ENGLISH TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8834, 10 September 1914, Page 8

ENGLISH TURF

From Our Special Correspondent. LONDON. July 24. A certain racehorse, by name Kenny-inor-o, was given an opportunity last Friday to redeem his serious sin of omission in tho Derby. Ho refused redemption again, and so remains an 'outcast. What a melancholy sequel to the beliefs expressed in the spring after the horse had won the Two Thousand Guineas that the era of another great racehorse had arrived at last! Kennymore went mad at tho startingpost in the race for the Derby, ide was tortured by the kicking and scrimmaging of other horses, and his temper collapsed altogether under tho strain. When at fast the race was started he, among others, was practically left on the kicking field. That was iwritten down as a tragedy. He might have returned to glory at Ascot but for going amiss just before the meeting. The fact prevented him ■from running. The Eclipse Stakes of |£lo,ooo, however, was to bo the medium by which he would prove the hol■lowness of tho Derby fiasco. Ho must 'surely win, because his trainer, Alec. Taylor, knew by the work he was doing, and the way he was doing it, that ho retained his fine galloping powers. Then what was there to beat him? Cantilever with his lOst? No; it requires an uncommonly good four-year-old like a Swynford or a Prince Palatine to beat a three-year-old of' any class at 121 b. Hapsburg? How could Sir Ernest Cassel’s little horse win? Kennymore had well trounced him in the Two Thousand Guineas; Corcyra had thoroughly beaten him at Ascot, and Kennymore had proved himself the superior of Corcyra. Then what else was there to threaten danger? Apparently nothing at all. Therefore it was easy to picture Kennymore returning to his rightful kingdom at last. Alas, for human hopes of the majority. As at Epsom, so at Sandown Park on’ this brilliant Eclipse Stakes Day, Kennymore dissipated his chances at the start of the race. Beyond all doubt ho has not forgotten his experiences in the Derby. Until he arrived at the post ho was as quiet as an old sheep. Then the drama began. From the first moment he was asked to come into line with the others and face the tapes he would not do so. He turned his back at tho psychological moment. This went on for so long that the bookmakers extended his price. It was as dear as anything could be that ho was wasting his strength by these furious antics. ' He was not absolutely left when tho start did take place, but he was slowly out of the gate, and Hapsburg and others had poached a lead of several lengths. Now let Clark, his jockey, relate what, ho, told me:— “I gave him time to settle down, hut then when I asked him to race after the others he seemed disinclined to try. So I roused him up and as a result wo were not badly placed as we turned into the straight. A quarter of a mile from home I thought we were going to win. He was galloping then, hut he began to tire and roll,_ and he prevented Honeywood from doing better than ho did. He disappointed me, but he will be a different horse on the long galloping course at Doncaster.” Hapsburg won the honours by making all the running and winning rather easily by two lengths. It has been pointed out how be bad no pretensions' to beat Kennymore on form, but with Kennymore out of the way he had as good a chance as anything, for after all ho was second in the Derby. Thei pity is that he is not a bit bigger, but for his size there is no doubt that be is really a good one. His jockel, Foy, thinks he will win Che St. Leger on him, so that he does not doubt the horse’s stamina. Very surprising was it to see Honeywood second entirely on his merits. Mr Solly Joel’s horse was third for the Royal Hunt Cup, and; there was an idea that ho was only a sprinter. We may hear of him next week in connection with the Stewards’! Cup at Goodwood, for which he must have a good chance. It was on tho following day that the richest two-year-old race of the season was decided. It was tho National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, worth between four and five thousand pounds to the winner. What are supposed to be the best youngsters of the season— Let Fly, Roseland, Lady Josephine, and Friar Marcus—were not engaged. Roseland was entered, but did not run, but it was Redfern who had run a good race with Let Fly and Roseland for the Now Stakes at Ascot, that won now. Redfern is a strong and handsome bay colt by St. Denis, and ia tbs Eroperty of Earl Cadogan, who has een winning races this year with the Curragh. Redfern was favourite, and ho won easily by throe lengths, Clark being the successful jockey. Second was Mr Mortimer Singer’s Sun Umbrella, and third Mr Henmann’s Elkington. Judging by the consistency of the best two-year-olds, it is probable that they represent a lot above the average this year, which is entirely a satisfactory matter. All meetings at Liverpool are immensely popular. The management give big stake money; there is a fine course; and tho best horses go there. Thus the spring meeting is unique because it is the occasion of the Grand National Steeplechase, and at tho meeting which has been in progress this week the Summer Cup is invariably a most attractive- feature. But it is not only the cup race that draws the people. On tho first day the St. George’s Stakes attracts crack three-year-olds. Thus on Tuesday the race was won for Mr J. B. Joel with his black horse. Black Jester, when ridden by the French jockey, Stern was a tremendous fancy for tho Derby, but the son of Sundridge disclosed then that he does not stay a mile and a half. He very easily won this race of a mile and three furlongs, hut that was because the course is an easy one, and there was nothing in the opposition capable of testing him at the end. Florentine, who won tho Liverpool Plate of a mile and three-quarters for Mr W. M. Singer, represented what can best bo described as “a racing certainty.” Ho had very easily won the Bibury Cup, although receiving 461 b from that good horse Junior, but, notwithstanding, the handicappor ol this Liverpool race only put him up about 71b. which was absurd. He demonstrated this by winning again just as far as his jockey liked, and his starting price showed clearly enough that the public did not ignore the handicapper’s extraordinary mistake. It was on tho second day of the meeting that tho best and fastest sprinters in training competed for tho Molyneux Stakes, which is a £IOOO handicap of five furlongs. It was, indeed, a fine assembly of champions for they included the Hungarian-bred

Adular, Great Surprise, Hornet's Beauty, Young Pegasus, and The Angel Man. Great Surprise was favourite, but the winner was forthcoming in a three-year-old named Coronis, who was very much fancied. She won by a neck from The Angel Man, who was conceding 201 b, with Voldy, receiving 341 b third. Dan Itussel won the Knowsley Dinner Stakes for the noble owner of Knowsley, Lord Derby. This horse is a son of Chaucer, who does not stand mora than fifteen hands, and yet has proved himself a great sire oi winners. Torloisk, who won the Great Lancashire Breeders' Produce Stakes for Mr E. Hulton, is probably a highclass colt. He certainly won like one, and his breeding also suggests he is one. For ho is by Gallinule from Jongleuse, by Juggler and added to all that is the fact that t he is exceptionally good-looking. Ido not think it. will be dispxited that the present season looks like being a vintage year for the two-year-olds. May this prove to he the fact!