THE AGA KHAN’S SUCCESS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1932, Page 8

THE AGA KHAN’S SUCCESS

AMAZING RESULT OF ST. LEGER.

APRIL THE FIFTH SOUND AGAIN. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, September 8. I cannot recall an owner ever enjoying the same amazing success as the . Aga Khan in the St. Leger.- He ran as many as four horses in the last of the classics at Doncaster and they, all finished in the first five. Firdaussi was first, Dastur second, Udaipur fourth and Taj Kasra fifth. They were trained by Mr. Frank Butters and he, of course, shared in the triumph. The stable was criticised for allowing the four horses to run, but the result fully justified the policy. Indeed, I think Udaipur would have been third if she had not been bumped in the straight. Thite interference undoubtedly effected her chance of finishing in front of Mrs. C. Rich’s Silvermere. There is no doubt that Mr. Butters’ chief hope rested in Dastur. At the same time he believed that if anything should go wrong with the latter either Firdaussi or Udaipur was good enough to win. r

Another indication of the uncertainty as to the merits of the string was the decision of Michael Beary, the Aga Khan’s jockey. He had the choice of mofunts and he preferred Dastur. Harry Wragg' was next invited . to make his selection and he picked Udaipur. Then came Freddie Fox and after first choosing Taj Kasra he changed to Firdaussi. Everyone was sorry for Beary. It was the third time he had missed the winner in having to make a choice of mounts. Two years ago he elected to ride Rustom Pasha in the Derby and the Aga Khan’s second string, Blenheim, was the winner, while in the previous year he picked Le Voleur when his stable companion Trigo was successful.

It was a day that the Aga Khan will ever remember. Yet if he could have had his own way of placing the horses I feel sure that he would have preferred Dastur to have won. In fact he confessed that he was a little disappointed. Dastur is his hero. “He never has a bit of luck,” he said. “Second in tnree of the classics and in my opinion he deserved to win two of them. I bred all four of them who ran to-day, but I admit that my heart was with Dastur, and this was not because of any financial result. T do not bet except in a small way. I had £lOO on Dastur and £lO on each of the others. As a matter of fact much as I love the ganie I am afraid of every big race and only rejoice when it is over.”

Now as to the race. For a few- days prior to it Orwell had been steadily backed, his price going to as low as .three to one. But on reaching Doncaster he did not please his stable connections and an eleventh hour decision was taken to run Leighon, the second Manton string. This was not very encouraging. Orw-ell was up -with the leaders three furlongs from home, but then he weakened and quickly fell back. He not only failed to stay the mile and three quar l ters but he created the impression that he had turned sour.

Mr. Tom Walls' allowed April the Fifth to take his chance, and the Derby winner was third at the entrance to the straight. Then, however, his lack of condition told and he faded away. As his owner said, you cannot train a horse in the sea. It may be recalled that just as the St. Leger preparation of April the Fifth had been started the horse lamed himself and in a desperate effort to get him fit he was taken to the coast in order that he might go into the sea every day. In this way the lameness was cured but insufficient time was left for April the Fifth to do all the work he needed to be fit for the St. Leger. One good result of the race, however, was to prove that the colt is again thoroughly sound, and there are many sound judges who believe that he is the best of the three-year-olds. He is to remain in-training next season. It was a great race home between Dastur and Krdaussi, and only a neck separated them at the post. Silvermere was four lengths behind. Dastur was equal second favourite with Violator at six to one, Udaipur was at nine to tone, -and ‘Firdaussa started at twenty-to-one.