Will Mollison See Out the Derby ?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 420, 31 July 1928, Page 10

Will Mollison See Out the Derby ?

OPINION OF FAMOUS TRAINER

THAT Mollison is outstanding colt, and that he has only to be fit to take his place in the A.J.C. Derby field to prove himself, was the opinion expressed yesterday to a SUN man by Mr. George Price, one time of New Zealand, and now one of Australia’s leading trainers. But the colt's stamina as yet is rather an unknown quantity.

Trainer Price arrived in Auckland yesterday by the Aorangi on bis usual mid-winter hurried tour of the North Island, for he left by the Limited last night for Wellington, via Wanganui, and he joins the Marama at Wellington on Friday homeward bound again. As he says, the busy time is approaching; in fact, it was all busy time, for round Sydney there was racing all the year round. The visitor was particularly pleased with the success of the New Zealandbred Reonui last Saturday, for he said that it placed him at the head of the Sydney trainers’ list, half a point ahead of C. O’Rorke, who had been leading him for some time, unless the latter had 9.150 got in a winner. A FINE RECORD Since seeking his fortune in Australia five years ago George Price has not looked back, for as soon as he settled at Rand wick he was fortunate enough to get the horses, and his knowledge of how to prepare the thoroughbreds for their racing tasks did the rest. Now among his many victories can bo claimed such valuable races as the Melbourne Cup and Sydney Cup. The erstwhile New Zealander said races round . Sydney were extremely difficult to win, and he cited an instance, mentioning a well-known trainer who trained horses for four years before he broke it for a win. On the other hand, Price has beaded the Sydney Metropolitan trainers’ list for three out of last four season, and he was second on the other occasion. FULL STABLES At the present time his stable shelters 26 horses, and they include the New eZalanders Royal Tea, Clarendon, Boston, Reonui, Rawhetu, and the Dominion-bred King Conrad. The last-named won a race very recently in an impressive manner, which caused the critics to forecast a brilliant career for this rising three-year-old, whereas the colt is to be spelled and will not be raced again until well into the new season. Referring to the difficulty in winning races round Randwick, he pointed out that within a radius of a mile from that great centre there were about 1.000 horses in training, these not including the ponies. R AM PION’S BROTHER In Price’s stable is the rising three-year-old Ramulus, the full brother to Rampion, one time conqueror of Limerick, and he said that he was pleased

with the way in which the colt had gone on with his A.J.C. Derby preparation. He had not grown much, and may come good later on, although he hardly expected him to turn out as good as Mollison if the latter had gone on the right way. Apparently Reonui is to be the stable j hopes for tlie valuable Epsom flandi- j cap, run on September 29 (Derby Day), j over a mile course. The ex-New Zea- ! land horse has 5.6 in that event, and 1 it was understood that the stable had | had already got in with a good commission. Mere's luck to Reonui then. DERBY PROSPECTS The visitor has some interesting re- | marks to make anent the forthcoming 1 A.J.C. Derby, with its £B,OOO stake, and in which no less than 94 New Zea- ; land-bred and owned juveniles were ; entered. Several are already on the | scene, while another stray one or two will soon be on the way. Questioned as to what he thought of Mollison, he said that “if Mollison had gone on the right way during the winter, nothing has got a hope of beating him.” Mollison, he said, was exceptionally smart, and compared more than favourably with the other cracks who had been the best two-year-olds of their year. WILL HE STAY? Price had just one doubt in regard to Mollison, and that was his stamina. He based this suspicion on the fact that Molly’s Robe, the dam of Mollison, was a non-stayer, and that his sire, Seremond, had got but one horse that had. proved of outstanding merit. Nevertheless, Mollison was a regular galloping machine, and easily the best two-year-old this season. Probably one of the most dangerous opponents to Mollison next season would be Balmerino, by All Black from Anna, a two-year-old trained in Victoria by Dave Price. This colt ran a dead-beat at Randwick last Faster, and he thought Unit he would go far. Balmerino was in the Melbourne Cup with 7.3, and the indications pointed to the connections hav- 1 ing already backed him for the big i Flemington handicap. He certainly j shaped this season like a stayer. OPPONENTS FOR LIMERICK Mollison would probably furnish i some spirited opposition to Limerick j in the weight-for-age events in the j spring, at which time of the year j three-year-olds had it on the older I

horses in the matter of weigh, lot. who turned out three-year-old this season ** be on hand to make the conwL*'*’ teresting for Limerick, but ouHS “ this there did not seem oT*' opposition. nr., Prince HumphreywUen’the*]? colt appeared on the tracks wick, but as he pointed out the iw son " " aS overs, ' a <i°we<! by CEORLt young—champion bowler * The visitor spoke highly of me tens riding, which he said was , as ever, and of course he w, I extremely well. * George l oung. who was i™. with most of Gloaming s in Sydney, but he had not put ~' a licence again, for he understood' 1 oung was into busings the meantime loung had made a to*, for himself at bowls, and he rW \\on the Randwick championship Victoria.""* 18 rW ‘ nB " inaers ’ The unlucky trainer at R. lad , „ was I. O Donnell, who used to h. Trent ham He trained innuni.r.. horses who would insist on rum, second instead of first, but his had built up well until he had c a nice string together, and in the Yw term O'Donnell should do well Trainer Price left last night ( or ,. South, and this morning ran thread to Wanganui to see his brother >■ W. Price, and intended going on there to Wellington this afternoo-