AGAIN TAKE HONOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 126, 18 August 1927, Page 6

AGAIN TAKE HONOURS

DOMINION HORSES GALLOP FAST AT RANDWICK The striking effort of the morning at Randwick last Thursday was provided by the New Zealanders, Commendation and Agrion, over a mile and aquarter. Not for the time they made was there anything unsual about their work, but other phases made the gallop remarkable. Agrion's task was no easy one. But that Trainer Dick Mason allowed the three-year-old to take on such a doughty opponent indicates his confidence in the colt. To make matters more difficult, Agrion conceded three lengths’ start, and all through the mile and a-quarter he scouted wide on the outside, thus covering ever so much more ground than Commendation. AGRION IMPRESSIVE This didn’t matter when they were travelling at a leisurely gait in the early stages of the gallop, but it told later when the pace was crowded on, and they ran the last three furlongs in 39f. Nevertheless, Ag.rion was there for the final flutter, and they finished on terms. It was a good performance on Agrion’s part. Nor does the fact that Commendation could have gone faster and improved on the time detract from the three-year-old’s performance. Darby Munro rode Agrion and Geo. Young was on Commendation, so that there was considerable difference in the weights. Commendation pulled hard during the first half-mile, run in 56, but at the end of six furlongs in 1.25 he settled down to his task with a will, and throughout the last half-mile, run in 53, he galloped with perfect rhythm. RUNNING ON The striking fact about his performance was his desire to go on at the end of the gallop. A mile and a-quarter in 2.1 S was not fast, of course, but at this stage of a spring preparation it is enough. Commendation, however, was again pulling double when he had completed his task, and hadn’t turned a hair. Evidently Commendation will be in thorough racing condition the first time he strips for a run. This will probably be in the Warwick Farm Warwick Stakes, 1 mile, weight-for-age, to be run on September 3. A big, long-striding horse, Commendation puts one very much in mind of Manfred, winner of the last Caulfield Cup, and when racegoers see him they will realise that he is a racehorse far above the ordinary, for big as he is, his long action is perfect.