MUCH-DISCUSSED CLASH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 53, 4 March 1939, Page 6

MUCH-DISCUSSED CLASH

AJAX AND DEFAULTER EPIC STRUGGLES PREDICTED reminiscent of gloaming DAYS. The much-discussed meeting <■ Ajax and Defaulter is yemimscen of the period when Gloaming v. a the idol of New Zealanders and Beau ford was the adored ot Sydney race goers. They met four times and th: honours between the pair were even The first time they clashed was ii the Chelmsford Stakes at eve: weights, and Beauford was the vic tor by a little less than a length Their next meeting was in the IL, Stakes at Rosehiil, and Gioamin; turned the tables. Their third raci provided a thrill, and Beauford woi by a neck. Their final meeting wa. in the Craven Plate, but this time after Beauford had established a leai of about three lengths, Gloamin; raced past him and won comfortably Such a series of clashes is promisee again for Sydney racegoers at Easter when the mighty Ajax and the Nee Zealand three-year-old champion De faulter will measure strides. I her will also be a chance for them U meet prior to Easter in the Chipp.n; Norton Plate at Warwick Farm o, April 1. . Defaulter will presumably tacKiAjax in the Autumn Plate, run ovei a mile and a-half on the opening at the A.J.C. autumn meeting. 1 promises to be one of the outstanding races of the autumn carnival. It wil be a test of stamina as well as speed, and Defaulter should settle tm questionas to whether Ajax read, stays or not. as there is no questioi of Defaulter’s being able to run ou a solidly-run mile and a-half. It is interesting to compare the re cords of these two champions to date A ! ax has now started on 27 occasion, for 23 wins and three seconds, with ar unbroken sequence of 16 races. Il stakes he has earned £27,475, and h. has twice run record time for on< mile. Defaulter, a year younger, nai started 21 times for 16 wins, one second, and one third, with wins in hi: last eight races. In stakes he ha: earned £7015. His times, in contras' to those of Ajax, have never been t record, but that may be omy because he has never been pushed to register such time. At his first appearance under colours Defaulter lost his ride, at the start, and if it had not beei for an unlucky defeat in a sprint a Dunedin in his first race this seasor he would now have built up an unbroken sequence of 16 wins.