PRESENT AUSTRALASIAN W.F.A. CHAMPIONS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1507, 13 March 1919, Page 9

PRESENT AUSTRALASIAN W.F.A. CHAMPIONS.

The selection by “Iroquois,” of the Sydney “Sun,” of Gloaming, Kennaquhair, Desert Gold, Wolaroi, Biplane and Magpie as the best six horses at weight for age in Australasia continues to form the subject of a. heated controversy in Australian racing circles. The chief feature about the controversy has been the number of turf enthusiasts who have expressed surprise and resentment at the omission of Cetigne’s name from the list of weight for age aristocrats. Cetigne’s form during the past couple of years has been so successful and consistent that Mr. T. A. Stirton’s representative is a popular idol in Australia, and the fact that he has never run an indifferent race has naturally made a great impression on turf followers. The explanation given by “Iroquois” regarding his non-inclusion of Cetigne is of especial interest, and when he mentions that he was reluctant to leave out the names of Cetigne and Rebus from the list, but realised that all could not be included in making a selection of six, recognition will at once be given to the fact that he was faced with no ordinary difficulty. In support of his claim he makes the following individual comparisons between the six horses he named originally and the much championed Cetigne: —

Cetigne and Gloaming met only once, the latter winning the Chelmsford Stakes, while Cetigne was out of a place. However, that race was not run at true weight-for-age, Gloaming having an allowance, while Cetigne carried a penalty. It is questionable whether the reallotment of weights under the scale could have reduced such a remarkable margin as Gloaming won by. Personally, I do not think it would have done. Form does not offer a direct line of comparison between Kennaquhair

and Cetigne. They met in the Chelmsford, and Kennaquhair was third, Cetigne being unplaced. I think Kennaquhair would be Cetigne’s master from a mile and a-quarter upwards. Cetigne failed at weight for age in Melbourne last spring, and in the C. B. Fisher Plate Kennaquhair beat Magpie and Wolaroi, both of whom had beaten Cetigne decisively in previous races at the Melbourne Cup carnival. As to Desert Gold. She met Cetigne four times, and beat him in three races so decisively as to leave no doubt as to her superiority. Twice she accounted for him on different courses, but public opinion is a strange thing, and the moment Cetigne beat her once —and only by the smallest of margins —he was hailed as the champion of the pair. He turned the tables on her in the Craven Plate, but after that race she was a good second to Magpie in the Melbourne Stakes, while Cetigne was beaten off nearly half a mile from home, thanks to the brilliance with which Desert Gold cracked up the field in the first seven furlongs.

Biplane and Cetigne met only twice. Biplane won the Craven Plate a year ago in hollow style, with Ce-

tigne unplaced. It was thought to be futile to start Cetigne against the colt in the Linlithgow Stakes a few weeks later at Flemington, and he was not produced. That Cetigne was in form at the time he showed by running Wallace Isinglass to a neck in the C. B. Fisher Plate on the last day of the meeting. They were both runners in the Rosehill Spring Stakes last September, but Biplane ran off the course at the start, so it was no test. Anyhow, Cetigne did not run into a place. Undoubtedly Wolaroi proved Cetigne’s superior last spring. He finished ahead of him in the Rosehill Spring Stakes, but went under by a head to him in the Craven Plate. Wolaroi was a trifle unlucky, losing a couple of lengths near the halfmile through no reason that his rider could explain, but to those who watched the race closely it was obviously enough to account for a big margin between Mr. Seaton’s horse and the winner. They met twice afterwards. In the Melbourne Stakes (one mile and a-quarter) Wolaroi was third, and Cetigne three lengths away fourth. Wolaroi won the Linlithgow Stakes at a mile, a few days later, and Cetigne was again unplaced.

Magpie is the last of my team. He has met Cetigne twice, and beaten him twice. In the Melbourne Stakes, which Magpie won, Cetigne was fourth, and in the Linlithgow Stakes, in which Magpie was second, Cetigne was again fourth. Cetigne got into trouble in the latter event. Wood waited too long for the opening on the rails; but it did not come, as it had done in the Craven Plate, and he was hopelessly hemmed in for the last furlong. It appeared that he was galloping as well as any of the place-getters at the finish —Outlook was third —but, of course, that does not settle the argument as to whether he would have won if he had secured the run Wood sought.