LIMERICK’S SUCCESS AT ROSEHILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 18, 12 April 1927, Page 6

LIMERICK’S SUCCESS AT ROSEHILL

A BRILLIANT WIN WINDBAG’S DASHING FINISH When Jockey Toohey rode in the Rawson Stakes last year, he shot her away from the machine at a gait that quickly outpaced Windbag and the rest of the opposition. A lead of eight lengths in three furlongs put the issue beyond doubt and Valicare won by a street. After Valicare’s defeat last Saturday week for the Rawson Stakes, her jockey, H. Jones, from Melbourne, was blamed for not adopting the some tactics. He didn’t leave the field until nearly a furlong and a half had been traversed.

He was never more than five lengths ahead with Valicare, and Limerick had her at his mercy at the straight entrance. MIGHT HAVE STOPPED But it is possible that Valicare would have stopped quicker than she did if Jones had made greater use of her in the early stages. As it was, Limerick had her measure within a few strides, and it was remarkable how she tired in the last half furlong of the race. Still Jones’s association with Valicare hasn’t been fortunate. He was on her for the first time last spring, when she had her first race as a four-year-old. Up to that time slio had been unbeaten, and backers laid odds on her. £sut Jones, evidently with the idea of conserving her energy, didn’t make much use of her phenomenal speed in the early stages, and Windbag ran her down and beat her on the post by a short head. UNFORTUNATE He was again her rider in the Craven Plate at Randwick in which Windbag and Limerick narrowly defeated her into third place at the end of a mile and a quarter. By the way, he also rode Waranton in the Futurity Stakes in February last, when that horse beat Valicare, who had been backed at short odds. So altogether he hasn’t been a good friend to backers of Sydney’s flying ma^e. On Saturday week last Munro, who is Valicare’s first pilot, was engaged for Windbag, and Toohey, her second pilot, was for Amounis, so that Jones had to be engaged again for Valicare. A SLOW PACE

When the nine-furlong barrier rose the field went off in line, and Limerick actually headed the field for a space. Valicare made no effort to go until well past the mile. How slow the pace was may be gauged from the fact that the first furlong took over 14sec.

At that, Valicare could have been many lengths ahead instead of waiting until near the seven furlongs to make a sudden burst. She ran the next furlong in and did the first half mile in 48§sec, and this pace enabled her to get five lengths ahead. Coming down the side she either slackened or was eased, for approaching the turn Limerick, just ahead of Amounis, was only three and a-half ’«ngths behind, and at the straight enhance had reduced the gap to about two and a-half le’ngths. EASY MONEY

After that it was easy money for Limerick, and once caught Valicare collapsed in a stride and was beaten by Windbag into third place by a length. Windbag had given her 15 lengths start from the half mile!

It was a fine performance on Limerick’s part, for first start of the autumn season, and indicated that he was far more advanced in his preparation than had been supposed. He ran the nine furlongs in 1.513;, which was only half a second outside Valicare’s record for Rosehill. He pulled up well, too, and the indications are that he will prove not only a dangerous rival for Heroic in the weight-for-age races, when he opposes him, but also in the Sydney Cup. A SLICK MAIDEN TEA LEAF’S VICTORY SHORT PRICE NEXT TIME OUT For a New Zealand three-year-old, and a well-bred one, too, to go to Australia to race on A.R.C. courses is enoi’Th to attract attention. When, at the first start, it strikes a second division of a maiden, it is a sign for the punters to take notice. Punters did take notice of Tea Leaf at Victoria Park, recently, but not sufficient for their subsequent liking. Connected

with the win, however, were unusual features. Ever on the look-out for

“mystery” horses, po*' - punters picked on the Tea Tray filly Tea Leaf, and so well was her chance talked of in racing circles in Sydney that it seemed that the connections would have to take a remarkably short price. Many people on the course appeared to know the worth of Tea Leaf—all do now! sq that it somewhat surprised them to hear fours in the field called. Bookmakers are not in the habit of giving vent to generous feelings, yet that punters looked upon the price as such was proved by the way they accepted the odds as soon as betting opened. BACKERS UNEASY

But when the fielders seemed eager to continue at that quote, the public thought things, and held back. Tea Leaf, boom of a few minutes before, was allowed to drift, until tens were called. Ultimately the filly was backed to sixes, but she was easy at that quote, and little money could have been invested on the course.

Tea Leaf won, and, in doing so, assured the taking by her connections of a short price, no matter what class she tackles next start. From the very barrier rise Tea Leaf had the race won. In the first furlong she got a break of two lengths, and the nearer the field got to the straight the further the exNew Zealander got away. A BIG LEAD

Around the turn she must have been half a dozen lengths in front, and apparently going easily, and she held that lead until less than a furlong from home. From there on the pace began to tell, but she was so far in front that nothing had a chance of getting near her. Kilray, who had been backed from twelves to fives, chased her home, but was beaten by two and a half lengths. Tea Leaf was very tired a: the finish, but that was excusable, in view of the terrific pace she set early. Admittedly Tea Leaf beat nothing, but it was the manner in which she won that attracted so much attention. Over a short course, it appears that she will be able to hold her own in fair company, and she may prove a better proposition to her owner, Mr. J. C. Robertson, than did another New Zealand mare, Mistress Biddy. AUSTRALIAN RACING WINDBAG SCRATCHED By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright SYDNEY, Monday. Windbag and Rawhetu have been scratched for the Sydney Cup. Quondong has been scratched for all events. —A. and N.Z.