THE KING’S ASCOT WIN

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1933, Page 4

THE KING’S ASCOT WIN

NOT A COMMON EXPERIENCE. FINE BURST IN THE STRAIGHT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, June 22. The Ascot meeting, as highly successful as ever, had -a happy finish (writes our racing specialist), being marked by a win for the King with his four-year-old Limelight.' His Majesty has not had a very fortunate experience on the turf, but Limelight is a fine horse, perhaps the best he has owned, and the way ‘he captured the Hardwicke Stakes, in a thrilling finish, which revealed the superb jockeyship of Childs, aroused great enthusiasm. The race was over a mile and a-half, and Limelight had not previously attempted this distance. In fact, there was a doubt whether he could last it. He started in sluggish style, and at the end of half a mile, Childs had to shake him up to keep his place. But he was obviously running easijy, despite the fact that he was last but one on entering the straight. Then, however, he made a fine burst, and, timing the effort in wonderful style, Childs got his mount home by a neck from Nitsichin. After the race the King, who was obviously delighted by his success, went into the paddock to see Limelight, and later Childs and Gordon Richards were summoned to the Royal box, where they were congratulated, Childs on his fine piece of horsemanship. His Majesty also thanked Richards for his services to the Royal stable, and praised him for remarkable achievements. Already Richards has ridden over 80 winners, and he seems to have a great chance this season of realising his ambition to reach a total of 200. LORD ASTOR’S TRIUMPH. The meeting closed with another joyful scene when old Brown Jack, now nine years of age, won the Queen Alexandra Stakes for the fifth year in succession in partnership with Steve Donoghue. Brown Jack is wonderfully popular, and the vast gathering on the royal heath burst into cheers when it was seen that the old fellow was much too good for his rivals. To bet one had to lay the odds of five to one, but they were never in doubt. The meeting was a triumph for Lord Astor, who was the most successful owner. He won four races worth £10,680,

his filly, Betty,, gaming the Coronation Stakes and the prize of £4350. Usually this race is the most valuable prize of the meeting, but this year the Gold Cup was worth a few hundred pounds more. Lord Astor, too, , was very pleased with, the success 'of Canon Law, who could not be'trained for the Derby. He beat several Derby ' horses in the St. James’ Palace Stakes, however, and suggested that he must have a chance in the St. Leger. Of the other winning owners, Mr. Edmond Esmond was second with a total of £7190. More than half this sum was won by Foxhunter, in securing the Gold Cup. Foxhunter had run the previous day in rather undistinguished style, and he whs' allowed to start at ■25 to 1 for the Cup. The opposition was strong, his rivals including Orpen and that grand : mare,' Brulette, whose stamina ' was believed .to be inexhaustible. On this occasion, however, Foxhunter wore her- down and, also resisting a strong challenge by Orpen, bravely landed the long odds. The most remarkable feature of the prize list was that the Aga Khan did not figure on it. Last year he headed the owners with over £9OOO, and now he drew a blank. Similarly his trainer, Frank Butters, whose horses a year ago won £10,700, had not a winner. Lord Astor’s trainer, Joseph Lawson, turned out five winners who secured £12,435. J. Jarvis and Fred Darling each had four winners, and their totals were £ll,OOO and £Bll5 respectively. It was notable, in the case of Darling, that he presented three of the most important two-year-olds, Medieval Knight, Maureen and Merenda, who should keep him in the front next season, if his young champions , develop in the right way. His fourth winner was Myrobella, who cantered home alone, five lengths cleqj of the field. But it has been definitely proved that she is only a sprinter.

Coaching. “I hear that Mr. ’Bunny’ Austin’s improved form on the tennis courts is due to a friendly coach," states the News’ London correspondent. “Some time ago he received a letter from a gentleman who suggested various faults in his style, and made recommendations for putting them right. As a result of this communication, the writer was invited to meet the famous player, and a course of intensive coaching took place accordingly. ■ Mr. Austin states, I understand, that the coaching undoubtedly improved his form considerably. The curious fact about this little story is that the coach is himself quite a mediocre performer on the courts, but nevertheless has a fine gift for detecting weak points in other players, and makes an admirable tennis tutor. In this respect he seems to me to differ profoundly from those “kibbitzers,” who make a ■habit of sitting round bridge tables and telling the players just where they go ■wrong every time.” Average and Vintage. A diligent observer of statistics (states the News’ London correspondent) has been analysing cricket averages for a period of 25 years, and has produced a graph whose zig-zag line shows the ups and downs of scoring power in terms of runs per 100 overs. This scientific research reveals what should have been obvious before the work commenced—that good summers mean hard wickets and consequently faster scoring. The peak periods on this graph are 1904 to 1906, 1911, 1919 and 1921, as anybody who can remember the best summers would obviously expect. If this industrious mathematician, who is evidently no gourmet, had taken the trouble to run his eyes over a wine list, he might have saved himself a deal of trouble. For there he would have found his peak years duly written down in terms of vintage. Vine-growers and batsmen have at least this in common—the sun is an active partner in their triumphs.