THE TURF.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1925, Page 7

THE TURF.

MORE SURPRISES. Following on Greek Bachelor, the 25 to 1 winner of the City and Suburban (writes “Centaur,” our racing correspondent) and Creoliian, the 20 to 1 winner of the Victoria Cup at Hurst Park* there came vet another surprise in the Kempton Jubilee, the most popular of all the Spring Handicaps. This was Amethystine, an Irish-bred filly, who brought off a 20 to 1 chance in the pretty rose and yellow colours of the Dowager Lady Nunburnholme. The Duke of Westminster’s good horse, Twelve Pointer, was second, the margin in weight which divided them approaching three stone. Third was Mrs. J. Bancroft’s unlucky horse, Purple Shade (the latter lost the Newbury Cup only by a head, and the Victoria Cup by a head); All three owners were present, while I also noticed H.H. the Aga Khan, who would be disappointed by the complete failure of his St. Leger winner, Salmon Trout; the aged Lord Coventry, whose mare Verdict narrowly missed winning the Jubilee a year, ago and was competing again, and Lord Derby, who before, racing started withdrew the top-weight, Pharos, in the belief that the heavy going would be quite unsuited to -him. Amethystine had not had a distinguished career to date as her weight of fist 7ib indicated at once. She won the Irish Oaks in 1924 for what that may be worth, but it seemed that her quite fair chance for the Jubilee depended on the prominent show she had made for the Duke of York Handicap over the same course last year. 'On that form Amethystine was entitled to be at a 'much shorter price than 20 to 1, but, on the assumption that there is always a concrete reason for any horse being at long odds, there ■ was one in this particular case. It had to do with a report sent from her training quarters, Newmarket, a few days before the event, to the effect that she had gone lame and was an unlikely starter. This, one has not the least doubt, was perfectly true. The mare, apparently, is subject to attacks of rheumatism of the muscular sort, and she had had rather a bad spasm just at a time when stable hopes had been very rosy. In the paddock before the race Amethystine walked in decidedly stilty. fashion, and she merely scratched her way to the post. -No judge of these things would have dared to back her then. He would obviously turn more confidently than even to respond to the insistent cal s of Tapin and company. For the French ■horse was again in the field, looking in perfect health and condition, and being backed as though he were certain to atone for bis lapses in the Newbury Gup and C'ity and Suburban, and give a display as electrifying as he did at Lincoln. One could also approve of the condition of Twelve Pointer, who was challenging Tapin for favouritism, Salmon Trout, and Verdict. Twelve Pointer, in particular, had obviously done well since lie was last seen out in 1924. His blood-like lines were an indication alone of his qualities as a racehorse, though he will never be shap’ly about the head and neck. Salmon Trout attracted many people to his cause after they had noted his well-trained appearance in the paddock. He, too, was making his first appearance of the season.

SOME ATTRACTIVE HORSES. Bright Knight, .who a week before had gained an astonishing win over his more fancied stable companion, St. Germans, and Pharos in a race at Newmarket, looked bigger than he did then. Purple Shade gave the idea of having done a lot of work, though the majority of people refused to believe he would be able to get the distance (li miles). -Other horses in the field -included the Eclipse winner, Polyphonies, who is not exactly an attractive sort to look at; another French horse, Irismond, reckoned by connections to have the beating of Tapin at the weights (a difference of 81b); Cockpit, looking big, hard and well; the burly. Watford, who had just been sold to a new owner for over 3000 guineas, and Obliterate, much fancied by a shrewd division. It was, indeed, a remarkably high-class field even for a Jubilee, which is after all only a handicap. The race itself was most disappointing in a general sense. -It had promised so much rivalry among the top-weights, but only Twelve Pointer ran meritoriously. I should say that Amethystine, whose stiffness evidently wore off in her canter to the post, went to the front after they had covered two or three furlongs, and was never afterwards headed. She showed them the way round the elbow turn into the straight, and though Twelve Pointer made as though to beat her once, she not only held lier own but probably gained a bit more in the last fifty yards. The point is that her success was never in doubt. It was the most important victory ever gained by any horse in the colours of the Dowager Lady Nunburnholme. The mare is not her property; it is merely leased to her by an Irish breeder. Mr. P. A. Kirby, who appears to'have had a very high opinion of her since foalhood days, and would never entertain selling her outright. Training honours went to Mr. Cecil Boyd-Richfort, and the triumphant jockey was the little boy Leach, familiarly known as “Chubb.” Tap-in got away with the field this time—indeed, it was an excellent start —and there could be no excuse for him. He filled his now usual position of fourth. The last bunch included Bright Knight and Salmon Trout, and, if there be any excuse for the latter, it was that the distance was not far enough for him.. At any rate, the virtue of consistency cannot be claimed for him.