THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18876, 31 May 1923, Page 5

THE TURF.

(Continued from page 4.) When Bon Spec fails to hit the front he lias invariably faded out, but at both Ashburton and Oamaru he came on again to win after yielding his usual role of pacemaking and going as fast and as far as ho could. Counter Attack was always threatening danger in his races last week, except in the last event, when he went cut looking a bit tired of the game. Bright and fresh, he can skip along at a merry pace. Although Samum tipped out at Oamaru, he promises to make a useful hurdler. At present he is a bit light in condition, and not in the robust strength generally associated with performers over jumps.

A fairly big price was placed on Carpentier ~ net, his owner was questioned on the'point eomo little time back. The price was too big to lead to business, and the youngster, who is overgrown and a bit extravagant in his action, will require time to make good. Mr J. W, Mackisack, who now fills the position of secretary to the Oamaru Jockey Club, had the business side of the recent meeting running smoothly, and has quickly obtained a grip of the duties attached to the position. It is stated that some clubs_ intend to make an effort at the next Racing Conference to restore the old method of licensing trainers and riders. This is also the old l method of making rules at one conference and annulling them at the next. Red Cent is pleasing the critics at Riccr rton, and expected to run well at Wingalui. Red Cent has not raced since he finished third to Omahu and Oakleigh in the Lincoln Steeples, run at the last Grand National meeting. Mr W. R. Kemball’s team, consisting of Gladful, Vagabond, Bqnnetter, Birkenella, and Martian Mias, arrived from the north on Saturday last They all look well to tho eye, and evidently in good order to contest their engagements at tho meeting. On tho second day of tho Oamaru _ meeting, E. Lowe, the rider of Bon Spec in the Stewards’ Handicap, was called before the stewards and severely cautioned for interfering with Fabrinado in the race. Lowe steered a straighter course on the second day of the meeting.

Angelo landed the Oamaru Cup rather comfortably, but on the second day too much use was made of him, and he found Prince Ferouz capable .of pushing him back to second place. Had Angelo dropped in behind tho leaders as they ran along the back he would have been much harder to beat in the run home.

R. J. Mason is booked to leave for Sydney at the end of the month, and, all going well. Gloaming and Pluto are two that will be included in the team. Lascelles (Martian — Mary of Argyle) and Golden Tresses (Treseady—Lady Grafton) are a couple of rising three-year-olds that may also make the journay, Lascelles, is a brother to Mascot, Sunbird, Ardenvhor, and Eaperance. Clean Sweep ran a fair race in tho Oamaru Cup, and appeared to outclass the opposition down to meet him in the Pacific Hurdles, but ho found the task of attempting to concede 231 b to Mandrake rather beyond his powers. Clean Sweep is, however, still a novice at the business, and when more seasoned is a likely sort to make good at the game.

Soldier’s Pride came within an ace of landing a good dividend in the Weston Welter, when a neck and a head separated him from Twinkle and Counter Attack flashed past the post. Twinkle was allowed to pay a good dividend considering that he ran two excellent races in better company earlier in the meeting. Twinkle, by the way, has built up, and is looking i more robust than formerly. Apex again showed speed over hurdles at Oamaru, but too much use was made of him on the first day, when, after establishing a big lead, he was beaten a long way from home. One race seems to get to tho bottom of him, and ho was never prominent on the second day. Still, if he builds up and strengthens in condition he looks sure to win over hurdles when the journey is not too far for him.

Overproof paid the biggest dividend at Oamaru. Ho was well tip all the way in the Trial Plate, and finished close to the nine*’cl lot. On the second day he.went with Olympia from the barrier to the distance, when his rider broke a stirrup . leather. He carried about 2st leas weight in the Fcrnbrook Handicap, and going out with Dancing Days, had her 9.13 as against his 6.7, telling a tale that resulted in cverproof landing the stake. Ardour was made a strong favourite for the Oamaru Cup, and carried more than twice the support accorded Angelo,. who went out second choice. She had no chance with him at the weight—a difference of 10lb, —and an extra slb did not seem, sufficient inducement to run her on the second day of the meeting after being easily defeated. Ardour goes into retirement, and next season should strengthen up and develop into a bettor performer. On his best form Prince Ferouz was suspected of being able to win a race at cither Ashburton or Oamaru,- and he scored at the latter meeting. He had only a light weight to handle, but was running on at the finish. Those who knew him in the North Island say that he could not stay a yard beyond half a mile, but apparently he has improved with age. On the score of breeding he reads well, as he was got by Fernmorz from Cheloma, by Llangwin from Chelys, by Sir Visto—Chelandry, by Goldfinch—llluminata, by Eosicrucian. < The Magician’s wand which spirited a young horse out of the writer’s paddock at Caversbani has so far failed to bring it back on the scene. The horse has apparently vanished into space, and although it has been well advertised and a reward offered to anyone who can locate it, so far no reply has been received. The horse is a bay three-year-old with a,ragged mane'and thinish tail, and generally shows a fair amount of breeding. It has a lumo in the gullet close to the jowl, and this may help to identify it if mane and tail have been altered to suit a new and unauthorised owner’s taste. At one time Mandrake did not possess too good a name for reliability, but latterly he has been running with commendable consistency. Ho was placed on both days at the Tima.ru meeting, and also at the Ashburton meeting. He chased General Petain home on the first day at Oamaru, and on the second day scored a well-deserved win. A pleasing feature of Mandrake’s recent running is that he has always been coming on at the end, and the fact suggests that ho may be seen to. advantage over more ground. It is a remarkable coincidence that in five of the last six races Mandrake has run he has been No. 5 on the card. He was No. 2 at Oamaru when he scored. HERMIT’S DERBY. A REMARKABLE STORY. The death of Viscount Chaplin recalls the sensational English Derby -which was won by his colt Hermit. A remarkable story in connection with this race was told by Lord Chaplin himself, for the first time, at a meeting in Wimbledon last year. Lord Chaplin said he purchased the horse as a yearling from Mr Blenkiron, picking him out from some 70 others. It appeared that he made no mistake in his choice, and the late Lord Chesterfield, perhaps one of the best judges of a horse in his day, after looking carefully over Hermit, said, “I think that horse might very likely win the Derby for you.” Upon trial ho turned out to be an exceptionally good animal, and alter winning a number of two-year-old races ho was first favourite for the Derby for the whole of the winter, and his price reached 5 to 1 and no more during the whole of (he winter months. Then a fortnight before the race he had the misfortune to break a blood vessel, and in the opinion of a great many people all his chances were over from that time. But that was not the opinion of his trainer. He tied the horse up for four days with his head in the air, so that ho could scarcely move, and before the day of the race the horse had recovered in an extraordinary degree. ‘Two nights before the Derby,” Lord Chaplin went on, “I was laid up on crutches with a bad leg, and I got a telegraph message from the trainer saying, ’if you can’t come down to-day I must come up to London to see you to-rnorrow.’ I replied, ‘There will I be before the races begin.’ and there he told me that the horse had done no regular work of any kind since his accident, but had had plenty of slow exercise and had been given two short canters just before he left Newmarket. ‘Yesterday,’ said the trainer, T gave him n gallop over the whole of the Derby course, and ho never wont better in his life, and. what is more, I think he is certain to win after all.’ The price of the horse had gone to 100 to 1, but the following morning I told my commissioner, Take all the long odds you can get for me, but don’t bring him down lower than 40 to 1. After the start my commissioner came back and said, T bad a very bad time to get on to win £7OOO more,’ but that had brought the horse up to 66 to 1.” The horse, of course, won. Lord Chanlin continued, but not by more than a neck, for be never liked leaving the other horses he was running with. The trainer had been confident, but his Lordship was afraid of the tremendous hill at the start, and thought Hermit might break another blood vessel. “No,” said the trainer, ‘‘because I took the opportunity of starting them last Monday at the very ■bottom of the hill.” There had been a eabal at that time against certain favourites for the Derby, and it was onL- after the race that he found that for three months the trainer Lad slept every night in the horse’s box. It was this fidelity alone that enabled them to win the race, and immediately on his return to T ''"'don ho sent hia trainer a cheque for £SOOO,