DESERT GOLD'S SECOND DEFEAT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 154, 19 March 1918, Page 6

DESERT GOLD'S SECOND DEFEAT

AND WALLACE ISINGLASS'S FORM. Desert Gold was beaten at tivo miles yesterday, but not by any meaus disgraced (wrote "Iroquois" in tlie Sydney "bun" oil Wednesday last). , She was set a colossal task in being asked to make her own pace over such a journey, and the tactics thus adopted played into the hands of such a solid stayer and a brilliant finisher like Wallace Isinglass, so that, ".ndcr . the circumstances, there is no wonder that Mr. John "Baron's" horse was able to outstay her in a thrilljng Btruggle over the last three furlongs.

Desert Gold set such a strong pace in tiie early stages of the race that she secured a ten lengths' lead in the run down the back of tho course, but. Wallace Isinglass had her at the turn, and they fought out a strenuous battle over the next two furlongs, but over the last one tho chestnut secured her measure, and won t>y a length and a half. While it was a fine performance on the part of the mare, hor stamina still remains open to doubt. On the one hand, it may. be pointed out that for Wallace Isinglasß to catch and beat her after giving away ten lengths, she must have finished very weakly, while on the other hand the time indicates that the race was run at remarkable speed. The two miles occupied 3min. 26? sec. No other two milo weight-for-ago 1 racc has been run at such a pace, ana the time hae been bettered only ones in the history of Flemington. This was in the Melbourne Oup of 1914, when lungsburgii, witn 6st. 121b., ran 3min. 25see.

Desert Gold's connections had decidcd on ! Saturday to run tho marc in the Governor's Plate, one niilo and a half, in preference to tho 0. M. Lloyd Stakes, for Uw purpose of testing the stayers, with a view to her RandwicK long-distance engagements. Her owner was keen on meeting Cetiguo in the Lloyd Sialics, but a decision was made in favour of the mile and a half event, because it would fit hot- for yesterday's two-mile race. There will be another chanco of challenging Cetignc in the AllAged Stakes at l(aiidv,'ic!:. and the mare will also have iurt':er opportunities of trying her stamina at the A.J.C. meeting, but her form to date suggests that a mile and a half is as far as she can go at her best. A New Zealand, sportsman, who has seen her in all her races, and witnessed the Governor's Plate cn Saturday, said that was the firßt racc in Australia in which she had run to her best New Zealand form. In her engagements in the Dominion she usually secured a big break, allowed the field to run up to her at the home turn, and then ran away again in the straight. That was exactly what happened in tho Governor's Plate, and it led him to 'Believe that having struck her best form she would experience no difficulty in accounting for the King's Plate.

Wallace Isipglass's Form. Wallace Isinglass is unquestionably a fine performer, but ho could never be a public idol. His form is too unreliable for that. Oi(o day lie wiil put up a brilliant performance, and ho will be hailed as a worldbeater and made favourite for the next big Item on the turf calendar—a sort of supreme test which is going to place linn on the very crest c f tuuf fame. In similar circumstances >most other horses will run good raccß, at least giving their admirers some satisfaction, l.ut not so "with \\ allace Isinglass. He will shape like a working bullock, so that the worst condemnation will not seem too severe for him. And the most aggravating thing about, him is that just when he lias been called all ilie woiat names that' figure in the turf vocabulary, he will crop up i-gain as near to chainpionship honours as a horse can get, Threo times he has been through this routine, and his haclterß in the last Metropolitan. the Caulfield Cup, and the Australian Cup. will probably never forgive him. Wallace Isinglass registered a realty ereat performance yesterday in running his two miles in 3min. 2625ec., and bcatmg Desert Cold, despite the start he gave her, but those who had 1 acked him for the Australian Cup must have viewed the race with mixed feelings. In the Cup the leaders had him beaten by over 100 yardß five furlongs from home.