AUSTRALIA'S RICH CLASSIC.

Shannon News, 27 September 1929, Page 3

AUSTRALIA'S RICH CLASSIC.

SATURDAY WEEK IS DERBY DAY. Because Mr G. D. Greenwood has already won three Derbies with Gloaming, Biplane and Cupidon and hi s entrant for this year’s classic, Honour, has won in his only start in Sydney, Australians were confidently expecting the New Zealand owner to account for a fourth Derby with his Limond colt. Honour has not yet raced as a three-year-old, but at the latterpart of last season, he won the A.J.C. Sires Produce Stakes, 7 furlongs, worth £5403 to the winner, in 1.26$ and that performance put the New Zealander at the head of the early speculation in connection with this classic. He is a solid type of chestnut but his early admirers would have preferred to see him have another race before tackling this mile and a-half event and that, coupled with the doubt as to his ability to stay has caused him to recede a point or two in the market. Honour is by Limond from the Absurd mare Homage whose pedigree was noted for brilliance rather than staying ability and this point is the one which causes' the doubt. There is some consolation, however, in thj fact that Eulogy, dam of Homage, proved a good brood mare and one of her progenv, Commendation, would have developed into a good stayer if he could, have stood a preparation. Another factor which has caused a falling-off in the speculation on Honour is the consistent performances of Phar Lap. On Saturday last, he Won the Rosehill Guineas, 9 furlongs, easily by three lengths and the previous Saturday ran second to the champion Mollison by half a-lemgth and beating Wmaiot by three lengths. From point of view of stamina, Phar Lap is very favourably bred being by the successful sire Night Raid from Entreaty. Night Raid is a grand son of Bend -Or and his dam Sentiment is a daughter of Spearmint, son of Carbine. Phar Lap’s dam, Entreaty, is by Winkle, a grandson of St. Simon and so it can be seen that from a breeding point of view, the Bend Or and St. Simon blood, Phar Lap should prove a rare stayer. Carradale, Comanche and Parkwood have also been supported for the A.J.C. Derby, but on the day Honour and Phar Lap will be favourites and while the latter may not be so brilliant as the Limond colt he should make his presence felt over the final stages.

NEW ZEALANDERS WIN AT BANDWICK.

CEREMONY EQUALS TRACK RECORD. Of the six races at Randwiek on September 14, three were won by New Zealanders, Ceremony, Night March and First Acre. R. Reed was on Night March and the Otaki jockey T. Webster rode Ceremony, and First Acre and was the most successful jockey at the meeting. The Sydney papers to hand give a full account of racing and the following is reprinted from the “Sun.” TRIUMPH FOR N.Z. The New Zealander, Ceremony, quickly went to the front in the Tram way Handicap, and won by two lengths from Cimabue, another N.Z. candidate. The Tramway Handicap, which was regarded as a full-dress rehearsal for the Epsom, proved a triumph for the New Zealanders, although neither the first nor the second horse is engaged in the big mile. Paquito was the only withdrawal, leaving the unusually large field of 26 facing the starter. Backers had no hesitation in making Ramulus favourite, seeing that J. Pike wa3 in the saddle, and had drawn No. 3 marble.! Habadhon, who ran second in the race last year, was second favourite, followed by Loquacious, notwithstanding that the latter had position No. 22.

The grey, Sir Chrystopher, seemed to hop away first from Cimabue, who was on the rails, but Ceremony, who had fair backing, quickly ran to the front, and showed the way to Cimabue for the rest of the race.

Cimabue, who was third in last year’s race, and who had not previously shown any form on his present trip, being two lengths behind Ceremony, and only just in front of “Mr John Baron’s’’ Ad rian’s March, who had not been produced since he won at Canterbury Park during the winter. Ceremony comes from, a fast family, and to-day he equalled the Randwick record for s3ven furlongs; but his time was a quarter of a second slower than the Australasian record.

Ramulus had every chance. He quickly picked up a fair position, but was never able to '(get (nearer than fourth from the leader, and he finished sixth. Habashon was not quite good enough, .;althoughj he was always in front of Ramulus.

Loquacious was doing her best work at the finish, where she was next behind Ramulus. A DOUBLE.

New Zealand completed the double when Nightmarcli won the Spring Handicaps Another New Zealander, in Paquito, who had been taken out of the Tramway Handicap, was served up very warm for the Spring Handicap. Nightmarch was second favourite, followed by Tidal and Leadlight. . Except that Spearman made most of the leading, the' favourite was always in the van. Paquito was second most of the way, but Leadlight came fast at the half-mile, and, with Spearman, had charge round the turn. At the distance Leadlight was in front of Paquito, Spearman, and Nightmarch. The two New Zealanders made their efforts together, but Nightmarch proved much the stronger of the two, to win by a couple of lengths, with Leadlight and Tidal dead-heating for third money, a length and a-half further away.

Nightmarch, who was backed during the week for the Metropolitan, carried 9.4 to-day, and in the more important

race he has 9.2, while Paquito comes down from 9.3 to 8.7, and Tidal from 7.13 to 7.2.

GENERAL NOTES. Racing at Geraldine on Thursday and Saturday. . The Hawke’s Bay Club’s spring meeting will be held hext Saturday. The two-year-old gelding by Diacquenod from Mazanbuka in J. T. Jamieson ’s stable has been named Hard Words. . ■ Some of the racing clubs m England .■are reducing the cost of admission, while free race books were granted at a recent meeting. The London Stock Exchange sweep on the Derby resulted in 100,600 sovs. being distributed among various hospitals and charity organisations. Hynanna is reported from Trentham to be looking bright and well and to be doing steady tasks. Whil? he is now very forward, he will probably compete at the Wellington spring meeting. ' . ' Habit (Thespian —Cowl), who is How one of E. J. Murtagh’s team at Trentham, is stated to have developed into a very fine filly. She may make her first appearance as a three-year-old at Masterton. This filly was at one time quartered at Awapuni. The arrival of the first foal sired by the imported horse, Whirlwind was announced from the Auckland Stud Company’s establishment last week, Cione (by Catmint—-Hyades) producing a filly. When Consent scored his victory m the Owen Handicap at Wanganui a Taranaki writer stated that it marked the 135th winner the veteran trainer, F. Tilley, had claimed on that particular course. The past meeting was a fitting conclusion for the mentor’s activities.

It is understood that the well-known racehorse and brood mare Silver Peak (dam of Silver Paper and Aspring) is to be again mated with Paper Money this season. It is also mentioned that another crack Southland turf performer in Set Sail is to visit Night Raid, sire of Nightmarch and Night Lad.

'■ Writing from Sydney, the Wanganui mentor, W. Rayner, states that Pedes-' tal, the two-year-old half-brother to Commendation, was injured on the trip across the Tasman and in consequence will not race in Australia. It had

been expected that the son of Thespian would come to hand quickly and possibly win a stake or two. In addition to The Geisha and Spoon, the property of Mr. C. G. Dalgety, the Riccarton mentor, G. Murray-Aynsley, has three other two-year-olds of his own in commission at Riccarton. These comprise Riri, by Paladin from Reproachful, a brother to Chide, Kakara, by Paladin from Orange Blossom, dam of Arrowhead and Hoa, by Martian from Contempt. Chief Link, who accompanied Silvermine to Auckland last week, is a halfbrother to Silvermine and a full-bro-ther to Silver Rule, both of whom have shown ability to win races over sprint distances. Chief Link has not raced yet, although he led home one of the divisions in the two-year-.old parade at Wanganui, but he will no doubt be found engaged in the Welcome Stakes at Ellerslie next month. j London papers now to hand §how that the defeat of Lord Derby’s horse Fairway in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, won by Royal Minstrel, was well invested with the sensational. Odds of 5 to 2 were laid on Fairway, but, after cracking on the pace, he was unable to combat Royal Minstrel’s challenges and was really beaten pointless in the finishing stage of the journey. Royal Minstrel was ridden by J. Childs, who is praised for his display of judgment in allowing his mount to balance himself properly throughout, while Fairway was running himself to a standstill. The value of the Eclipse Stakes to the winner was £12,994. Some remarkable leaps by foals have been recorded recently in England, and the story of an amazing one was told by Lady Lindsay. A foal not njany weeks old was left in a box whilst its mother was taken outside. For some

reason the foal got in a great state of excitement, and decided to join the parent 'outside. It actually jumped through a small window 7 in the box at least seven feet above the floor of the stable, and, what is also very remarkable, did no't in the least injure itself. It w r as a tall jump and a tall story, but there seems to be good foundation for it. Surely that foal is destined to make a wonderful steeplechaser.

Because Aussie’s name was missing from the list of horses who galloped at Randwick last Tuesday, a rumpur was circulated in the city that the gelding had developed leg trouble, and would not start again in Sydney (says the Telegraph). There w r as no foundation in the story. Aussie did not work at Randwick, but there is nothing wrong with him. During the w 7 eek-end the gelding's owner-trainer, G. Paul, decided to transfer his two horses, Aussie and Papatu, from headquarters'to Canterbury. The two will continue their preparations for the spring carnival on the suburban track. The horses w 7 ent, into their new quarters last Monday, and were out for a gallop on Tuesday morning. On a recent morning at Invercargill the imported English marc, Spean Bridge, was displaying symptoms of tenderness in front and causing her trainer, J. A. Rowland, deep concern. The best has not been seen on the racecourse of this daughter of Rigli Mor —Annie Laurie, as track-watchers can testify, and it will be a matter foT regret if she has to be relegated to the stud enclosures of Mr. Chisholm. at Otautau. However, she is’of attractive conformation to succeed as a matron and mated with one of her owner’s sires, Woodend or Balboa, she might produce a galloper w'orth while. Crbwn Imperial 11, who for many years reigned as lord of the harem at Sir George Hunter’s breeding establishment, at Porang'ahau, is reported as be-

ing well patronised by owners of brood mares. He certainly is not standing at a very high fee. but he only has to get a good one or two when his price will go up. With great number of sires .available on the other side of the sea, it shows that the breeding of Crown Imperial II has attracted owners to patronise him liberally. He is by Martagon, sire of Martian, which, no doubt, accounts for the attention paid to him.