COMPENSATORY WIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1937, Page 15

COMPENSATORY WIN

BOOMERANG IN CORNWALL

Boomerang, winner of the A.R.C. Cornwall Handicap last Saturday, had. been threatening to capture a good prize for twelve months . past, but always they had just eluded him. . Indeed, he has so often disappointed that one was beginning 'to mark him off as a rogue. Rather like his older halfbrother Might, he has the ability in him but only sometimes produces it.

His win was some compensation for his owner's and his stable's luck in the Cornwall.twelve months ago. Last year Mr.- H. W. Moss, of Wellington, ■who owns Boomerang, desired to send Prostration north for the Cornwall; but T. R. George, the trainer, advised against the trip, as there was so little chance of a firm track at Ellerslie in June. So the stable, sent up the "mud horse," Korero, for the Cornwall, and left Prostration to do the Carterton, Foxton, and Wanganui Meetings, where better going could be expected, i As it turned out exceptionally dry conditions prevailed for the Great Northern Meeting, and George had the wrong horse at Ellerslie. Korero went a fine race and finished close up, but he did not have the ground he desired. Prostration, back in the home territory, continued in excellent form, winning the Mcßae Cup at Egmont, the Wairarapa County Cup at Carterton, and the Foxton Cup (on the same day as the Coi-nwall was decided). In his next start, in the Empire Handicap at Wanganui, in which he finished third, he broke down, and, it has not been possible to train him further. So Boomerang, the only horse now carrying Mr. Moss's jacket, has achieved the honour that Prostration might have gained twelve.months ago. A CHEAP PURCHASE. Though he has so often failed his party, Boomerang has well recouped j the outlay that secured him. When he was a two-year-old he was sent up for sale at the dispersal of the late Mr. V. Riddiford's horses,. and T. R. George, who" was then training him for the! Riddiford estate, bought him at 90 guineas on behalf of Mr. Moss. In two seasons since the gelding (he was gelded after his sale) has earned £1428 in. stakes. His record reads:-r-Stakes. ' * Starts. Wins. Haces. £ At 2 years G • — 2. 22 At 3 years 24 4 10 456 At 4 years 24 3 9 950 Totals .;.... 54 0 21,5142s Boomerang, who is built on-a very light frame, -has always favoured the heavy going. Last winter he completely outclassed two hack fields, at Hawera, when he showed that, despite his size, he could manage Weight. Transferring to open class, he was second at Foxton and Otaki over seven furlongs, and then weakened from first to third only over the last few yards of the W.R.C. Whyte Handicap. At the Grand National Meeting in August he was fifth in the Winter Cup, fourth the next day, and then won the Selwyn Handicap, seven furlongs, on the final day. No further win came after that till last Saturday, the first success he has achieved at 1J miles. NOT ALWAYS TOO LUCKY. Though Boomerang has been so often beaten, and has also at times been apparently rather lacking in' courage, many of his defeats have been due to trouble in the running. He is so small that the least bump is liable to settle him, and he usually receives such buffetings when racing with his fields. On the middle day. at Riccarton last August it was a bad bump that probably deprived -him of. winning honours. Last Saturday he came from behind, and that is probably his best style. A photograph of the Ellerslie finish shows him a: veritable midget between Valmint and De' Friend. Now four years old, Boomerang is a bay gelding by Iliad (son of Swynford) from the imported Gay .Crusader —Mistrella mare Graciosa, so he is a half-brother to. Intruder, Might, and Tutor. Graciosa was brought out from England in 1927, and she is one of the stoutest-bred mares in the present New-Zealand Stud Book. A member of the No. 1 family, she is a half-sister to' Trimestral, who became dam of Trimdon, twice winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, and of Foxhunter, another Ascot Gold Cup winner. Graciosa is bred along lines that might yet be responsible for a champion. With any luck she might even now have been dam of a New Zealand Cup winner, for Might was probably a good thing beaten into-third place in Steeton s sensational year: . It is doubtful if Boomerang will ever be quite so good as Might was at his best, for he has not the same, substance as the Limond gelding had; but he is liable to continue paying his way, particularly on winter tracks, and next season he-may be given his chance to become a New Zealand Cup horse, as. there is every reason to believe that he has stamina. His name, it may be noted in conclusion, was given him because he has a white marking across his forehead the exact shape of a boomerang.