NEVER TOO OLD TO IMPROVE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 98, 16 July 1927, Page 6

NEVER TOO OLD TO IMPROVE

NEW ZEALAND-BRED JOANEE STAGES SURPRISE COME-BACK Xo set rules are laid down for the guidance of punters, but if some racegoers had had the foresight to accomplish that task one prominent rule would be never to expect improvement in an old horse. Thus comments a Sydney writer. But rules of all kinds are generally broken, and that a mare can show marked improvement late in her career, Joanee, by Clarenceaux, proved unquestionably at Victoria Park, Sydney, a fortnight ago. For years she has been racing more or less unsuccessfully on pony tracks and has long been discarded as a possibility in the best company. But as proof of her newly discovered brilliance, Joanee flashed up on the outside in the first division of the Fourteen Two when the race was apparently won by Miss Talkative' and gained a narrow victory. Had any other horse won as did Joanee over seven furlongs at Ascot, it would undoubtedly have received consideration from at least a small section of the public in a race such as that at Victoria Park. JUST A FLUKE But racegoers have long been used

to the sight of Joanee, who formerly raced mostly in second divisions as Broken Melody, and regarded that win as one of those flukes with which punters have to contend on various occasions. They had reason for such an assumption, for only a few days earlier the mare had faded out at the end of a second division at Kensington. Had the field been only of ordinary calibre Joanee might have been expected to crop up again, but the race had attracted a collection of ponies that had proved themselves almost champions and so they were naturally expected to have both too much pace and too much stamina for the old mare. GOOSE IS A SWAN But punters have discovered before that they cannot come to such conclusions in racing with the slightest

degree of certainty and Joanee provided another case of the goose turning out a particularly fine swan for the bookmakers.. That she should have improved to such an extent after years and years of racing is remarkable. LLud she been

sparsely used such improvement might well be understood, but such has not been the case, and her form was a stone better than she has shown at any time throughout her long career. She showed unusual pace to get an early position and stamina at the finish that was really unexpected. When Lady Woo got to the front and Josie Melville and Currawong were close when the field had settled down Joanee ran into fourth place and held that position to the straight entranceNOT REALLY LOST There Lady Woo shot away from her nearest rivals: Josie Melville ran a. little wide; Miss Talkative made a rapid forward move, and Prince Bruce was also coming fast. Joanee apparently lost in the ruck and act - ally no one gave her a thought. A hundred yards from the post Woo was still in front and having beaten off Prince Bruce looked a winner. Then Miss Talkative 08 very fast, and when she settled l other two, the race appeared Joanee shot up on the outside. tno *T how she got there few punters say, and finishing resolutely she P l, up in time to win by a head. Apart from Joanee’s surprise, . was almost in the nature of a re tion to punters who had written off years ago as a back nul *VJ er 1 , 1 „ r iY form of Prince Bruce was impressive and further enhanced claims to being the best pony m / ney.