BLACK DAYS AT ASCOT

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1935, Page 9

BLACK DAYS AT ASCOT

RAIN SPOILS PARADE CROWDS AS LARGE AS EVER. THE TOTALISATOR POPULAR. London, June 27. Black Ascot! Never did the royal meeting so well fit the description, which was coined by the hardened gamblers long ago when the “good things” by which they expected to enrich themselves let them down and sent the bookmakers away smiling and with the money jingling in their pockets. It was not only on this occasion that surprises followed fast and furiously to bring confusion, or something worse to the backers, but on three of the four days the fashionable crowds which gathered were drenched by rain. The Queen, accompanied by the other members of the Royal family with the exception of the King, who was at Sandringham recovering from his slight indisposition, and the Princess Royal, who was still confined to the nursing home after her operation, attended the meeting on each day, but on two of the days the procession up the course had to be abandoned. In the circumstances the fashion parade was also abandoned. Umbrellas and mackintoshes took the place of flimsy frocks, and it says much for the popularity of the meeting that despite these melancholy conditions the attendance was as great as ever. The betting, too, was heavy, as was indicated by the operations of the totalisator. During the four days £339,685 passed through the machine, this being the highest sum recorded at Ascot since its establishment. It was inaugurated five years ago when the total takings amounted to £227,711. The sum invested this season was £30,000 higher than a year ago. But France still holds the record for pari-mutuel betting. Three years ago as much as £200,000 changed hands in a shorter period at Longchamps. £70,000 IN PRIZES. The most disastrous race experienced by backers for many years was in the Royal Hunt Cup, which was won by the French-bred gelding Priok. As the ring confessed, it was as near a complete “clean up” as they are ever likely to get. The bookmakers laid long odds while the totalisator returned greater odds, figures which tell that the horse ran almost friendless. Priok belongs to Mr. H. Barnard Hankey, a young London business man, and the fact that he ran third in a small handicap the previous week destroyed all reason to hope for his succes. A year ago the Aga Khan carried all before him, winning as many as six races worth as much as £15,000. He did not expect to do anything like as well or this occasion, and he had to be satisfied with two wins, which were recorded by his Derby winner Bahram and Theft. But the failure of Umidwar and Hindoo Holiday was a big disappointment. Bahram’s win, too, was not very pleasing, the excuse put forward being that the soft ground did not suit him. It has been a characteristic of all the members of the Blandford family that they have preferred firm going. The prize money amounted to £70,000, and the most successful owner was Sir Abe Bailey, for whom Tiberius, the hero of the Gold Cup, and Doreen Jane, the winner of the Ascot Stakes, earned £6835. Tiberius Beat the all-conquer-ing French champion Brantome, and did so most thoroughly. Brantome ran many pounds below his best form, but no excuse could be found for him, and there is no doubt that Tiberius is a great horse endowed with magnificent stamina. Ascot probably did not show the season’s best two-year-olds. If this was the case they are not a very distinguished lot. Much was expected of Miss Dorothy Paget’s filly Osway, for whom she gave 9000 guineas, but she failed badly. Her Bossover *colt, however, may give her some compensation.