ESSENDON STAKES INCIDENT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1456, 21 March 1918, Page 25

ESSENDON STAKES INCIDENT.

DESERT GOLD’S INFLUENCE ON NEWMARKET HANDICAP ISSUE. Although Desert Gold’s late withdrawal from the Essendon Stakes on the opening day of the V.R.C. autumn meeting at Flemington proved a keen disappointment to the public and more particularly to those who had got their money on the New Zealand mare before it was known that the heavy downpour of rain had decided her owner not to start her in that event, her presence in the list of nominations for the Essendon Stakes proved a most fortunate incident for at least one owner, viz., Mr. T. A. Stirton. The latter gentleman is well known as the owner of the brilliant Grafton five-year-old horse, Cetigne. In 'ordinary circumstances Cetigne would have been entered for only the weight-for-age races at the Victorian autumn meetings, but the announcement made some time before that Desert Gold would be in Australia at this time of the year caused his connections to look round for the events in which the mare was not likely to start. Consequently, Cetigne was entered for the Newmarket Hand’cap and the Australian Cup. In either his chances did not, according to past form, look bright. So far as the former was concerned, he was regarded as a slow beginner who would not find his legs quickly enough to have a hope of winning, while in the Cup, the distance was thought to be beyond him, and generally speaking his entry for either event was not considered seriously. It was not to be wondered at that some of the ringmen’s lists offered long prices against Cetigne. Then, when the weights came out, he was found to be one of the best treated horses in the handicap; in fact, the adjuster had weighted him with unusual leniency, apparently because he did not seriously consider his entry for such a short race. As a matter of fact, Cetigne was handicapped to get 71b from Wedge, whom he had met only once, and had administered a stone defeat to in the Rosehill Spring Stakes. Still, the public could not fancy Cetigne on figures alone, and those who had seen him begin so slowly in all his recent races, never imagined that he could have a possible chance over a sixfurlong course. His connections did not subscribe to this op’nion, however, and the advent of Desert Gold determined his trainer to devote his attention to the horse’s Newmarket prospects instead of the Essendon Stakes, run on the same day. Early in February a big Newmarket commission was launched for him, and as the result of this a wager of £5OOO was secured about him for the owner at about 100 to 4. Cetigne went to Melbourne, where he went on quietly in his preparation, and after his brilliant effort against Desert Gold in the St. George Stakes at Caulfield his work was solely of the sprint order. On Thursday, the day of final gallops, Cetigne ran six furlongs from a standing start, and the manner in which he found his legs and the time in which he ran out the short course so pleased his trainer that he advised the owner that the horse’s prospects were particularly good. The wager on Cetigne, therefore, was very materially increased, and the brilliant victory achieved by the son of Grafton in the Newmarket Handicap is now a matter of history.