JUVENILES’ FORM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 243, 14 October 1939, Page 4

JUVENILES’ FORM

Wellesley Stakes At Trentham FIRST MAJOR CLASH OF SEASON NEXT THURSDAY’S FIELD Though it is preceded by the Avondale Shakes anct the A.R.U. Welcome Stakes (decided to-day), the Wellesiey Stakes, to be run at Trentham next Thursday, provides the first major clash of two-year-old form in the Dominion, and as such it should provide a valuable guide to juvenile supremacy. However, jt must not be overlooked that more than once the best of the youngsters has not made an appearance until later in the season, so impressions gained at the Wellington meeting next week may have to be revised before the season concludes.

Many brilliant, juveniles have won the Wellesley Stakes or have been placed, and nearly as many have been beaten, as for instance last year s leading iilly, Submission. Moreover, the Taita Handicap, decided the same day, has frequently provided an opportunity for a high-class youngster to make his debut. Among the Wellesley winners in the last 20 years have been Moorfowl, Mermin, Epitaph Queen March, Lady Cavendish, Commendation, Childsplay, Speed Light, Red Manfred, Whenuakura, and Beaulivre, all of whom have later proven themselves of the highest class as two-year-olds. The Taita winners in the same period have included Inferno, Runnymede, Royal Duke, Princess Bede, Admiral Drake, Gesture, Dole, Counterblast and Taurangi. Next Thursday’s field consists of 14 youngsters, of whom only one, Kinsman, hails from the South Island. Included are five of to-day’s Welcome Stakes candidates, comprising Beau Leon, Kentucky, Phaleron, Belle Femme and Queen City, and it is asking a Jot of two-year-olds to make the journey south and race at an in.terval of less than a week. Only three of those engaged has previously won, these being Indore (Debutant Stakes at Wanganui), Taitama (Juvenile Handicap at Marton), and Absolve (Nursery Handicap al Masterton).

Ringmaster Colt Of the form that has been witnessed this year, the most appealing has been that of Mr. G. F. Moore’s line colt Taitama, who led a parade home at the Foxton meeting and then the following week scored in the Juvenile Handicap at Marton after a good finish with Uvedale and Enrich. He raced greenly, but. he should now strip much improved for his Trentham engagements. A brown colt by the Colorado horse Ringmaster, he is out of that, fine Absurd—Bonny Portland mare Lady Bentinck, a full-sister to Lady Cavendish, w ho won the Wellesley Stakes in 1924, hence he is himself a half-brother to Belvoir, Topthorn, Etiquette, and Golden Promise, all useful gallopers. If looks count for anything, he is the makings of a classic colt. Another who has impressed in his early showings is the Aucklander Beau Leon, though his best effort so far has been a third to Lovaals and Kentucky in the Avondale Stakes. Jn that race, however, he was unlucky m Ihe draw and was finishing on the outer of the other pair and doing better than either at Ihe close. He is also a quality sort, a brown colt, by Beau Pere out of the imported Adam Bede mare Lady Bede, the dam previously of Princess Bede (winner of the W.R.C. Taita Handicap) and of Galilee, and it will surprise many judges if he does not take his place among the best of the season. On that Avondale form Kentucky must at least be promising, but his further second on the final day of that meeting, at the hands of a little fancied stablemate, throws doubt on whether he is quite as brilliant as he was considered to be after winning one of the parades al. the Pakuranga Hunt meeting in August. A brown colt, he is the first of the imported Solario horse Vermeer's progeny to race in the Dominion, and he is a member of a very successful family, his dam. the Lucullus Persis mare Lady Lois, who beat Epitaph in the Avondale Stakes in her year, being a sister to Tuahine (Avondale Guineas) and Nucleus and a halfsister to Royal Duke, Gay Seton, Gay Chief. Persham, and others. Indore, who won the Wanganui Debutant. Stakes, none too easily though gamely enough, rather lost caste as a result of her defeat by Kindergarten at Hastings. As Kindergarten was not in the money on either day at Avondale, form does not. indicate Indore to be a top-flighter. This Bulendshar - Clemency filly is undoubtedly brilliant over short courses, but she is of somewhat common mould and she stripped obviously very lit at Wanganui, which does not. allow a great deal of scope for rapid improvement. Another Beaulivrc? The Trentham stable of H. A. Telford provided the winner last year in Beaulivrc, and next Thursday the establishment has a strong hand in Absolve and Enrich, though the latter is also in the Waita Handicap, which may be his mission as Absolve beat him at Masterton on Thursday Absolve is a Solicitor-General colt out of the imported Diadumenos marc Sweet, Charity, hence a half-brother to Knightlike and Netley. His race at Masterton, where he finished a neck in front of Enrich, would undoubtedly be of materia] benefit to him, and he may follow in the footsteps of Bcaulivre. Enrich is a full-brother to Globe Trotter, being by Safari from the Paper Money—Gaze worthy mare Sight Draft, who earned some repute as a two-year-old by defeating Cylinder at Ellerslie. Enrich is a bet-ter-looking horse than Globe Trotter was at this early stage, and he drew attention to his prospects by finishing third behind Taitama and Uvedale al Marton, where he was hampered in the running. Still, the indications arc that the stable will prefer Absolve, reserving Enrich for the handicap event, a race Dole won for the stable in the same colours as Absolve carries. Trentham has a further classic possibility this season in Beau Coureur, a black Beau Pere—Zarisee colt and a half-brother to Dollar Bill and Free Gold, but, like Beau Vite from the George stable last year, he might not reach his best form till later on in the season. Though a most attractive youngster, he seems to need more

time yet in which Io round into fuh .shape. Once developed, he should be one of Ihe most striking Beau r ere., who have yet been seen on the race track. The South Islander Kinsman is bred to be good, but the same treatment is apparently being accorcied him as had such successful results with .Defaulter, who first raced at the end of October and was then a winner at the New Zealand Cup meeting alorinignt latci. A bay or brown colt, he is stilt another Beau Here, and he is very closely related to the Trentham recordholder Amigo, as his dam is the Chief Ruler Adorable mare Amante, a half-sister to Amigo. For this youngster, who was paiaded al. the Grand National meeting in August, Mr. H, D. Greenwood paid o7b guineas at Inc ia.4 National Sales, in tne hope of securing another Defaulter. Kinsman is likely to make the Trentham trip, as he is entered for other races on the final days of the meeting. “First-up” Prospects The only horse in the last two decades who has been capable m winning the Wellesley Stages first time up is Moorfowl, and there may' finally be only the “jirst-up” runnels in this year’s race. Kinsman and Ringcraft. Kingcraft, like Kinsman, possesses the qualities to be a racehorse of class. A Ringmaster— Midinet te gelding, he was paraded at Wanganui, where he was not entered for Lht Debutant Stakes because he was not considered suliiciently forward, and liesurprised by leading his heat home. However, tne form was in the other heat, won by Indore from Beau Leon, and the horse who followed him was Beau Coureur, who was prominent only part of tne way in the real trial of the Debutant Stakes. There has been a month of line weather since Wanganui, and Ringcraft, who is a strong type ot gelding from one 01 the most successful families in the Stud Book, appears to be ready now to give a satisfactory account 01 himself. Queen City is an Iliad—Queen March filly, and is therefore bred to be good. She ran fourth and third at Avondale and her display at Ellerslie to-day may decide whether she js to be brought down. Phaleron (Phaicron Bay-—Columba) is out of a sister to Eaglet and Mother Superior, both classic winners, and he was purchased at the National Sales by Dr. McGregor Grant, of Auckland, ior bOOgns. If he shows up in the Welcome Stakes to-day he also may make the trip. Miss Hallomel has nad a fair amount of racing so far as two-year-olds go, being third in the Debutant Stakes, fourth at Marton, and third at Masterton. Miss Hallomet is a chestnut filly by the Diacquenod—Lady Bede horse (Night-Fox, a half-brother tu Galilee, out of the Day Comet Avanti mare Hallomet). Lady Govern is by Leighton out of the King Mark mare Misgovern. Belle Femme is a Beau Pere—Melissa filly who was never likely in tne Avondale Stakes. Her dam is an Absurd mare who has had one useful filly in Merial. Probably there will be some defections before the field goes to the post for this important juvenile classicnext Thursday, but a clash between Taitama, Absolve, Ringcraft, Beau Coureur, Kinsman, Kentucky, Beau Leon and Indore, to name eight probable starters, should be well worth the journey to Trentham.