A CESAREWITCH SURPRISE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1931, Page 11

A CESAREWITCH SURPRISE

PROMISING COLT IN ENGLAND. GOYESCAS AT NEWMARKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, Oct. 22. When the weights for the Cesarewitch were issued Nobel Star was seized upon as a probable winner, but a few days before the race it was announced that ho had become the victim of a coughing epidemic in the stable. The facts were frankly stated both by Mr. Frank Cundell, the owner, and his brother, the trainer. The trouble was not as serious as was at first, feared, and in a day or two the horse recovered. In the circumstances, he was naturally under some suspicion, and he did not command the support which, as the winner of the Ascot Stakes and the Goodwood Cup, he would otherwise have been entitled to. As a matter of fact, he was allowed to start at the odds of 100-6. In fairness to every one connected with Noble Star, no mystery was made about his condition on the day of the race, but, as I have stated, there was the inevitable scare, and those who had intended to back him were put off. I know of one syndicate, however, who judged for, themselves and had £6OO on the horse a.t odds which averaged eighteen to one. Two years ago Noble Star won a Juvenile Selling Plate at Windsor and was bought in for 280 guineas. A little later he was sold to Mr. Cundell, who is a veterinary surgeon, and Mr. Leonard Cundell, the trainer, had an inters est in him. In the Cesarewitch he carried the heaviest weight in the race, namely Bst 121 b, and over the two-and-a-quarter miles he finished first, a length-and-a-half in front of Six Wheeler. Mr. H. F. Clayton, the owner of the latter, had a big gamble. He had a bet of £lOO,OOO to £lOO, Six Wheeler being coupled with one of his several horses in the Cambridgeshire. Blue Vision was the favourite. His jockey wae baulked on two or three occasions in trying to come through, but had he succeeded I do not think he would have won, for he was ahead of Noble Star, and when he was challenged he faded out quickly. Friendship, who had been second two years running, gave a stouter display, and for a considerable time it looked as if he would win. But he could not resist Noble Star, and he, too, fell back, to be passed by Six Wheeler and Son of Mint.

As everyone anticipated, the Golden Hair colt triumphed again in brilliant style for the all-conquering Manton stable in the Middle Park Stakes. He is undoubtedly the champion of his age, though there is another colt at Manton named Mannamead of the highest promise. There is a little suspicion as to the stamina of the Golden Hair colt but none in the case of Mannamead, who belongs to Lord Astor. By, the way, Joseph Lawson has now topped £90,000 in stake money for the season, and he has the ambition to reach the glittering figure of £lOO,OOO, and I think he will succeed. He has a stable full of first-class horses, and there is ample time, before the Manchester November Handicap brings the season to a close, to set up what would be an amazing record.

A specially interesting race of the Newmarket meeting was the Champion Stakes of a-milc-and-quater across the flat. It brought out that disappointing horse, Goyescas, who was thought to have a fine chance in the Derby. In winning in useful style he did something to justify himself. But even more notable was the running of Jacopo. He was second, and it now seems that, after all, he may repay the patient care which has been bestowed on him by his trainer, Captain Boyd Rochfort. It was certainly his best display of the season, and it held out a promise of even better form I think that Jacopo may make a big “come back” as a, four-year-old.