SMALL BUT GOOD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 127, 15 June 1937, Page 11

SMALL BUT GOOD

(Special from "Early Bird.'*)

Irish Comet's Triumphs at Ellerslie OWNER'S STRATEGY

AUCKLAND, Last Night. J3y virtue of his two wins in the main steeplechase events at Ellerslie, the diminutive Irish Comet can safely claim to be recognised as the best jumper seen out at the Great Northern meeting, and & remarkable feature of his successes was that they were achieved in idontical inanner. Either jockey F. Fergus had carried out his instructions to the letter, or alternatively, having . succeeded by his tactics in the big event, he decided to repeat them in the Winter Steeplechase, and none of the other riders denying him this light he was again able to arrivo hame first. Another feature of Irish Comet's efforts was that he had rarely been taken to a race-track to finalise his preparation for sucb grueiling encounters as steeplechasef* over the Ellerslie hill in midwinter, for he was given only what may perliaps be called the natural training for cross-country racing — he was galloped and jumped aeross the country over his owner's farm, being ridden by his owner too, so that all the credit must go to Mr Sexton as owner-rider-trainer in the preliminary part of the job. The reward? Just a mere £1375 in stake money and a liberal participation in two very acceptable dividends, irish Comet's starting price over the two days averaging 14 to 1. Wiil He Travel7 Mr R. Sexton, the owner, may be parddnably excused if he now looks for further fields to conquer, but they are •few and in ettect will be conhned to Trentham and Riccarton within the next several weeks and, as he is one of the . provineial owners that rarely travels his horses outside the boundaries of" the province, it reniains to be seen if these trips will be undertaken . The only thing that can be held against Irish Comet is his size, or rather the lack of it, which suggests that when he gets up say near the 11 stone mark he will be fully tested. Then again the bigger fences at Trentham and Riccarton will give him something to climb, so his future is certainly going to be interestiug. Tudor's Effort. Yery- tender in front prior to the Winter Steeplechase, Tudor nevertheless ran a great race and in. doing so he esti* lished his claim to be the best steeplechaser in the Domlnlon at the present time. He was ridden a nice race on Saturday and was not asked for his eifort too soon, while throughout his jumpihg left nothing to be desired. It is a great pity that he is not sound, but his form this year has been auiiiciently good to confirm the high opinion northern handicappers have indicated as to his capabilities. Te run second to Irish Comet when conceding 291b. over three miles represented class. Sky Pilot's Promise, Next to Irish Comet and Tudor could be placed any of several horses of about equal merit, judged on their efforts at Ellerslie. .One of the most likely is the hith&rto hack 'chaser, whose two ^vins at the meeting have placed him out of that class. That was Sky Pilot, who created a big impreedion, for hia two races saw him score almost hollow victories, that on the hnal day being accomplished under difficultie^ that would have proved unsurmountable to many horses. His rider lost an iron and this probably made the horse bungle the last fences,'1 and still he won. Sky Pilot was ridden with a confidence in the first circuit that almost amounted to cheek. When he made his first ran to go up to his field it was when the hill had to be climbed a ' second time, a display of t&ctics that is generally regarded as suicidal. That Sky Pilot still got away with it indicated how giood he was. So there is hope for Sky Pilot in a race like the Wellington Steeplechase, for he fences well and shoUld iinprove a good deal yet, as also mav his customary rider. Staymg seems to bo Sky Pilot's biggest asset; anyhow it will be when races such as the Wellington and Grand Natlonal Steeplechases are undertaken. Only a four-year-old, and an entire, the Riccarton horse has great prospects as a 'chaser, for he has made vast improvement since he stepped out in the Egmont Steeplechase only five weeks ago. In that raco he tailed oif badly; he is a diiferent horse now. Allegretto's Prospects. Valpeen display ed plenty of dash when he chased irish Comet home in the Great Northern Steeplechase, but that same dash was spent after two miles in the Winter Steeplechase. However, with his- rare fencing ability when the fences are fences, he cannot bo ruied out at Trentham and Riccarton, although he is getting on in years now. Allegretto is a very fine jumper indeed, endowed with plenty of speej, but once again his bard-pulling tendcncies, com-bined with difficulty in giving him the right preparation, continue to tell against him. His two seconds at Ellerslie were good under jyal diificulties, for he pulled so hard that he was oif the course tlie wholo way and each day lost much more ground than he was beaten by. If he keeps right he will seo Trentham and Riccarton * Some Others. With Windsor Lad it appears to be a questix>n of "united we staud and divided we fall it has been tbe divided way in his last three efforts over country, so lliat this pencliaut i'or fnlling will not inspirs confidence. .XJer

^haps he would do better if put back to hurdling and so gain more experience. The hack hurdles field he defeated on the middle day at Ellerslie could be classed as one of the worst ever. Forest Glow's efforts at Hawera, T-j Rapa an«l two races at Ellerslie were ali similar — he was up handy tJnee furlongo from home and then could not hold this position. Don !Crs ma lailed t stay . even if he was not fa: away ac the ffnish of the two big 'chases at headquarters, and it was in this direction that a weakness was feared after his Te Rapa effort. It is . probable that he will stay better over liat country such as Trentham. Erination appears to be a fine steeplechaser in the making, but past heroes in Billy Boy, Roya] Limond and Pahu failed to make any showing, and Free Air crac'ied up badly in both Northerns.