Paganelli Rated As Best Three-Year-Old

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 297, 7 March 1928, Page 10

Paganelli Rated As Best Three-Year-Old

Although there are some good three-year-olds missing from the W.R.C. Thompson Handicap field, several of the best are engaged, and it is significant that the handicapper rates Paganelli as the best of this age engaged in the big mile event on Thursday of next week.

It is understood that ‘Paganelli is not to make the trip. Therefore it is difficult to comprehend what was behind the idea of nominating the Lord Quex gelding for this race. Perhaps it was that the joint owners of Paganelli were after a feeler as to how Mr. H. Coyle would treat their horse. If that was so,

then the result of this feeler would not be relished by the owners of the three-year-old. Rather is it a case of being hoist with their own petard.

Earlier in the season there was at least one admirer of Paganelli who expressed dissatisfaction with the weight allotted for the big sprint at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, and it seemed that the public expression of his views was inspired. This might have been so, or on the other hand it might not. In any case the fact remains that the three-year-old has fulfilled all expectations in the majority of his outings this season, as his record to date since August 1 last shows.

What the Weights Show The Thompson Handicap was the

only engagement made Cor Paganelli for the Trentham meeting. The following table shows what Mr. Coyle thinks of the present season’s three-year-olds, so far as those in the Thompson Handicap are concerned: st. lb.

The most illuminating feature of the above adjustments is the fact that Laughing Prince is rated as a couple of pounds below Paganelli at a mile, and the latter’s 8.5 is a pound below the weight-for-age scale. This difference must have come as a pleasant surprise to the connections of the Fordell colt, whose best performances this season have undoubtedly been over a middle distance, with just a suspicion as to his stamina. There was no denying the brilliancy he displayed in winning the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes, 74 furlongs, at Wanganui in September, and a few days later he spreadeagled. his field in the Avondale Guineas. Laughing Prince failed badly in the Great Northern Guineas, but in both the New Zealand Derby and Great Northern Derby he was placed third and second respectively. Both Have Done Well At this stage a comparison of the performances of these two three-year - olds will be of interest:

From these figures it will be recognised that Paganelli has the better percentage, but as against this it has to be borne in mind that his tasks have been confined to five and six furlongs, whereas Laughing Prince has raced from six furlongs to a mile and a-half. On the face of it, therefore, the Quantock colt has every reason to claim more support over a mile than Paganelli. Better Things Predicted Cimabue is rated as good as Laughing Prince, and he, too, cannot be said to have anything the best of it. The Leighton gelding will probably do a great mile, but speed rather than stamina is his forte just at present. This despite the fact that Cimabue galloped a particularly good mile at Ellerslie prior to running in the Great Northern Derby. And, by the way, with a change of stables, it need not ,come as a surprise to find Cimabue taking the highest rank as a sprinter. Great Charter and Doree are the Lowry representatives, and as a mile is their best it looks as if Fred Davis has more than an outside chance of repeating his success with the outsider. Highland, five years ago. Incidentally

Davis rode the winner of this race on two occasions many years ago. The Takanini pair, In the Shade and Ti Tree, are separated by a pound only, and they must be given a chance. Ti Tree’s size, or lack of it, may be a factor against her, for the race under review is anything but a smooth one. In addition, the stable has Le Choucas. Another useful filly is Lady Limond. who is a distinct possibility. Of the older horses much could be written, but the purpose of this article was more to review the three-year-olds

engaged than as an early summing-up of the Thompson Handicap. However ( while on the task, a few that read well are Reremoana, Hynanna, Rapier, Kiosk, Set Sail, Mandane, Joy King, White Fang, Crown Area, Le Choucas, Tresham, Bright Glow and Goshawk, and these, together with the three-year-olds, Laughing Prince and Great Charter, will furnish an exciting race. More light may be shed on the Thompson Handicap when the acceptances are posted on Friday night and the final word for The Sun readers will be given on Wednesday next.

Paganelli 5 Laughing Prince . . 8 3 Cimabue 3 Great Charter .. .. 0 Doree 8 Sudden Storm ..... 6 In the Shade 5 Ti Tree 4 Lady Limond .. .. •• 4 Arrow Lad 2

1st. 2nd. 3rd. Upd. Paganelli .. .. 4 3 1 1 Laughing Prince 4 2 2 4