LEGION OF THE LOST

Southland Times, Issue 25836, 22 November 1945, Page 9

LEGION OF THE LOST

FATE OF N.Z. CUP TOP-WEIGHTS The basis of a handicap is to adjust the weights for the purpose of equalizing the chances of winning. In h' am ~ ing the handicap for the New. Zealand Cup the handicapper has had little success as far as the top-weights are concerned, horses given No. 1 position forming a legion of the lost, comments a Christchurch writer. Since 1893 the only horse placed' at the top of the list capable of winning was Nightmarch, which mastered 9st bib in 1930. Achilles carried 9st 61b into third place in 1903, while Los Angeles was in a similar position with 9st 31b in 1911.

The record of the others is a sorry one, though more often than not the horse given pride of place has not been set the test. From 1893 until 1902, when Nonette was unplaced under 9st 91b, the top-weight did not start, while after Achilles had run third with 9st 61b in 1903 he was not started with lOst in the following year, but made another unsuccessful attempt with 9st 81b in 1905. . , Other top-weights to fail nave been Maniapoto (9st in 1907), Zimmerman (9st 91b, 1908), All Red (9st 41b, 1909), Vice-Admiral (9st 11b, 1912), Kilram (9st, 1914), Warstep (9st 51b, 1915), Client 9st lib, 1918), Sasanof (9st 91b, 1921), Scion (9st, 1923), Rapine (9st 61b, 1926), Count Cavour (9st 61b, 1927), Vintage (9st 51b, 1935), Argentic (9st, 1938) Royal Chief, fourth (9st 61b, 1939) Royal Chief (9st 61b, 1940), Taurangi (9st, 1941) and Royal Lancer (9st 51b, 1944). # It is a formidable list of failures, especially as a number of the horses had already won the New Zealand Cup under lighter weights or had proved their ability over two miles in other races.

The record of the top-weights gives some indication of the magnitude of the task facing Longsword with 9st 61b this month. He was rated as 51b superior to First In, which dropped out at the first acceptance, and as Pensacola (Bst 91b) was hot accepted for "he will have to carry 121 b more than Glenfalloch (Bst 81b), which is now in second place. LONGSWORD’S TASK

Longsword does not appeal as likely to succeed where .better class horses have failed under similar weights, even after making allowances for the difference in the calibre of the opposition.

Longsword completed his hack engagements successfully as a four-year-old last season by beating Typhoon in the Heretaunga Hack Handicap on Labour Day, and then ran unplaced with 7st 41b in the New Zealand Cup. He was to run third to Typhoon and First In, which dead-heated in the Metropolitan Handicap, and then went on to take the Manawatu Cup carrying 7st 81b, by a neck from Yogi (Bst 11b). Under 9st 21b he was beaten into third place by Financial (7st 111 b) and Irish Note (Bst) in the Wairarapa Cup, and then failed with 7st 121 b in the Wellington Cup. He came up well to run third with 7st 131 b to First In (7st 101 b) and Flahuluk (7st) in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap, but failed with Bst in the Patriotic Handicap on the third day at Trentham. After a rest he came back in the autumn to run second with Bst lib to Foxcatcher (7st lib) in the County Handicap at the combined meeting of the Carterton and Masterton Racing Clubs, and then failed twice with 7st 131 b in the Autumn Handicap at Trentham and with 7st 121 b in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton. Longsword finished the season with two wins, the Ashhurst Handicap under Bst 61b and the Wanganui Connolly Handicap with 9st 51b. A QUICK RETURN

This season he started off by running unplaced in the Masterton Handicap with 9st 31b, and was then taken to Trentham, running Piccolo to a neck with 9st lib in the Wellington Handicap, and taking the Pearce Handicap easily with 9st 51b, both races being over a mile and a-half.

Raced in partnership by Messrs G. A. Laing, Wellington, and his Greytown trainer, J. E. Olliver, Longsword is a five-year-old bay gelding by Lang Bian from Spionetta, an Irish-bred mare by Spion Kop (son of Spearmint) from Flash of Steel, by Royal Realm. Lang Bian, a winner on the flat and over hurdles, sired some good gallopers during a short stud life in the Dominion. He was by Massine, a winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and many important races in France. Most of the foals from Spionetta have been noted for speed rather than stamina, and though he has proved himself over a mile and a-half, Longsword will have difficulty in running out the extra half-mile under his weight. (

CRICKET

Draw For Saturday The draw for cricket competition matches to be played on Saturday is as follows:— Senior.—Appleby v. Bluff, at Appleby; Union v. Marist, at Marist; Invercargill v. Old Boys, at High School. Intermediate.— lnvercargill v. High School, at High School; Old Boys. v. Georgetown at Queen’s Park No. 1. Junior A.— Union v. Old Boys, at Queen’s Park No. 3; Georgetown v. Borstal, at Borstal; Appleby v. Marist, at Biggar street west. Junior B.— Marist v. High School, at High School; Georgetown a bye. Third Grade. — High School B v. High School C, at High School; High School A v. Marist, at Marist; Georgetown v. High School D, at High School. INTER-HOUSE MATCHES The inter-house cricket competition was continued last evening. Malloch and Osborne 93 beat Lange Bros. 71. For the winners McLeod made 66 and for Lange Bros. Hodge compiled 35. Mcllwrick (Malloch and Osborne) did the hat trick. Calder Mackay 134 (Hughes 23, Hunt 34 not out, Lilley 27) beat McKerras and Hazlett 97 (Stewart 24, Murray 42 not out). Bowling for Calder Mackay Forde took three wickets for 19 runs, Finkle two for 5 and Kirkham two for 14. For McKerras and Hazlett Stewart took two for 30 and Sly two for 19.

WINTON BEAT WAIRIO In the first match of the season in the Central-Western cricket competition, Winton defeated Wairio by 118 runs on the first innings. Winton batted first and compiled 143, the outstanding batsmen being H. Murphy, whose score of 76 included three sixes and eight fours. L. Cockroft made 24, C. Smith 15 and M. Lavelle 12. The brightest feature of this innings was the good partnership of Murphy and Smith. Bowling for Wairio P. White took four for 23 and D. Forde five for 60. Wairio in their first innings made only 25 runs, the highest score by any batsman being 4. The bowling of R. G. Pilling and L. Cockroft proved too formidable for Wairio. Pilling’s fast deliveries secured for him five wickets for 8 runs. Cockroft took the other five wickets for 17 runs. Wairio batted again and managed to play out time with 103 runs on for eight wickets. R. Dougherty made 76 not out, including five sixes and four fours. Bowling for Winton Pilling secured the best average with four for 18. C. Smith took two for 14 and Cockroft two for 23.