FOR THE BLUE RIBAND

NZ Truth, Issue 1144, 3 November 1927, Page 9

FOR THE BLUE RIBAND

Good Field Will Contest This Year's Derby

The 1927 New Zealand Derby will be contested by gentlemen — not a lady is left m after the final forfeit.

THIRTEEN colts and geldings have stood their ground and as three-year-old form is a little bit twisted at the present time indications point to the classic being a closely-contested race. Agrion, going amiss m Sydney, and having been lame since coming home has left an air of doubt m his case. Fit and well he would he the only one really backed, but under the circumstances he may go out of favor. The fancied division will probably be made up of Laughing Prince, Paleta, Agrion, Martarma and Ark Royal. Laughing Prince ran badly at Ellerslie,. but he brought himself back into favor after his second to Limerick at Trentham. He looks like staying the journey, but he is, all the same, an unknown quantity m this respect. So are, of course, a number of others engaged. Martarma is bred the right way. He.

i is. still a. maiden and that class do not win Derbies too often. Paleta was brilliant as a two-year-old and still is, but just how he will get on with another four furlongs to cover is not yet known. His trainer says he has no doubts about him doing it right. Ark Royal, by sheer tenacity, worried Eulalie out of the Dunedin Guineas, and he is another with the right blood. Don Jose and Latin Quarter do not appeal, while the Lowry bracket seem better over a mile course. Satrap ran a fair race under the minimum at Motukarara last Saturday. All the way from Gisborne has been sent Singleton, and on that it is shown his owner has high hopes. Talisker has nothing to recommend him, ancl, as foi-.Teri, a shorter distance would give him more show. Generally, well before this stage, the winner has made his presence felt, but this year the air is anything but clear. Three which will appeal to the public are LAUGHING PRINCE, PALETA and AGRION.