TOWN GUARD’S SUPERIORITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18764, 18 January 1923, Page 8

TOWN GUARD’S SUPERIORITY

MODERN BRITISH THOROUGHBRED. LORD WOOLAVINGTON’S VIEWS. (From Cub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 30. At the Gimcrack Dinner, held in York, it is the privilege of the guest of tho evening to speak upon current turf affairs —often to offer those suggestions of reforms which arouse the liveliest controversy. At the 136th anniversary last night. Lord Woolavington (who owns Captain Cuttle, this year’s Derby winner, and Town Guard, the favourite for next year’s Derby) was the guest, his horse, Town Guard, having this year won the Gimcrack Stakes.

It has puzzled many people (says The Times) to explain why it is that the Little Grey Horae is so specially enshrined in the affections of York, above all other places, for ho was beaten there each time that lie ran for the Greet Subscription Plate, although he was usually n winner on most of tho other racecourses he visited in his seven seasons on tho turf. Ho was not even a Yorkshire horse, but an outcast, foaled and reared in Hampshire in days when the North Countrymen were justifiably sceptical of any good horse coming out of the south, so long had they enjoyed on almost unchallenged superiority on the turf. On the score of ancestry, however, Gimcrack lacked nothing. His sire was a son of the Godolphin Arabian, a.nd his dam was in direct descent from that wonder, Brocklesby Betty, who in her day had the reputation of being fhe best mare in the kingdom. Gimcrack was launched upon the turf by a certain Mr Green, and soon was destined to bo associated with the best-known owners of his day. Many of his races were in what were known as Give-and-take Plates, a species of handicap in which horses were weighted according to height, to equal the smaller animals’ chances of winning, and were much iu favour at the time. From this circumstance, it is known that the height of Gimcrack was about 14 hands and a-quorter of an inch, and fhe word “about” is used advisedly, for he appears to have varied from 34 hands to 14 hands and onequarter of an inch, according to the views of different measurers. Sir Charles Bunbury and Lord G.tosvenor were the grey’s last two owners, and when he left the turf he ended his days as a stallion at the latter’s stud at Oxcroft, in Cambridgeshire. There seems no danger of the memory of Gimcrack falling into oblivion. Moreover, it may fairly lie assumed that so long as Knavcsmire is a racecurse, so Jong will the Gimcrack Stakes be the principal prize for two-year-olds at the pleasant York August meeting, and, further, that the grey wolk will be toasted at the annual dinner of tho club, founded in his honour, THE BRITISH THOROUGHBRED. Lord Woolavington modestly protested that ho was being honoured under false pretences, for what, he asked, is the owner of a winner compared with his trainer or jockey—or with the winner himself? “Gimrraok, in whose name this club was founded in 1767, was owned by five or six people, but they are forgotten, while his name remains and will remain. He seems to have been an honest trier throughout all his racing career, which did not close until he was 11—and he was winning even then. He was a grey horse, by The Cripple—l now could almost wish that my grey horse, Sarchedon, had been the son of a sire of that name instead of the brilliant Tetrach. It might have saved a lot of disappointment—if, indeed, he had proved a cripple af the outset. Now, lam not going to suggest to you that because Gimcrack was a good horse 155 years ago—and he was a good horse, for he won ‘25 races and was only- .10 times beaten —he bears any comparison with the British thoroughbred of to-day. It is on record that ho stood only just over 14 hands, and I am sure that Town Guard stands fully two hands higher than that. Such has been the progress in size, and, I believe, in the qualify of our horses. May Ibe permitted to suggest to you that Town Guard is superior to all of us, in that he represents Unionist and Imnerialist interests, without any dissension, being as he is British-born, bred by myself, a Scotsman, from a mare whose gronddam was by Carbine (bred in New Zealand, and famous for all time for his winning record in Australia); trained by Mr Gilpin, an Irishman, and ridden by Archibald, an American. It is surely not unreasonable to say that tho British thoroughbred makes the whole world kin, no matter ■how politicians may conspire to incite differences. '

SUGGESTIONS TO THE JOCKEY CLUB

He did not deem himself in any way qualified to give advice to the Jockey Club. But, as a plain business man, he could offer certain sound advice which was that they should all stick to the Powers that be—stick to them firmly, even though they, in trifling matters, might dissatisfy. Ho referred to the Jockey Club stewards. The stewards of the Jockey Club, though fallible mortals, were gentlemen on whose absolute integrity they could depend. As the poet Matthew Prior wisely said: Be to their virtues very kind, Be to their faults a litt.e blind. Knowing that mistakes, if they made them, were honest and unintentional. The Jockey Club was absolutely unique. Of one or two questions of interest to which he would refer one was that of nominations being

rendered void by the dbath of the nominator. Why should bloodstock be deprived of value because the owner died I* In every other country, so far as he knew, this contingency was provided for--but here there was no such protection. He would be sorry, indeed, to Lei that any accident to him would debar any of his horses, if they were good enough, from competing in their classic engagements. He suggested as the simplest and wisest plan that everyone making an entry should pay for it there and then, and on each forfeit Jafe should pay again, if accepting. It was a very simple plan, and would save thoughtless owners a great deni of money. It was a plan that would entirely prevent nominations being void on death, because all liabilities would have been paid. He suggested, and it was only a suggestion, that fhe York Cup should be revived and run over the two miles’ course. That would bo in accordance with the best traditions; and there should be no penalties and allowances. Ho would hope to run Captain Cuttle for it under such conditions. Another matter was the repetition of names. This trouble seemed to get worse and worse, and he put it to the stewards of the Jockey Club that that question was one which should claim their attention. WIN OR LOSE. WHAT DOES IT ' MATTER ?

Lord Woolavington concluded : "Wo have our ups and downs on the turf, and I am up this your, but I may be down next, as was the late Baron Rothschild when, elated by the success of Favouius, Hannah, and Corisande, and the possibilities of his good two-yonr-old Laburnum, ho said; 'The Baron will race next year. Follow the Baron,' That advice proved to be disastrous in Iho extreme, so I am not. going to ■ attempt anything on similar lines, yon nil know as much about Town Guard us I do, and must follow your owfi judgment. All 1 can claim in the way of advantage is (hat I bred tho colt and own both his siro and dam. 1 can say the same of Captain Cuttle, whose dam, however, I have censed to own. So yon know the position. Town Guard is in good hands so far as training goes. Archibald will ride him, if all goes well, and Unis the ball is rolling: yon must make your game; yon must not blame me, at any rate, if yon do not win. After all. what does it matter whether we win or lose—though, of course, we prefer to win'.’ The one great essential is that we should maintain honest sport and improve the British thoroughbred so that little Gimrraek. wandering somewhere in the Klysian green fields, may be proud of (ho later growth. ' Responding for the Jockey Chib, Lord Hamilton of Dalzcll referred to Lord Wool avington's remarks concerning nominations being rendered void by tho death of (be nominator. He said that in foreign countries they ran all their races on ready money, but in England races were run on credit. If they could get all owners at home to " stump up " ready money they would got rid of tho difficulty in a moment, 1