HOW CARBINE LOST

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1930, Page 5

HOW CARBINE LOST

DERRETT MADE MISTAKE. M arm controversy is proceeding >in Australia as ,to whether-Phar Lap Pis entitled, to rank as a greater galloper than Carbine was 40 years ago. » JiCarbine did not raoe as a three-year-old ' until he. started in the Victorian Derby in: 1888. . His -., juyenile achievements in New Zealand caused the son of Musket to be made favourite at 7 to 4, but' Melos, who had captured the Hawkesbury . Guineas and A.J.C. Derby, pressed him closely, being quoted at 5 to 2. Odds of 7 toi l were on offer against Ensign, whose stablemate, Volley, had started at. 5 to 4 on in the A. J.C. Derby, and lost ■by. : a length. ,-;;7 V -if Many reasons have been advancer' for; Carbine losing the. Victorian Derby to Ensign by a head. It has been variously claimed that Derriett was caught napping, that he struck Carbine in a tender spot, and. that Ensign really. - was the better horse. I prefer tq rely on. what the. late Dan O’Brien, who owned Carbine, told me in the course of a Sydney interview, many years ago; say? “Khedive” in the Melbourne “Sporting Globe.” . DROPPED HfS REINS.

Here is what O’Brien said:—-‘‘Der-rett asked me whether, he should go to the front, I replied; ‘No.vide Carbine as if you were , riding work, and never be farther than a distance I indicated about four lengths from the leaders). It iis no use telling a jockey to be fitat, second, or third, as that is no guide if the field gets strung out.

“Theifirst quarter of a mile was run at a very slow pace.' Carbine and the filly on which Mick' O’Brien won the Oaks, Pearlshell, came right away from the others at that point. In the straight, Mick stopped riding Pearlshell, and Mr C. C. Murray, who was standing alongside me, observed, ‘lt is all over.’ My rejoinder was: ‘He rod.i a hell of a race.

‘‘Derrett looked' round when Pearl shell was beaten, and let one of - his reins drop. This caused Carbine to slow down, and Tom Hales seized the opportunity to make his run on Enßign. When Derrett caught hold of his rein again, he struck backward with his whip, and Carbine turned his head half round.

‘‘On returning to scale Derrett asked me whether I thought he wafj caught napping, and I replied,. ,‘N O< You were not caught napping.’ The jockey had double reins, an. 4 should have ridden the colt out without fumbling for the one he had dropped. Tn other circumstances Carbine could have won by 50 yards. Derrett was a good horseman, but they all make mistakes.” , . .■, • i < jg| •