKEN.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, Juno 1.

Tho Derby of IRU6 proved a rare puzzle to the prophets of the turf, mid a regular knock down for ante-pcst speculators. During the winter most money was behind Air Purcioys Daily, hut his Newmarket Slakes running made him out to be little if anything in front of the Carbine colt Ramrod or the Two Thousand Guineas whiner Gorges. These in tui u were shown to bo about on a par with Ging.d, Sarcclle and Saucy*, and tho quc-cr-tcai-pored Dlack Arrows victory in the Payne Staked made him look like being dangerous to the best of them if caught in a racing humour. Thou there were half-a-dozen marc or Joss dark horses apparently faiic.od by their connections'to reckon with, including Major Eustace Lodcr’s Spearmint, a Carbine colt, whose two-ycar-old performances made him out to be only moderate, but who was said to have trained in a remarkable fashion, and when tried wait tho famous mare Pretty Polly not only made her gallop all tho way but bested her at tho finish. If tho trial was made on anything liko proper weight-for-age line? this made Spearmint out to bo something of a “cleacl-cortaiuty,” but though backed with any amount of confidence by his stable connections. “Old Jack’s’’ Ron’s reputed performance with Polly was taken with many grains of sun.* by tno general public, aim k was not until tho last days before the race that tho horse found favour with tho general run of people, and threatened Daily’s position as favourite. Meanwhile Gingal and Ramrod—the two other Cnrbaic colts engaged—had been scratched, ns also had a particularly dangerous candidate in Sir Daniel Cooper’s iilly Flair, winner of tho One Thousand, and Spearmint's stable companion. Tho filly on book form had tho measure of nearly all the colts ong igcu hmi had all kept well with him Spearmint would have been reserved for the Grand Prix do Paris for which race he was being specially prepared.

Other fancied, candidates wero Mr Hoincmanu s Malua—named after tho Australian Dyer which won tho Melbourne Cup, tho Australian Cup. tho Adelaide Cup, tho Newmarket Handicap, tho V.R.C. Grand National, and other good races?—Dcnpo and H.s Eminence, whilst a few loyal subjects ■pinned their faith to the King’s “dark” candidate Xulli Sccundus, concerning which wo heard some wonderful talcs a couple of weeks ago. These talcs, alast had no foundation in fact for Xulli Sccundus belied his name- in his trial and disgraced himself in tho race. When tho field mustered 52 strong at tho petffc. on Wednesday last, the atmospheric conditions wore absolutely perfect, and tho course was in splendid order. Tho King and Prince Christ-an. were present, and the crowd on tho hill broke all records. It was a case of “blackacres of humanity.” Tho betting at tho start was 4 to 1 Dally, 6 to I Spearmint, 3 tol Malua and Sancy, 10 to I Gorges, 100 to 7 D3ack Arrow, 18 to 1 Ficton and His Eminence, 25 to 1 Sarcelle, White Trouttock, 50 to 1 Xulli Socundus and Knight, Doppo and Radium, 33 to 1 from 66 to 1 to 100 to 1 against the rest'.

i'lie start for tho' groat race was delayed a little by tbo antics of Black Arrow and tho favourite, and when tho gate did go up Prince William was left at the post. At a ripping pace Troutbcck made play from Spearmint, but soon an outsider, tho SKpaway co'.t, tried to justify his name and heading Spearmint tried to take the lead. But Picton shot past him ,aud half a mile fromi the start ran to the head of affairs. Tho paco was now a cracker, and tho field rapidly commenced to string out. Tho leader’s closest attendants at this juncture were Spearmint, Minos, Malua, Beppo and Saucy, these being well clear of the rest. Approaching Tattenham Corner Troutbcck was sent to tho front, and swung round the famous bend a couple of lengths ahead for Picton. with His Eminence .thud and Spearmint galloping smoothly along just behind. So the leaders ran till a quarter of a mile flora tho winning post-, when Maher gave Carbine’s son “the office’' to get home as quickly as possible. The cole responded in splendid style, and swiftly cutting down those in front of him. assumed the lead. Running hid race out in a determined fashion Spearmint increased tho gap at every stride, and finally won amid uproarious applause by a length and a half from Picton, which beat Troutbcck by a couple of length for second honours. Radium close up was forth and Malua next. Tho favourite Bally was “down the field” and the King’s horse crawled in last fully 300 yards behind tho winner.

The time of the race was 2min. 36 4-3 sec., which is a record for the raco, the previous best having been Ciceros 2min. 39 3-ssec. last year. Pretty Polly, however, won the Coronation Oup over tho same course last year in the • wonderful time of 2min. 33 4-sseo.

By Spearmint's victory Major Eustace I/oder annexes tho sum of £6450, and is eaid to have cleared some £30,000 in bets besides. Spearmint, a bay colt by Carbine, out of Maid of the Mint (Minting— Warble), bred by Sir Tatton Sykes, was purchased by Major Coder as » yearling for 300 gs. First time out as a two-year-old he won the Great Foal Plate of £835 at Lingfield Park, Summer. At Derby, September, the colt finished second to Black Arrow in tho Champion Bleeders’ Foal Stakes, but at :'i“ Houghton Meeting at headquarters ho was unplaced in the Richmond Nursery Handicap. Speanuint had not appeared in public this season prior to his Derby outing. Ho is not engaged in tho St. Leger, but is entered for the Grand Prix, run Jnne 10th, and has liabilities in half a dozen rich stakes to bo decided during the current season.