NOT HIS LONG SUIT

NZ Truth, Issue 1144, 3 November 1927, Page 11

NOT HIS LONG SUIT

Merry Mint Better Sprinter Than Stayer

(By Cable. — From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Melbourne Representative.) Merry Mint isn't a stayer and the sooner his owner realizes this the better it will be for both him and the horse.

THREE-YEAR-OLDS this season are a lot of moderates, and yet he wasn't able to see the mile and ahalf out m this company. With regard to his pace there is no getting away from the fact that he is brilliant, but a mile would seem to be his best distance. If his owner persists m running him over middle distances there is every possibility that he will ruin the colt. In the Derby Merry Mint showed very plainly that staying is not his game. Never further back than fourth, he was running second to Avant Courier for most of the trip, and actually headed him when they were rounding the bend. First to turn for home, Merry Mint was also first beaten. j No sooner did they straighten up for I

the run down the straight than he started to falter, and eventually he stopped so badly that he missed a place. In reality he was about six lengths away from the winner, as Trivalve won by three lengths, while Avant Courier was a length off third, and Merry Mint a couple of lengths further back m fourth place. Tea Bell disappointed with his run m the Cantala Stakes. His previous form was good enough to suggest he would have j a great chance, and as he had been working well he looked a possibility. During the last few days he lightened up quite a lot. This no doubt was responsible for his poor showing, as he was never m the leading division, and eventually finished m the ruck.