THE KING'S CONTINUED BAD LUCK.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12437, 9 April 1908, Page 2

THE KING'S CONTINUED BAD LUCK.

TnE DEIRBY AND GRAND NATIONAL.

The turf is a great leveller of men. Luck in horse-racing runs in streaks more noticeable than in any other sport. The King's luck in the past few years has become proverbial, and now his Majesty has had the misfortune to lose his great stallion sftid first Derby winner, Persimmon. It is 1 to be hoped that this is the climax and that Perrier will carry the Royal colours successfully in the Derby next June. Besides merrier, Persimmon's progeny in the forthcoming Derby are Royal Realm, Mountain Apple, Rushcutter, Your Majesty and Persuasion, so it is extremely likely that, after all, th« name of the King's favourite horse will figure on the scroll oi Derby sires. As a racehorse Persimmon was one of the greatest that ever lived. There are many, however, who maintain that St. Frusqum was his equal if not his superior. These two famous racers were foaled in the same year, and both took classic l'cnours, but the balance was wita the King's horse, who won the Derby and the St. Leger against St. Frusquin's Two Thousand Guineas. Circumstances, however, prevented these two giants meeting more than . once in the classic races of 1896. Persimmon could not be got ready for the Guineas, and St. * Frusquin won. The two were opposed at Epsom, and the King's horse, as is ancient history, beat St. ±'rusquin amid one. of the wildest scenes of enthusiasm ever, witnessed. Mr Leopold de Rothschild's horse broke down before' the St. Leger, and the Epsom scene was repeated on the Town Moor at Doncaster. In the interval between the Derby and St. Leger, however, St. Frusquin beat Persimmon by half a length for the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket, but Mr. L. de Rothschild's horse was favoured with a 31b advantage in the weights. The pair did not meet again. As a four-year-old Persimmon won the Ascot Gold Cup, and a victory in the Eclipse Stakes terminated his racing career. In all he won <£34,706 in stakes, and his progeny have since credited him with £ 124,815. Among the hrst of his stock was the famous mare Sceptre, whose record of -\ winning four of the five classic races ' in 1902 will probably never be beaten. Other well-known horses .who claim Persimmon as their sire are. Ziniandel, Cheers, ,Plum Centre, Mead, Colonia, Keystone 11., Fugleman, and Pearl of the Loch.