RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17409, 23 May 1928, Page 4

RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

THE LEADING TWO-YEAR-OLD. MOLLISON AND THE CUPS. THE "HOLDING OFF" POLICY. A well-known Western district (V.) racing man who was in Sydney for the A.J.C. Autumn meeting writes me an interesting note about Mollison, says "Cardigan" in 'the Australasian. He" says:—"l have read where you consider that Mollison is one of the best two year olds we have ever seen, and unhesitatingly agree. There is no doubt, that he is a champion of the first water. But 1 am wondering how lie will fare as a three year old. 1 do hope that he is not asked to do impossible things, but I must say that 1 do not agree with the plan of not entering him for the Cups. Hang it all there is no reason to run him in those races if he does not stay, but after all the Melbourne Cup is the hall-mark of excellence as far as an Australian horse is concerned, and if Mollison does stay and wins the Derbies in easy style it would be a pity to see some other three year old win the Melbourne Cup because the champion was absent." I must say that I agree with my correspondent, and hope that the notion of not entering him in the Cups is abandoned. If he docs not stay there is no need to run him, but it certainly would be a shame to see him not entered for the Melbourne Cup if he should win the ■both Derbies in very,easy style. Of course Mr Pearce's reasons for not asking Mollison to do too much are to he commended, and very naturally he desires that gelding to preserve his unbeaten record as long as possible. Mollison returned from Sydney looking in fine trim, and be has been sent to Mount Martha for a spell. Will He Stay?

As Mollison is a very easy horse to train and appears to be as sound as a | bell, there is no reason why he ! should not get a mile and a half. 1 1 do think that he will always be better j over short courses than over a dis- '; tance, as he seems to be almost too I brilliant lo stay, but so many horses : who .have woo Derbies have not been : out and out stayers that Mollison may i follow in their footsteps. One thing ! is certain, he stands so far above any I of the other two year olds, and if be | improves— and if is possible that he I will do so—remarkable improvement I will have to be made by oilier young- ! sters to enable them to beat him. In the Sires' Produce Slakes and Cham- ! pagne Stakes in Sydney he not only : stayed better than his opponents, but ihe fairly outpaced them. In the J Champagne Slakes Margarelhal, who is very fast, went with him for half a \ mile, but Daniels was never anxious : on Mollison, and immediately he asked ; that gelding for an effort away he '; wont lo win cantering.. His sire. | Seremond, has sired several useful I horses who have won over long distances, but the majority of pro-

geny shine at distances ranging from six furlongs to ten i furlongs. Mollison's flam, Molly's ' Robe, held the H furlongs Australasian record for some time, but it was her brilliance, and not hf.r staying power, that gained her fame. [Jcr son has all her brilliance, and he also has a lot of the Scremond In him, and, although I would not care to back him in any race beyond a mile and a half as a three-year-old, I can sec, no reason why he should not get M furlongfl just as well as the other three year olds who will oppose hirn. Won More Than the Tetrarch. The comparison may seem a trifle far-fetched, but Mollison's position at the close of his two year old earner is exactly the same as The Tetrarch's position at the close of the 1014 flat racing season in England. The spotted wonder, like Mollison. ran in seven laces as a two year old, and like Mollison he remained unbeaten at the close of the season. The first time he ran there were actually two better favourites, but the easy style in which he won his races quickly made him a great favourite with racing crowds, and "the rocking rmrse," as he was known, went into his winter quarters as the favourite for the Derby.- Unfortunately, The Tetrarch did not stand a preparation, as he struck himself at the close of his two year old career, and although he was patched up he' again gave the injured leg a knock when being trained as an early three year old, and his trainer, 11. S. Perssc", found it, impossible to train him. Whether The Tetrarch would have won the Derby at Epsom has long been a bone of contention, but possibly his brilliance would have pulled him' through. By the way, The Tetrarch for his seven starts and seven wins won only £11*336, whereas Mollison has won £17,332. Even the great' American horse Man o' War, who is described as "the horse of the centurv," did not, win as much money as Mollison as a youngster, as his total is 83 325 dollars, which falls a little short of Mollison's total. Man o War ran ten times as a two year old for nine wins and a second. However Mollison's winnings are not a world's record for a two year old, as in searching through some American records I find that St. .lames won 89 385 dollars as a two year old, which is almost £IB,OOO. It is interesting to note that St. James is bred on lines very much in favour in Australia, as he is by Ambassador IV., a son of Dark Ronald, from Exccllerrza, bv Haut Brion, from a mare by vvnlo'nvx, from Chelandry, the grand-dam of Ileroic and other good horses, bt. James stands at a fee 6f 1500 dollars in the United States, and is owned by Mr C D. Widened-. I think Morvich holds' the record for two year old winnings. That black colt won all the 11 races he started in as a two vear old in America, and his tola stake winnings amounted to 115,23 a dollars.