DAPHNE DE ORO’S DERBY VICTORY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 177, 17 October 1927, Page 7

DAPHNE DE ORO’S DERBY VICTORY

THREE-YEAR-OLDS SHOW FINE FORM IN G.N. CLASSIC

TH E field which faced the starter on Saturday in the early contest for the 1927 Great Northern Derby was a good one, both from a quantity and quality viewpoint. It also provided a spirited and spectacular race which reached the climax with a meritorious effort on the part of the winner. Another Great Northern Derby contest has come and gone, and although the classic this year was staged about two months earlier than formerly, it provided one of the best contests for the blue riband yet witnessed. The strong Southern hand was the predominating feature, but the tussle put up by an Auckland filly lent colour to the picture. AUCKLAND ASPIRANTS The withdrawal of Actor Baffin, Man-at-Arms, Medusa, Peter Pirate, Queen o’ War, Warspite and War-

plane, none of whom were ready for such a contest, left Bonniewah, Free Advice, Nella Dillon and Realty to represent Auckland against the experienced and well-seasoned Southerners. Although the Auckland contingent looked well enough generally, its four members lacked the hardiness of the Canterbury quota, and Queen Elizabeth, from Hawera, a nice-looking filly, also appeared green. CANTERBURY CLAIMANTS Of the Southerners, Vestas was at once voted the winner of the beauty competition, but his good looks, though encouraging many to back him, did not help him to victory. Monopole was admired and came in for favourable comment. The bracket, Donard, Harvest Child and Daphne de O.ro, looked well-seasoned, but. the latter suffered in comparison when it came to size. She is a small filly, and troublesome, but there is no doubt about her speed. PUBLIC OPINION REVEALED Although the three-in-one Holmes’s bracket was, as anticipated, the elect of the speculative public, there was a lot of support for Tomkinson’s hand-some-looking colt Vestas, the figures, after the machine was adjusted, reading Daphne de Oro-Donard-Harvest Child £1,288, Vestas £1,087. Another Cante.rburyite, in Monopole, was third in order of favouritism with £536, and Bonniewah was at the head of the others with £3ll. Then followed Nella Dillon £306, Queen Elizabeth £290, Free Advice £lB7, with Realty the outsider of the field. ONE BRIGHT BEGINNER

The start was a poor one, not through any fault of the starter, but because of the greenness or vagaries of the majority of the runners. Daphne de Oro and Bonniewah were fractious at the barrier and Donard

showed a disinclination to face the tape. Vestas raised the hopes of his admirers by standing quietly, but at the signal he plunged and nearly came down. Nella Dillon began best, and going like a shot out of a gun opened up a big gap in the first hundred yards. Monopole went off next, followed by Harvest Child. Free Advice,

after being slow to move, soon hit her straps and paced nicely. Vestas and Donard were the last pair to pass the box after the dispatch, but Daphne de Oro was just in front of them. DAPHNE’S FINE FINISH When it was seen that Daphne de Oro and Donard were so far back in the early stages, backers of the bracket were glum, but looked to Harvest Child to pull them through. Daphne was the real cause of so much money for Holmes’s trio, and when at the end of seven furlongs the little filly was seen threading her way into a useful position, the race assumed an interesting aspect. Could shet get up, was the query, but as Daphne was still several lengths behind Free Advice and Monopole three furlongs from home, her chances did not look too bright. Down the straight Free Advice tangled and Monopole was acclaimed the winner, till F. G. Holmes sent Daphne de Oro at full pressure in what looked an almost impossible task. The filly responded to the call and showing fine speed mingled with grit and determination she hit the front just in time to be awarded the big end of the purse. It was a brilliant effort and stamped the winner as a genuine youngster. Daphne de O.ro is an acquisition to the band of three-year-old stars who have previously won this classic. THE PLACE-GETTERS Monopole, the brother to Cardinal Logan, went an honest race, and is an improving youngster. He had a rosy passage certainly, but when challenged by his ultimate conqueror, hung on gamely. Donard must be credited with an attractive performance in finishing third after being the last to get under way. He did not fare too well on the journey and was in trouble more than once. When he turned for home he was still several lengths from the leaders, but putting in gtood work over the last bit. he finished a good third. Harvest Child was in a good position throughout, being never further back than fourth, while at one period he was running in third berth behind Free Advice and Monopole. The Sonoma Harvester gelding could not make any improvement and the best he could do was to finish behind the placed horses. FREE ADVICE GOES WELL As anticipated after her recent attractive track work, Free Advice made the best showing of the Aucklandtrained contingent. In fact, the Blue Mountain King—lntaglios filly gave a fine rendering of a difficult problem. She was meeting several of her age who had the experience of racing and travelling, and were consequently more seasoned. When Nella Dillon got the stitch in the first lap, Me-

Kendrick’s filly acted as pacemaker, and right well did she perform the duty. Down the back she paced like a book and maintained her advantage into the straight. Half-way down the running it looked odds on Free Advice being one or two, but as Daphne de O.ro dashed on the scene the Auckland fillv went into the air and that ended the Derby chapter as far as she was concerned. Had the filly been as seasoned as those who beat her, there would have been a different story to relate. . - Vestas, as already stated, almost came down at the get-away, and from then on was not doing his work with any degree of confidence. The first time round he put in a nice dash that made the pulse of his supporters beat faster, but it was a short-lived effort, and tangling, the handsome colt lost ground and was among the last to finish. FROM END TO END Had there been a special prize for the best beginner, Nella Dillon would have had no opposition. The Kings-land-owned filly, who is small but handsome, hopped out at the signal like a greyhound, and for half a mile showed a remarkable turn of speed, but before she had gone six furlongs her speed seemed to be exhausted, and Nella during the next circuit took up a position at the other end of the field. Queen Elizabeth gave a good account of herself for a first public effort and was not assisted by the going, and Bonniewah’s exhibition at the starting gate was not likely to help her on the journey, and she ran accordingly, although she was doing better over the last half-mile. Realty, a big overgrown gelding, ran as expected, but he is one that given time should furnish into quite a useful sort.