SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 12

SPORTING.

THE TURF IN ENGLAND. ASCOT GOLD CUP. Zev, Papyrus, and Epinard, the three most-discussed horses of 1923, figure as entrants for the Ascot Gold Cup, find should the famous trio assemble on the historic heath in June next to try conelusions in i the long-distance race, it will take the shape of an international contest. Papyrus was the winner of the English Derby last year. Epinard, the French “wonder horse,’’ won the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood and lost the Cambridgeshire by a head. Zev, the American horse, beat Papyrus in the famous race at Belmont racecourse, in the United States, last autumn. In addition to the above-named trio. Fihbert de Savoie, another famous French horse entered for the race; won the Grand Prix de ParisTHE DERBY. Viscount Astor is considered to hold a good Derby candidate in Bright Knight, a son of Gay Crusader and the Sunstar mare Sunny Jane. An interesting feature in the pedigree of Bright Knight is that his sire (Gay Crusader) won Derby honours, and Sunstar, sire of his dam, achieved similar distinction. Itaglit Knight was bred by Viscount MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. It is not uncommon in England to firvf an amateur competing with professional riders in jumping races, and the National Hunt stewards allow the same in certain cases without a check. Siinations, however, arise at times when the stewards deem it wise to notify an amateur rider that be must make his choice as to which class he shall compete. Such a case cropped up in January, when the National Hunt stewards notified Major ft. C. Doyle to that effect. When the stewards act in such a direction they do not assign a yeason, and they did not do so in the >ase referred to. Major Doyle, it k Jttndenstood.. will prefer to retain his amateur status. There are, it is stated, about 20 horses in the stables which Meg or Doyle supervises in conjunction ,frith his brother, and no doubt that cirosmstance moved the stewards to action. In 1923, Lord Woolavington was considered to be in a good position to furbioi the winner of the Liverpool Grand Ifariional Steeplechase with Southampton, for whom he paid a high price, and who started favourite for the great

cross-country event at Aintree. Southampton, however, fell early in the contest, and when he went down, thousands of specie, figuratively speaking, fell into the laps of the bookmakers. Well, Lord Woolavington is credited with having a very eligible candidate to aspire for Grand National honours this year in the shape of Eureka 11.. a seven-year-old son of Fmstrum, yho won a good cross-country event at Lingfield last month.

The Americans had something deprecatory to say in regard to S. Donoghue’s style of riding, when he was competing in the United States last year. According to a London journal, Donoghue has delivered himself thus on the American style:—"Racing in America and racing in England are as different as can be. The most striking difference, to my mind, is the matter of jockeyship. American riders ride with a very, very short rein. A horse never gets his head. At the lift of the barrier the jockeys take tight hold, the horses jump away with necks arched, and from that point to the finish every, post is a winning onel” He was asked if that was not rather the butcher-boy style of riding. “Not a bit of it.” he replied quickly. ’American jockeys adopt the style which is best suited for American race tracks and the American style of racing, and if an English jockey were to go to America he would have to adapt himself to their methods. Horses are trained to run against the clock. Every track is marked out in furlongs, and the horses reel off furlong after furlong at an even pace. The jockeys are taught to ride against the clock.” Sir Edward Hulton,whois one of the big newspaper owners in the Old Country, has the record of buying the most costly yearling in England last year. He bought the Gay Crusader—Lady Josephine filly for ffSOOgns. The fact of the yearling in question claiming half-sister to the brilliant Mumtaz Mahal, operated as the great lead to bidders; hut one of the wags remarked that as a newspaper man, Sir Edward ought to know better than to pay over 6000 guineas for a yearling. It will be interesting to note whether the filly proves the same gold mine as her half-

Writing in Baily's Magazine 'for January. Mr. Sydenham Dixon says that on her dam's tide the pedigree of Mumtaz Mahal is against her at a stayer, and that the best that can be hoped for The Tetrarch’s daughter is that she will be handed down in turf history as one of the greatest sprinters. Last year, for the seventh year in succession, Alec Taylor headed the list of successful English racehorse-trainers. During- the seven years he has headed the list Taylor has won the extraordinary total of £273,389 in stakes. Last year Taylor won 44 races with 25 horses, stake-winnings for the year totalling £49,102.