Costaki Pasha for The Epsom Derby

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 560, 12 January 1929, Page 8

Costaki Pasha for The Epsom Derby

WILL MR. JINKS STAY? ENGLAND’S BEST TWO-YEAR-OLDS No sooner is one flat-racing season ended than we begin to think about the next. During the winter there will be many discussions as to the prospects of the classic races of. 1929, and it will be of interest at ibis moment to look into the credentials of the colts who are likely to be most talked of in connection with the Derby, stated a London writer last month. The recent two-year-old sweepstakes hi Hurst Park lias had the effect of considerably modifying the opinions which were formed about Grand Terrace when he finished second in the Middle Park Stakes. That result considerably staggered the students of form, and it was generally surmised that for some reason or another something was wrong with the running. It meant that Grand Terrace had improved at least 141 b on any of his previous performances, and there did not seem to be the slightest reason for the colt to have advaiiced in this startling fashion. At Hurst Park the Aga Khan’s colt lamentably failed to live up to the reputation he had established at Newmarket, and I think he can be safely wiped out of classic consideration.

Mr, Jinks at Hurst Park On the other hand, Mr. Jinks scored so decisively ui Jlurst Park. that laeas ent up considerably in the estimation of everybody who saw the race. It was an event calling: for a certain amount of stamina, the six-furlong track being - on the heavy side. The staying powers of Mr. Jinks were sufficient for the occasion, and liis victory lias given his owner and trainer further reason to hope that he will develop into something more than a brilliant sprinter. His owner, Major Dermot McCalmont, is one of the lucky men of the Turf. He inherited a huge fortune on the death of his uncle, Col. Harry McCalmont, the owner of the redoubtable Isinglass. At that time young Dermot was a cavalry officer with a keenness for polo and race-riding. He is an excellent horseman and showed his ability in the saddle when winning the Grand Military Gold Cup at Saidown Park on his own horses on more than ono occasion. The McCalmont Luck The greatest stroke of luck lie has enjoyed during his racing career was when his cousin, Mr. ‘A. tty Pcrsse, the Cliattis HiJl trainer, purenased The Tetrarcli for •him when that remarkable horse was sold as a yearling at Doncaster. Major McCalmont was soldiering in India at the Lime, and it was not until some months later that he first set eyes on his new purchase. 3. need not remind you of the wonderful performances of The Tetrarcli as a two-year-old. Except on one occasion, when he only just scrambled home in a big race at Sundown Park, the grey coit carried off all his races with consummate ease, but in the following season lie broke down as the result of hitting a leg at exercise and never ran again. Thus we were denied the opportunity of ascertaining whether this exceptional colt would have the course in the Derby, but I may tell you that his trainer never had much doubt on this point up to the time when the colt so unfortunately injured himself. The Tetrarch at the Stud Major McCalmont received ample compensation for tlio untimely withdrawal of The Tetrarch from the Turf, because he immediately proved himself to be a great stallion. Some people formed the impression that The Tetrarch would never sire staying stock, but he confuted all these ideas by becoming the father of three winners of the St. Leger within a comparatively short space of time. Unfortunately, The Tetrarch’s utility at the stud did not extend over the normal period, and to the dismay of everybody interested in him the horse eventually proved to be a bad foal-getter. It was here that Major McCalmont’s luck once again came to his rescue, for the disappointment caused by the inipotency of The Tetrarch was made good by the success Which attended his son Tetratema when he in his turn was sent to the stud after a brilliant racing career. Brilliant Tetratema It did not take long for Tetratema to become one of the most fashionable stallions ol' the day, and yearlings sired by him have fetched extraordinary prices at Doncaster. When the time comes to find a successor to him at the stud Major McCalmont will not have far to seek, because Mr. Jinks looks like carrying on the line in most effective fashion. This colt resembles his sire in appearance in that he has plenty of power, size and range. Tetratema had well-defined limitations as to stamina on the racecourse. Mr. Persse thought that he was good enough to win the Derby after the colt had carried off the Two Thousand Guineas, but he signally failed to stay the mile and ahalf at Epsom, and for the rest of his career in training figured over much shorter courses. Whether Mr. Jinks will turn out to bo a better stayer than his sire is one of the questions which racing people are now asking. There was nothing in bis performances during the past season which suggests that lie will be lacking in stamina, but, of course, the colt has not yet been subjected to any really searching tests in this direction. The fact that he is the son of a non-stayer makes me inclined to doubt his capacity to get the Derby course, and in looking for the likely winner of the premier race at this early stage I prefer to take a coit of rather stouter breeding than Mr. Jinks. Handicapper’s Task In the course of a few days we shall be able to study the Free Handicap of two-year-olds which Mr. T. E. Dawkins arranged to compile at the close of the fiat-racing campaign. It is uncertain which of the youngsters he will place at the head of his compilation. Among the colts Mr. Jinks and Costaki Pasha are candidates for the distinction of top weight, and I shall be interested to see whether the official handicapper will set either of them to concede any weight to the filly Tiffin. He will have to take for guidance the race lor the National Breeders’ Stakes

at Sandown Park in the summer, when Tiffin, receiving 71b., defeated Mr. Jinks by two lengths. In the opinoin of most racing people, the Beckhampton filly gave her rival a 71b. victory o*n that occasion, and if Mr. Dawkins agrees with that view he will place Tiffin and Mr. Jinks on the same mark in the Free Handicap. An Unbeaten Filly This means that he will be according to Lord Ellesmere’s filly the distinction of being the best two-year-old of the season, and as she has gone all through her races without a defeat nobody is likely to disagree with that estiiiiate of her capabilities. Early in September I wrote an article in these pages in which I raised the question of whether Arabella was better than Tiffin. At that time both fillies were unbeaten, but subsequently Arabella in the Middle Park Stakes sustained her one and only defeat. I have reason for thinking that Colonel Giles Loder would not have called upon her to compete in that race within less than a week of her success in the Imperial Produce Stakes at Kempton Park had he not feared that Tiffin might prove too good for her when they came together in next season’s classic races. Her Classic Prospects I know that the Clarehaven people regard Lord Ellesmere’s filly with the utmost respect, and providing she goes on satisfactorily I have no doubt that Tiffin will start favourite for the Ono Thousand Guineas. It must be borne in mind that this filly, like Mr. Jinks, is the offspring of Tetratema, so that same doubts as to stamina which apply to the colt must also be taken into consideration so far as the filly is concerned. Although she may win over the Rowley Mile, it. does not necessarily follow that she will be equally successful over the longer journey at Epsom. While Grand Terrace did much at Ilurst Park to discount the Middle Park form, I am not disposed to agree that Costaki Pasha did not win at Newmarket on his merits. It must, of course, always bo a question as to whether this son of Gainsborough and Cos would have scored in the middle Park if Gay Day had not hopelessly handicapped himself by swerving so badly at the start. It might have been a very close thing between them if Gay Day had jumped off as smoothly as Costaki Pasha did. But it should be remembered that the latter was giving the other 71b., so for the time being it is only fair to assume that the Whatcombe colt is the better of the two. Costaki Pasha It was touch and go with Costaki Pasha after he had gained his brilliant victory at Ascot. On his return home he was seriously ill with inflammation of the bowels, and when the trouble was over the colt started to cough. Thus he was by no means at his best when he reappeared at Newmarket and beat Inclimarlo by only half a length. On the sire’s side Costaki Pasha is bred to stay, but on the ‘other side of his pedigree the elements would seem to make for sprinting rather than for stamina. Still, I think a son of Gainsborough ought to be able to stay the Derby course, and I am disposed to make the Aga Khan’s colt my winter selection for that race. There are, by the way, two or three well-bred colts in the Whatcombe establishment who have yet to make their first appearances in public. “Dark” Colts at Whatcombe One of them is called Dara Shukon. When I tell you that this colt is the first of the foals of the redoubtable Mumtaz Mahal you will realise that great interest attaches to his first outing on the racecourse. Because he did not run as a two-year-old, it must not be assumed that he does not possess good racing merit. As a fact, some new engagements have recently been made for him, which suggests that Mr. R. c. Dawson is hopeful that the colt will eventually live up to his distinguished pedigree. Another “dark” colt at Whatcombe is called Aftab. He is by Papyrus out of Sundart, and when he came up for sale with the rest of Sir Robert Jardine’s yearlings, he was immensely admired. Mr. Dawson bought him on the

Aga Khan’s behalf for 14.000 guineas, which was the highest price of the year. Pie lias been too backward as a two-year-old for the Whatcombe trainer to attempt to do anything seriously with him, but 1 believe that the colt is fully expected to figure to advantage next season.