MARSHAL MCDONALD'S-CUP WEIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1958, 15 January 1914, Page 7

MARSHAL MCDONALD'S-CUP WEIGHT.

""'•'' '*(i6hw n)tth.)tf .b?>-rif.?/r-' Sir,—Your racing contributor, after a week's cogitating, makes"a. laboured attempt to justify, his ; 'pointed query: "Why should -Marshal-M'Donald meet Byfoh "on even' terms Und give weight to Merrie Roe, Flora M'Dohald, (Ladoga, and Royal 'Arms?" '''His thi'fee-qubner column article; if read-through; supplies the answer, and had he gonoi'a little further and pointed out that Marshal M'Donald' licit only gave'Merrie Roe 31b. and defeated her iii theA.R.C. Derby, one mile and a half, but' Mr. Lqwry's colt conceded thp same weight to Warstep; winner' of the Stewards' Handicap and Stead Memorial Civp; also, 31b. to Bonny Helen, winner' of- the Wanganui Guineas, and C.J.C. Oaks, he would have .made it quite,clear.why the Wellington handicapper had no option but to accept'suchrecent .formlas His .guide. The merest tyro in racing knows how rapidly three-yeafrolds improve with racing, obviously." Marshal M'Donald was a vastly improved.coll-when he ran home, only two lengths behind, .Rinaldo and : in front of the .three-best fillies of the season in the A.R.C. Derby. Your racing reporter is.lacking'in ingenousness when ho refers to Byron's perform-, a nee- of two seasons ago; he should know that haiidieappors are expected to accept recent form as .a guide,, and as Byron at -Marton was twice badly defeated; the second time, when in' receipt of 811). from Lford Renown,, and as ha in the Wellington Cup only, received- from-the -latter.horse 91b., it must bo obvious to any judge of racing- that Byron .is not too leniently treated, and thnt it would not require a high-class three-ycar.-old to defeat Mr. Hade's horse in his present form. As your' correspondent points out Merry Roe defeated 'Royal, Arms, at, Avoridale, whilst later on Marshal M'Donald defeated Merry Roe,-.Warstop, arid.Bonny Helen ..when ■ conceding thepY'weight. Is that not proof" that Marshal. M :Donold .is .amongst .the best of the .three-year-olds in tfia Dominion.?; Sea Pink's win in..the : A.R.C. Handicap'is..mentioned by your correspondent, but'when Sea-Pink won ho did not. meet either of the. crack three-year-olds, and time is a poor guide to haridicappers,'. as racing men well know. Jolie'Fille, a moderate animal, was close on Sea Pink's, heels when he. won."'This, scorns to discount'.'thevahie,of Mr. Watt's 1 colt's .Victory. r hold iio brief'for W handicappcf, but .'as'ft. consistent, reader and supporter'of your-paper, f must take exception to .the continuous piiipriekmg that men of wide'racing knowledge are subjected .to by-certain tvpes of sporting critics. I would respectfully request that, as. you qnlv pubhshed. an. extract- from -my..- last'.letter,, this communication 'be' published as written;—l am, etc.;' •'" •' :'•- ■. /■ "-; ' 'A RACING.; KRADFJt. [The material, facts of our correspondent's first letter were published.] '..