ENGLISH CLASSICS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 85, 7 October 1938, Page 13

ENGLISH CLASSICS

A FRUITLESS VENTURE

An Australian sportsman, the late Hon. J. White, bred three-year-olds to English time, and. sent them to England in the hope of winning classic races. . Unfortunately, the venture was not a success. Many Australian horses have won in England, several important handicaps being credited them, and Merman won the Ascot Gold Cup. Mr. White's experiment, however, is unlikely to be repeated.

America may prove more attractive to some Australian breeder-owner. We are not three weeks away from San Francisco, where the climate is not unlike our own, and now that racing is booming in California, there are some fine stakes to be won by three-year-olds, as well as older horses. Phar Lap did all that was expected of him in winning the Aqua Caliente Handicap in Mexico, and though Winooka never struck his best Australian form he won races in America.

It is possible (says "Pilot") for horses to win nearly all the year round in California, and specially valuable races are put on by Hollywood Park (Inglewood) as well as Santa Anita Park. The latter track's programme for 52 days' racing, commencing on December 31, has already been announced, and the distribution in stakes will be the remarkable one of 900,000 dollars (£225,000), an American record foxany fixture. The principal races are the Santa Anita Handicap, of £25,000, Derby, of £12,500, and San Juan Capistrano Handicap, of £6250.