ENGLISH TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 8

ENGLISH TURF

FIRST BIG CLASSIC TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS WESTMERE STUDS INTEREST (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Hay 8, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, May 7. The Newmarket First Spring meeting, which opened yesterday, was continued to-day, the first of tro season’s big classic events resulting as follows: Two Thousand Guineas. (A sweepstake of £lOO each, with 2000 guineas added; for three-year-old entire colts and fillies; to be run over the Rowley Mile course, a straight mile. Closed with 281 entries). DIOLITE (Sir H. Hirst) b.c. by Diophon—Needle Rock, 9.0 .. 1 PARADINE (Mr W. Cazalet) blk c by Grand Parade —Jesting . Maid, 9.0 . . 2 SILVER FLARE* * (Major Courtauld) br c by Pharos —Silver Wand, 9.0 .. ' 3 There were 28 starters, and Diolite won by two lengths, with the third horse a length away.

The Two Thousand Guineas is the first of the English racing season's classics and forms the first “leg” of the famous “triple crown,which is completed by the Derby and the St. Legcr. Last year the winner’s portion of the sweepstake and added money amounted to £10,440, so that it is reasonable to assume that the winner’s share this year again reached five figures. Diolite was the best two-year-old in England last season and was so highly assessed that Mr T. F. Dawkins, in framing the Free Handicap, placed him at the head of the list with 9.3, Press Gang being next with 9.2- As the list consisted of over fifty of the best juveniles in the Old Country, some idea of the opinion held of the son of Diophon may be formed. Diolite was one of the five yearlings Colonel Birkin sent to the Newmarket sales of 1928, and he was purchased by Sir Hugo Hirst for the small sutn of 4SO guineas. , Thus he is already one of the bargains of the sale ring. His record last season included three wins (Spring Stakes, at Newmarket, National Coventry Stakes at Ascot, and Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood), while he ran second in the Goodwood Spring Stakes and in his only other start finished third. The total amounted to £5459. Diolitesire, Diopl m, also won the Two Thousand Guineas for the Aga Khan, who gave Lord D’Abornon 4000 guineas for him and succeeded in winning £23,150 with him. Dio phon was the first of Grand Parade's sons to go to the stud, and the Two Thousand Guineas winner was one of his first crop to race.

Probably the most interested New Zealander in Diolite’s success will bo Mr John Donald, the owner of the Westmere stud. Diophon, sire of Diolite, is a son of Grand Parade (by Orby from Grand Geraldine, by Desmond) and Donetta, the dam of the One Thousand Guineas winner, Diadem, and of Diadumenos (the sire of Diacquenod). Donetta was sired by the Galopin horse Donovan. Grand Parade won the Derby and he is the sire of Grand Knight, wh>> won several good races in New Zealand and i a at the Westmere stud. Diacquenod, who has given the New Zealand turf that speedy juvenile Hard Words, is also at. Westmere, so that Mr Donald has more than one reason to be pleased with the result of the first of the English clasthis season. Grand Parade also gets the credit of siring Paradine, runner-up to Diolite.

Silver Flare, which finished third, was got by Pharos, a son of Phalaris and Scapa Flow, a union which also resulted in Fairway, one of England’s best performers, whose defeat in the Derby a couple of year s ago could only be ascribed to his highly nervous disposition and his being upset by the huge crowd. —“Kestrel.”