THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 4, 6 January 1936, Page 4

THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS

WHAT ELLERSLIE SHOWED

NO OUTSTANDING MERIT

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

Just how good are our threc-ycar-olds? In the spring the consensus of opinion was that they were merely moderates. Yet looking back on the recent Auckland Summer Meeting, when Greek Shepherd led all the way in the Summer Cup, and Heritage won the Grandstand Handicap under difficulties, One might be pardoned for now reversing previous conclusions. On the other hand, the pessimists may point out that Lhe handicap form at Ellerslie was poor in the extreme. However, taking the form throughout the four days at Kllcrslie at its full face value, one is forced to the conclusion that the three-year-olds, while entitled to a higher rating than was warranted in the early part of the season, can be classed as or average quality. Until something occurs, such as a new three-year-old star's arising, as is'still possible in tne autumn, then it will have to be accepted tnat taking them through the season so far as it has gone Inure is no outstanding performer, v , NEXT BEST AT TRENTHAM. It is probable that this three-year-old situation will be further complicated belore very many more-days have passed, with the Trentham btakes on January 25 offering a further test of aoiiny. This mile and a quarter contest run at Derby weights, may, or may not, serve to clear me three-year-old situation. Given a line day and a firm track, and with Kinnouli, Greek Shepherd, and Heritage in. the race, then one may be prepared to say tnat the question of superiority may be settled once for all, for this will probably be the last opportunity tor this crack trio to clash. Xhe only distance classics after the Trentham Stakes, are the St. Legers at Trentham and Ellerslie to March and April respectively, but Kinnouli is missing from among thkinS, G°ree bk lShepherd, and Heritage s"and out as the three-year-olds seen out to date. Outside his trio are two that may have to eiitei into calculations at Trentham. These aic fhe Wangaiuu-owned colts Lowenberg and Entail?for it is probable that they will be be ter suited by the Trentham track than the Ellerslie. It has been pointed out often that a good horse on southern tracks is not always the same It Ellerslie; for the right-handed way round to the north has on several occasions proved an obstacle-to success and has resulted in many puzzling ieVefn al t Shis fr £e°s™ct, Entail .was always making difficult work in his three outtogs Si the north. He is a long-striding colt and one would not select him, to live of his best at Ellerslie, despite the fact that he won there in the spring even then he was in an apparently hopeless position over two furlongs from home, but gallantly rose above himself. Lowenberg too seemed hampered in his outings at the Auckland Meeting. Now at Trentham, where there are two big straights along the back and in the home stretch, and a horse has time to settle down before reaching out in earnest, it is probable ■tot both Lowenberg and Entail wiU .show decided improvement upon tage, but they should make much bolder showings. ■ „

THE LINE THROUGH CUDDLE. In summing up the three-year-old tne crowd. Greek Shepherd might have been a shade fortunate after his spcond in the New Zealand Derby,, to let to the Summer Cup with the minimum weight, but his failure to gain a ffi S the Queen's Plate on the opening day indicated that he could not be regarded as other than an ordinary Sait°fs er history now how Greek Shepherd fed all the way with 7.11 in the Summer Cup and then repeated the leriSmance two days later in the Derby with its high scale of weights. He had Heritage badly beaten over the final quarter of the classic and pulled up without any signs of distress. On ton of this Heritage ran away with the bandstand Handicap the next day, but it has to be remembered that both the Summer Cup and GrandsstandHandicaps were contested by fields that were nrobably the weakest that these cventsTaveYroduced for very many, years. Just how good Ellerslefoim. was may be revealed in the Tienlham Stakes.