TALK OF THE TURF

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17410, 7 November 1930, Page 3

TALK OF THE TURF

Pkar lap’s Performance. One of the significant features of the performance of Phar Lap in the Melbourne Cup race on Tuesday was the fine fettle in which ho returned to the birdcage. It may have been a slight exaggeration to say that he was hardly breathed, but all reports agree ■that he showed no signs of distress whatever after his run of two miles under the remarkable weight of 9.12. Veterinary surgeons and students of sporting records will find many angles from which the puzzle of Phar Lap can provide new interest, for here is a galloping machine that never seems to tire, directed by an intelligence that, exerts positively, judging by his performances, a dominance over all his rivals. Phar Lap is. not merely a freak galloper; he is truly a mastermind among horses. , Leaving aside for the time the matter of intellect, there is a fine field for study in the physical make-up of the I champion* and the untroubled breatlii ing of Phar Lap at the close of his rgreat cup-winning effort carries a hint of outstanding interest. This condition of the breathing argues a corresponding untroubled and unhurried beat of the heart, and mention of the fact must carry tho minds of New Zealanders back to a series of distance races tuu by human rivals in this Dominion some years ago. Lloyd Hahn, of the United' States, and Randolph Rose, of New Zealand, were tho duellists, and the Dominion athlete emerged covered with honors as a result of his series of meetings -with the overseas champion.

To-morrow’s Two-Mile Race Rightly the New Zealand Cup lias eonic to be looked on as the counterpart in this Dominion of the Melbourne Cup on the Australian turf, and its running to-morrow at the opening day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s spring meeting at .Riccarton has excited in prospect perhaps more interest than for some time. The return of Night-march, the Melbourne Cup winner of 1929, in time to participate in the decision of the New Zealand Cup has given interest in this event a great fillip, and even though the Nightmarch colt may find the task presented to him rather severe at tin l weights, his appearance at Rieearton will mean a fine additional attraction for tho club.

Touching upon the severity of Nightmarch’s task, in the big twomile race to be run to-morrow, it may be remarked that he is weighted with 9.6, which is half a stone more than the best weight carried by any previous winner. Count Cavour put up the weight record Avhon lie Avon the New Zealand Cup of .1926, and only on a very few occasions in the history of the race, back to 3883, has this Avciglit been ever approached in the-case of a winner of the cup, the nearest of comparative years being Sasanoff’s 8.9 in 1918. Still Nightmarch is a Melbourne Cup winner, and unless the big weights and solid competition he has had recently has affected his spirit, he should be able to make his presence felt in the race, even with his great burden. There is always the chance that Phar Lap may Ihia-c so disturbed him, in their late meetings in Australia, that his outlook on racing will havo soured, but there is nothing in the reports of his physical condition to suggest anything but a typically gallant effort from the son of Nightraid. Proved Staying Powers Well proved stayers in Star Stranger (9.1) and Concentrate (S. 10) stand next to tho topweight. This pair met last in tho Trentham Gold Cup, Avhon Star Stranger came home a winner, the difference in their Avcights being 41bs-. on that, occasion. Previously Concentrate had twice defeated Star Stranger, but he stood at a considerably greater advantage in the weights, aud as far as the New Zealand Cup is concerned, if both are produced in as Tine fettle as at Wellington, they should not bo separated by much. Lower doAvn in ,thc Avcights there is Prodice-, winner of a substantial amount in stakes in races over shorter courses, but. Avith no really convincing performances over the longer routes. She will have to produce more stamina than she has shown in the past to carry 8.4 to the front at (be end of two miles

A Parallel for Phar Lap. At the time, it was noted that Rose 'a heart action remained steady 'and regular under the most strenuous of tasks, and to this fact was attributed in a Targe measure his endurance and control. There was no denying Rose’s standing as a champion, though lack of competition gave him little chance to develop his powers to the full, except during the season that saw the tour of the American runners, Hahn and Jackson Scholz. Tho parallel might be carried a long ■way further, but it is unnecessary to go beyondutho bounds of Now Zealand for the fitting example. In all gi'eat performers over long distances, the •heart action is a supreme feature, the slow acceleration of the pulse enabling the athlete to maintain strenuous effort under uninterrupted control. In Phar Lap, tho student of athletic effort finds the perfect co-ordination of physical conformation, slow-accdcr-ating pulse, and intellect of an almost superequinc standard.

Exceptional Staying Power. The antecedents of Phar Lap arc such as would' suggest exceptional staying power. The quality of Night Rsiid/'iris sire, has been fully proved, "“while going further back into his ancestry, staying blood is strongly represented throughout. Radium, Night Raid’s sire, won the Ascot Cup, the most important long-distance wciglit-for-age race of the world. Carbine’s son, Spearmint, the sire of Night Raid’s dam, accomplished the unusual achievement of winning the Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. Winkic, Entreaty’s sire, was by by William the Third, who won an Ascot Cup, and, of little less distinction, ta Doncaster Cup. Isonomy, the giro of‘Pilgrim ’s Progress, was one of the best and stoutest horses that England has produced. Pilgrimage, his dam, won an Oaks, and was the ancestress of •• Canterbury Pilgrim,. Chaucer, Swynford, and other great horses belonging to Lord Derby. Maxim, Catherine Wheel’s sire, like Spearmint’s. sire, Carbine, was by Musket, prince of stayers. , There! are 10 Derby winners in the first five lines of Phar Lap’s pedigree, besides the names of the following ■horses who, though they did not win a Derby, were incomparably better than many who did:' St. Simon, CaTbine, William the Third, Isonomy, and St. Frusquin. Lastly, there comes through Night Raid’s mother a strain of Para* fin’s blood—blood which modern breeders prize more highly than perhaps any other. Echo of Double Totallsator, Though the dividend of over £SOO received by a supporter of Ephialtes at the Carterton meeting on Saturday was the largest recorded in New Zealand for some years, it is by no means the largest paid l by the totalisator since its introduction into the Dominion. There was tho £IOOO odd paid on Wairoa Belle «t the Nolson Jockey Club’s meeting in 1920, Wairoa Belle being the winner of a trotting event included in the programme, and there l havq boon other large sums won. from \ the tw&ljsator, The. biggest dividend • on record, was that paid by the double totalisator at the C.J.C, meeting in 190JS when only one ticket was taken on tub- winning double* Star Bosu (Now, Zealand.' Cup); and Captain. Shannon. (Stewards’ Handicap). Tho holier qfl- this- ticket received over •The double totalisator was intro* dueod- at' the C.J.C. Grand, National mefegftgj in when the winning combination* Slow Tom (Grand National* Stooplechiise) and Medallius (Gawd National, Hurdles.) proved to be without ahy support whatever. A ticfcftt on tl%. double would have nottc<| over £B4O, to tho lucky holder, but the? public received its money back, less Hh pec- cent. Tho double totalizator only lasted for four years,, being abolished in 1907, after the payment of the record dividend- of over £2OOO.

Merry Damon is on 8.2, and his efforts at a mile and a half have given good indications of staying power, though ho has yet to negotiate the tAvo-mile distance under competition. Late form suggests that he Avill have to bo reckoned with, as -will also In the Shade, Avhoae second placing in the Noav Zealand Cup last year will not be forgotten He took second money in the Metropolitan Handicap at the A.J.C. meeting at RandAvick, carrying 8.8, and is full of stamina. Concentrate and Gay Crest should not trouble anything that beats In the Shade, especially Gay Crest, if form

The Great Cup Winner: Phar Lap's Heart Action: Neu) Zealand Cup To-morrow

’at the Banks Peninsula meeting lasi Saturday is anything to go on. Among the lighter weights there is Count Palatine, whose steady improvement points to his being the most dangerous of this division. The field will not exceed 1-1 runners, and there should be no crowding of a. nature to affect the chances nl the best, horse winning. Public opinion is bound to favor those horses that have proved their ability to see the full distance out to a strong finish, and it is more than possible that a new Aveight record will be hung up as a result of to-morrow’s contest. The New Zealand Cup race carries a stake of 2000 sovs„ and a. gold cup on which a value of TOO soas. i:t placed.

Track Work at Riccarton. At Riccarton yesterday, telegraphs the Herald’s Christchurch correspondent. Nightmarch and True ,Shaft started off at the nine furlong mark. The Cup horse drew out. from his mate to complete tho first live furlongs in 1.3 1-5. 'True Shaft then retired, his place being taken by Knot finny for tho final half, Avhick Nightmarch ran in 52 2-ssoe., making 1.55 3-5 for the full journey. Nightmarch finished well, but he was being kept up to his work. ■, ii ■• Paquito galloped, a mile on tho plough, DunraA r en accompanying him over the last six furlongs in 1.21 2-5. Spoon and Meprisant broke away at the nine furlongs post. Spoon showed the way along the back and into the straight, but Meprisant Avas alongside her at the finish. The first five furlongs occupied 1,0 2-5, nnd tho full distance 3.57 2-5, tho last halfmile being run in olsec. It was a very attractive performance, the Oaks candidate coming home strongly. Cylinder and Star Stranger attracted some attention Avhcn they set out, to gallop a mile. Cylinder Avent to tho front at tho start and led his mate all the Avay, completing the journey in 3.43. It was an attractive performance on the part of the three-year-old. Semper Paratus and Footfall avcio avcll matched Avhilst running seven furlongs in 1.30 1-5,

In Tile Shade and Gay Crest; avcio associated over a mile, the last seven furlongs occupying 1.30 4-5, and tno last half-mile 52scc. They Avcro on terms at the Avinning post. Ranclagh covered seven furlongs in 1.34 and did it comfortably, while Desert Song registered a similar time.

Lord Tliomond and Painkiller were to have galloped together, but the former broke away from his mate, sprinting half a mile in 49 l-ssec., while Painkiller folloAvrd in 48 4-sscc. They woro two very smart; sprints. Concentrate, My Own, .Duellona and Pahu were companions in a mile and a-quarter gallop. Concentrate finished just in front of Duellona, Avith My Own and Palm three lengths away. The full journey occupied 2.14 1-5, the last mile being done in 1.45 3-5 sec., and the last half-mile in 52sec. ConcentrateandDuellona both pleased. Gustavo and Count Cavour kept together throughout a strongly-run mile. Gustavo pulled up’Avell and appears to have thrown off the effects of his recent trouble. He will bo a starter in the Riccarton Handicap on Saturday. Count Palatine and Vortigcrn ran a mile in company in 1.42 2-5, after do-:

ing ilm first half in Elscc. They finished well and it was a very smart gallop. Prod ice and Desert Glow broke away from tin' mile and a-quarter mark on the plough. Prodice had a slight advantage at I he. end. of the halfmile, run in 51 4-asec., but they wero together after doing seven furlongs in 1.21. From ibis point Desert Glow had the better of the argument, beating his mate home after doing the, full journey in 2.12, an attractive! gallop, particularly on the part, of Desert (Slow, avlio finished well. Horses and Their Riders.

Count Palatine added to his circle of New Zealand Cup admirers by tho style in which he reeled off a mile at Riccarton yesterday.

Desert Glow lias got through some useful work since he has been at Rieearton, all of it. on the plough, and bis effort over a mile and a-quarter yesterday Avhon he boat. Prodice was a very pleasing performance. The Auckland jockey, 11. Goldfinch, is due at Riccarton to-Vlay. Count, Palatine, Silvennine, and Jenny Diver are named as some of his riding engagements. He expects to ride Count Palatine at 7.8 in the New Zealand Cup. Channousc will not fulfil her engagement in the Spring Plate on Saturday, a mile being considered too far for her at present, but, she will be a starter in other events later in the meeting. 1 The two-year-old Palace lias jarred a joint and he Avill not rneo at tho coming meeting. CustaA’o appears to have got over iiis recent trouble and ho pulled up well after his gallop No. rider lias been engaged for him in tho Riccarton Handicap, in which he is likely to run avcll, but A. E. Ellis will; handle him in the Derby. L. G. Morris will ride Laughing Prince in the Stewards’ Handicap* Avbile his stable mate, Consent, will have R. Reed as his pilot.

General Notes. Since Mr. G. Payne purchased Spoon at Air. C. G. Dalgety’s dispersal sale for 750 guineas, she has Avon £6OO in stakes for two wins and a second placing in her four starts, her latest, success being in the Akaroa Handicap at the Banks Peninsula meeting on Saturday.

The public suffered a disappointment in connection Avith Gay Crest’s running in the Aharon Handicap at the Banks Peninsula meeting on Saturday, the faA'orito being described as a dismal failure. There was none among the other runners willing 1o set tho pace in the middle stages of Hi o' race, all being unproved in tho matter of staying power; and in the circumstances the rider of Gay Crest Avas not to be criticised for going to the front and making the tasks of the nonstayers as hard as possible. Gay Crest seemed to be going very freely when he entered the straight, but no sooner had (lie run lmme commenced than he stopped in a few strides. Ills connections were just, as surprised, ns I lie gelding’s followers. They would probably not have been so. disappointed if lie had been beaten in a. finish, but there was not much satisfaction in seeing him lengths in the rear at the post. Gay Crest’s effort, did certainly not flatter lii.s prospects in the New Zealand Cup. (Further racing neAvs appears on page 4).