CHERRY RIPE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 65, 8 June 1927, Page 6

CHERRY RIPE

Misses Big Hurdles HORSE GOES LAME OWNER’S LONG JOURNEY Frank McGrath, trainer of Cherry Ripe, thinks there is not much hope of his horse racing in the £2,000 Hurdle at Randwick on Monday (says a Sydney writer last week). This is a piece of ill-fortune for the stable, considering he was in such excellent form, and on Saturday had won in runaway fashion on the flat. Cherry Ripe was well in th,e Hurdle race on Monday, with 11.3. He had won on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington with that weight among Victoria’s good jumpers. It needed only a reproduction of the fornt- to give him an excellent chance, and when on Saturday he quite outclassed what was regarded as a smart mile welter field at Canterbury, his good prospects were confirmed. He had won before a similar race on the same course, but not in such good company as contested Saturday’s race. LEADS TO TROUBLE Following this improvement of form, he schooled over a few hurdles on Monday, and on Tuesday took part in the impromptu hurdle trial at Randwick with several other good candidates for the £2,000. He ran second in that to Altergo. Then came the news of Cherry Ripe’s trouble. On cooling off it was found that his near foreleg was lame. It was assumed that he struck himself in the scramble for . positions at the first hurdle. Throughout the rest of the course he jumped splendidly. The injury has since developed, and his trainer has little hope that he will be able to contest the big race (Cherry Ripe did not run). He will note his condition this morning, and consult his owner on the point. If he is not fit he will be taken out of the race today, before the acceptances close at 1 o’clock for Randwick. JOURNEY FOR NOTHING Hr. C. C. Murphy, a New Zealand sportsman, is the owner of Cherry Ripe, and had come across to see him run in the £2,000 Hurdle. He arrived only on Tuesday, and thus missed his victory on Saturday. And now the indications are that he will miss seeing him start in the big race next Monday. To race Cherry Ripe on Monday would perhaps bring about disaster in liis present condition. If he is scratched the attempt will be made to pull him round for the big jumping races in Victoria in July or August, and, as he has won there, he may not be without a chance in the Grand National or the Australian Hurdle. But this will, of course, depend upon future developments, and both Dr. Murphy and his trainer, Frank McGrath, would sooner have seen him fit to take his place in the £2,000 race at Randwick next Monday. Fortunately, there has been practically no straight-out or double betting on the race, so Cherry Ripe’s misfortune has cost punters nothing.