WITH THE GALLOPERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 370, 3 November 1932, Page 6

WITH THE GALLOPERS

"Canard.")

ellerslie prospects PRINCESS DOREEN'S RECORD AND HER CHANCE IN WELCOME STAKES. TW O-YE AR-OLD RACING.

(Notes by

Was the Jefeat of that smart filly Princess Doreen at Trentham last month caused hy the h'eavy traelc, or was' it brought ahout hy other means ? Perhaps it was a combination of two eircumstances. After the Avondale Stakes, this daughter of Chief Ruler, through whose veins the bluest thoroughbred blood flowed, was hailed as a champion, one commentator even going so far as to say that she was the fastest two-year-old' seen out for many seasons. That may be so, but it has yet to be proved. Her Avondale effort was a bit below the speed that would necessarily go to support sueh a claini. At Avondale Princess Doreen certainly drew very wide out at the barrier, yet sh'e only did what other speedy youngsters have done before and will continue to do in the days to come; she began like lightning and soon hit the front. Yet at the ©nd of a couple of furlongs Gipsy Love, who did not get away anywhere nearly so smartly, was up with her, Two furlongs from home in this contest Gipsy Love ranged alongside the Princess and they had a -battle royal. So far from the latter finally winnning easily, there is not the slightest doubt that she was all out to shake off her sole opponent. Indeed, Gipsy Love stuck so hard that it was only fifty yards from the judge that she weakened, and allowed Princess Doreen to score by her own length and a little of daylight. A furlong ■from home her rider was at her hammer and tongs with hands and heels, and he did not let up till near the post. So much for her "easy victory." It did not seem to the writer, stationed on the main stand nearly a furlong down the straight from the judge, that Princess Doreen could have done any better. Over-Rated Having had such' an excellent view of this contest, it was not surprising to learn of the defeat of the Chief Ruler filly in the Wellesley Stakes, although, of course, it is only fair to suspend judgment in view of the fact that the heavy track that day must have had its effect on some of the youngsters. But on nothing she has yet shown has she earned the title of the fastest baby seen out for years. She has not earned a place to rank with speed merchants, at two years, of recent youngsters like Childsplay and Bronze Eagle, to mention only two that come to mind. Princess Doreen will face the other-two-year-olds again at Ellerslie next Saturday in the Welcome Stakes, and a repetition of her Avondale fonn should see her winning again. Many of those she defeated there last month will again be in the field, although it is hardly possible that any one of them has improved sufficiently in the three weeks to turn the tables on the Awapuni youngster. Gay Sheila has come on though, while she may not be class enough for the same Princess Doreen that won at Avondale. Nevertheless one may be mistaken in this, for Gay Sheila's defeat of her; com.panion, Star Artist (third in the Avondale Stakes) on the seeond day at Avondale was complete and decisive. Midian showed improved form at Trentham and is apparently better than was thought after he just scrambled home at Wanganui. Moreover, it is apparent that he can handle bad ground while the Princess cannot. Other newcomers to oppose the Avondale Staxes winner on Saturday are the improved Senior, No Doubt, Wait and See and My Money. It is prof blematical if any of these will be good enough to beat Princess Doreen if she is all right.

Raced Too Early Perhaps the real reason behind her defeat at Trentham was the fact that she had been got ready too soon, and it is a difiicult matter* to keep a two-year-old tuned up all the time once it has been got ready for serious racing in the early spring. That has been proved time and time again, and it would not be at all surprising if that was the trouble with Princess Doreen. For years the Debutant Stakes at Wanganui has been the initial event for two-year-olds, and not many winners of that event have been good afterwards, as two-year-olds, at any rate.

One exception was Queen March, who after winning at Wanganui went on to be easily the best of her age at two years. But what happened subsequently ? She never won a race after two years old. That hardy old battler, the brilliant Rational, was narrowly beaten in the Debutant Stakes, but he lasted as a sprinter for a long time before he was finally retired. The last six winners of the Debutant were: Knightlike, Spe'ed Light, Simba, Korokio, Merry Ruler and Midian. The first-named was out of form for long afterwards, although he did show promise as a sprinter. Little more was heard of Speed Light, and on the other hand too much Was heard of the youngster that was to loom largely in the news, Simba. He was sold to an Australian sportsman, and apparently from the time of his arrival on the other side he was a marked horse, marked for trouble and mystery. But that is another story altogether. " iuerry Ruler, last year's winner, has yet to be heard from again, and, of recent victor, Midian, fares. Prohably course, it remains to be seen how the Koiokio is the best of the recent winners, for she is confidently exp-eeted to perform prominently in the New Zealand Cup on Saturday. The Redfern filly went right off after her Detutant victory, and she has had to be carefully nursed to bring her to her •present pitch. It is a black list all right. How Princess Doreen did not take on the Wanganui Debutant, but it is all against her that she raced even earlier than to the fact that the Marton J.C. came in with a two-year-old race a fortnight before the Wanganui race. - And to a growing and developing youngster a fortnight is a long time. If this was ■ th'e cause of Princess Doreen's loss of form at Trentham, then there can be sinai! hope of her

winning the Welcome Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday. On the other hand, if it was just the bad ground that brought about her defeat at Trentham, then she ought to win on Saturday. So it will be seen that in the deeision of the forthcoming Auckland two-year-old classic it might almost be said that there is a prineiple at stake. It. is this very prineiple, racing a youngster in sometimes bad ground the first weekTn October, that is one of the main reason s why the Auckland Racing Club shifbed its spring meeting dates back to th'e first weekend in. November from early in October.