THE DERBY CONTEST.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 377, 26 April 1915, Page 2

THE DERBY CONTEST.

PRINCE AKWOOD VICTORIOUS.

It is said that records are made, only to be broken, but it will surely be some years before such a meeting as that witnessed at New Brightou on Saturday i-s siirpassed in point of racing, attendance, or totalisator speculation on the seaside course. Altogether it was one of the most, successful and enjoyable day's racing held this season. There, was a splendid crowd present, thanks in no small measure to such an unusual .attrhction as a Trotting Derby, ■while the day was nearly perfect. Added to this were good-sized fields, many high-class horses, and spirited finishes; so Avhat more could the votary of light harness racing require? There is no more enterprising set of stewards in New Zealand than those who govern: the destinies of the New Brighton trotting Club, and the success thathas attended their ' efforts to lift the 6pWt« out of its ordinary groove by the in- ♦ * • • i troduction of class racing has met with due reward. At the present time the, clubj .possesses a course and appoint-jj me.nts that do it every credit, wliilej; it is conmiou knowledge that still fw-jj are soon to be setj in hand. There were only two items in! eonnection with Saturday's meeting!: it'll at were, regrettable —the ruling out/ of-.lack Ashore in the last, race fori starting before his bell, and the tedi--onsiiess of the homeward journey. The! incident is one of those occur-:]

fences 'that, always will keep cropping* tip where riders are anxious and horsesare keen, but the hitter could easily, •lie remedied if pTessttre were brought 'io' :! bea.r in the proper quarter. There' j}s no comparison between the traffic 'io' Riccar ton on Cup Bay and that ofSaturday last, vet it was the latter til at suffered in "comparison. The Trotting Derby. When the New Brighton stewards derided two seasons- ago to institute ft Trotting ■ Derby, • their ! action wan thought to be quixotic. Races of simij ]a.r nature had been tried by other, flubs and always with the same result —failure. Even the Metropolitan Trotting Club had not been able to .make a success of its . Juvenile... Stakes,.■ so how could a much smaller institution liope to establish a Derby ?,. Yet, .to, .its '-ercdit, the seaside club ha?:no.w decided two. blue ribbons, and both liave , beeji successes. True, in both contests tliei fields have been small, but as tests of tliree-year. supremacy and encouragement to breeders they have quite justified their 'ciistcncc. . ' Twelve Souths ago, when Admiral "Wood "gained classic honours, he richly J ®dfeseVved ! thein,'aS ho proved to be ;iiot only the best three-year-old of his year, Irtlt also Jt eolt of exceptional -ability;, 'What more fitting, ,then, that the owner, and breeder of such a one; should meet with unusual distinction., This yea? it was hoped that a much larger field' -would see the post, for amongst the 22 colts and fillies engaged were manly that on breeding and conformation seemed likely to turn out really high class. Yet o*f those 22 horses only four went out to dispute' possession of a race that of all others should be most highly prized. Surely there is a lack"of .enterprise, or shall I say sportsman r ; ; 'ship, in the ranks of certain owners/ ' If the Derby is to be COntinueil it : »iust Lave the ' support of owners • and breed-; ers, not only in the matter of givinga nomination t>i; two, :bqt in the more •important., detail of entering into the ' actual contest.. Lack of Enterprise. fact of at least two successful establishments being uiireprein Saturday 's contest was; ciius''tic'a.lly commented on not only by the. • injiiiagement'' but also by the sport- ' lOVing public: The circiiinstanee; o|r • Trince Akwood "being "a lion in the' 'piatk'' was not.sufficient cause for such, '-i Small field. Every year there is likely "to lie an early discovered champion, if owners of other horses are not •prepared to take the risk of' defeat, '' then good-bye to the New : Brighton Trotting Derby or any other race of f Similar nature. One cannot speak top ' strongly 011 this point, iis 011 the 'atti"tuVle tiiat : owners themselves' 'tnkt r 'ii|> 1 'ilojib'iidS the rise or downfall of : <!lakf(ic " 'racing. ' " ' ' : The Favourite Wilis. . , There was nothing, out of the ordinary about Saturday's contest. Princp. Aliwood's winning performance of a mile and a-half in ,'»inin,2B 2-ssec at thp ; Aldington track a fortnight, ago uiadfe )i'im stand out as something .of ; ft moral, " and so it proved to be. Sti,ll, \;as events turned out, there was no lack of interest in the race, for it was. nojt till more than three parts of-the jouijney had been covered that the favovnf- , ite asserted liimself. The sensational ..performer of the race was Imperial Perfection, a speedy and good-looking colt, but one who is, unfortunately, inclined to be "rattle headed." After •living the starter a deal of trouble, and incidentally taking a lot out of himself by erratic, behaviour, the son of Prince Imperial and Perfection got all the worst of the send-off, but witjh half a mile gone he had raced up tjo the leader as the result of a very brijliant effort. Drawing right away, ltt{ made backers of the favourite, decidedly uneasy as he sailed along the bacjk with a substantial lead. It. was not till within two furlongs of the post thift Prince Akwood ran up to him, and ■ • IVom this point, the issue was never_ kii "doubt. Had there been anything in' - the field capable of extending the winner he could have put up a inueli more '''attractive performance, a fact thsjt i makes Emilius's absence the more re,- : gre?ttable. What a contest it would, have been between these two colts, for '•'there is no getting away from tlje fact that both are really high'dastf. j About the Victor. I Like last year's winner, Prince Akwood claims Wildwood Junr. as a sirie, his dam Sybil being by Young Irvington from an Arab mare. Me was bred ■ by Mr G. T. Barker at Burwood, add Subsequently became the ' property of the Auckland sportswoman, Mrs 3*l. ''Richards, but just recently ' there was • 7 V • : • '• : i

another change in the colt \s ownership. He is bred 011 very similar lines to Ribbouwood nnd Admiral Wood, being the result of a Wildwood and Irviugton cross. ]S T ot a little of the colt's success was due to the admirable manner in which he was sent to the post by A. Hendricksen, who can also be congratulated on the excellent judgment he displayed in the race. All going well with him, there should be a very brilliant future in front of the Derby winner of 1015. TEMPLAR,