ENGLISH RACING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 818, 19 July 1933, Page 10

ENGLISH RACING.

Three-Year-Old Form Upsets Theories. OAKS BOILOVER. (Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, June 8. Racing continues in a state of great confusion even if it is accepted that Hyperion, the Derby winner, is a much better horse than had been believed. The season started with all the records indicating that the fillies were far superior to the colts, and the running before the Derby confirmed this. But the flying Myrobella, as we had called her, Betty- and Brown Betty, who had been placed first in the Free Handicap, have receded into the background, and we are left to doubt their class, at any rate as stayers. So definitely had it been proved that Myrobella was only a sprinter that Lord Lonsdale did not think it worth while to let her run in the Oaks. " I have scratched her,” he said, “ because I do not want any-one to back her and lose his money- without a fair run for it.” The two Betties, however, remained, and on form it looked a really good thing for Lord Astor’s representative. Her strongest rival seemed to be Lord Stanley’s Versicle. But the form of both was most disappointing. It was complained that they were ridden with poor judgment, and that otherwise there would have been a different result. Someone, of course, had to be blamed, and as usual it was the jockeys. A Real Surprise. The Oaks, however, furnished a great surprise, being won by a filly- who had not been seen on the course this season and who did not win one of the six races in which she took part last year. This was Chatelaine, who was bred at the famous Sledmere stud and who was bought as a yearling for 500 guineas. Two furlongs from home it was evident that the fancied horses were out of it. At this point Solfatara made a fine effort and looked like winning, but she was strongly challenged by Chatelaine, and the latter, staying on well, won by- a length and a half, with the very consistent Fur Tor third. I can offer no explanation for the result except that in the hot weather neither Betty- nor Versicle did herself justice. Indeed, I think this will be seen during the Ascot meeting. Best Derby Winner for Years. But from a strictly racing point of view even more remarkable were the doubts which had been cast against Hyperion. To-day many- believe that he is the best Derby- winner for ten years, and yet it was not until after he had run away with the prize in the record time that his merit was properly appreciated. Indeed, it is extraordinary- that so fine a colt could have been so badly- illjudged. Really, Hyperion should have started at odds on. and I shall be verysurprised if it is not necessary to laymoney to win over Lord Derby’s representative in the St Leger. Who was responsible for the rush to back Manitoba? His running in the Two Thotisand Guineas pointed to the fact that he did not stay, but the evidence was ignored, and I think more money- was lost over this horse than anv other. To some extent the public were encouraged to put their trust on Lord Woolavington’s colt because he was ridden by- Gordon Richards, who is in incomparable form, and also because he came out of the dangerous Beckhampton stable. I do not think Manitoba will be trusted again over any distance longer than a mile, and T doubt whether he can maintain his best pace for more than six furlongs. WINTER CUP. Foreign Queen’s Form Reviewed. If Foreign Queen comes south, she will be a Winter Cup candidate requiring a good deal of consideration at 8.3. So far she has not been tried in public over a mile, but the way she won over seven furlongs with 9st 121 b in the mud at Trentham on Saturday strongly- suggested that another furlong would not find her out. She is a three-year-old filly by the Australian-bred Mercian King from Megan, by- Solferino from Success, by The Officer, who beat the odd.s-on favourite Newhaven by ten lengths in the Y.R.C. St Leger of 1897. Mercian King, who won over a mile himself, was by the Caulfield Cup winner, King Offa, who was by Radium, sire of Night Raid, and the best staying son of Bend Or himself. Bunfeast, dam of Mercian King, is by- Comus, a son of Cyllene. She never raced, but another of her progeny, Royal Feast, won £13,119 in stakes as a two-year-old in Australia, and died before he could race at three years. Foreign Queen made her debut on March 10 last year at Dannevirke. and finished third in the Juvenile Handicap. She was unplaced in a similar event at Hastings, and was third in the Autumn Plate at Awapuni. She wound up her first season by- winning in succession a Novice Stakes at Marten and Trial Plates at Hastings, Napier Park, and Trentham. The filly- was not produced again in public until February 22 last when she again opened her account byrunning third. This was in a six furlong event at Woodville, and the next day she was unplaced in a similar event. Another third—in the Flying at Masterton on March 10—was followed by- a win h the Farewell, five furlongs and a half, on the following day-. She was unplaced twice over six furlongs at Awapuni that month. Early- in April, she ran fourth over six furlo-ngs, and third over five furlongs at the Pahiatua meeting. At her next start, which was at Woodville on May 27, she was second over five furlongs. Second and fourth was the bert. she managed over six furlongs, at Otaki a week later. Then another run of four wins came. These were gained c-ver five furlongs and a half at Foxton, over six furlongs, and over five furlongs and a half at Hastings, and over seven furlongs at Trentham. Foreign Queen is trained by her owner, D. Kemp, at Woodville. a training centre that is well in the limelight just now. RACiXO FIXTURES. July 20—Waimate D.H.C. July 22—Auckland R.C. July 22 Hawke’s Bay H.C. July 22 —South Canterbury H.C. July 27. 29—Poverty Bay R.C. i iil v 29 —i ’lir ist church HC July 29—Rotorua and Bay of Plenty - H.C. August 8. 10. 12—Canterbury J.C. [