Prodice Proved the Best— But Episode was Unlucky

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 479, 8 October 1928, Page 10

Prodice Proved the Best — But Episode was Unlucky

Did the best filly win the Great Northern Guineas on Saturday? There is every reason to expect that the best on the day gained the victory, and although one does not wish to detract from Prodice’s success, the Catmint filly would have been given a great race by the favourite, Episode, but for a regrettable incident three and a-half furlongs from home. Were the race to be run over again under such ideal conditions, Prodice would nave been first and Episode second. When Prodice won the Avondale Guineas so easily there was not the slightest doubt that she was helped to success by the heavy track, a condition under which she won the Avondale Stakes 12 months earlier, and she subsequently showed that she could do her best when climatic and ground conditions were at their worst. Not that she hadn’t run well on a dry track. Ridden a Nice Race The Catmint filly was ridden a perfect race by A. E. Ellis, who always had her nicely positioned on the rails behind the leaders. She missed the trouble that occurred crossing the top, and she came through on the inside up the straight, being clear as she passed the judge. It is stated that prior to the Avondale meeting her ownertrainer was considering an Australian offer of 1,000 guineas for Prodice, and that the deal was not closed was a fortunate circumstance, for her two Guineas’ victories have brought in £1,625 in stake money alone. It was a grand field that Prodice accounted for, and although there was no doubt about her superiority it is possible that there were one or two in the field that may square the account later in the season. The way Prodice won suggested that she would run out the Derby distance. Second Best? Although Toxeuma finished second, it is doubtful whether the Arrowsmith gelding would have finished in that place, but for the trouble already referred to. Nevertheless he is a real good sort, and although on his breeding he may not develop into a stayer he has that bull-dog head and neck bespeaking tenacity so common with the progeny of Martian. Indeed, he

bore himself more like an entire than as one of the middle sex. Up to a middle distance at any rate Toxeuma will probably develop into a top-notch performer, and he may stay on better than his sire, who was a great sprinter a few seasons ago. Cashier showed his race pace in the early stages, and was then dropped in behind. He drifted a bit in the middle stages, however, and had a good bit of ground to make up in the straight. The colt finished well from the turn, and secured third money. Cashier is not a big horse by any means, being very lightly framed, and is of the greyhound type. Met With Trouble The unlucky horse of the race was Episode, who was sent out favourite, and the way she ran and finished under difficulties showed that the faith reposed in the filly by backers was justified. It was two furlongs after the start that Episode hit the front, to be joined first by White Wings and then Gold Money, these three racing abreast as they passed the half-mile. Half a furlong further on Episode got on the heels of White Wings and in a flash she had dropped back to fourth to last. It was a sensational transformation, and the filly went back so quickly that it was remarkable how those behind kept out of trouble. Of course that put the favourite out of it so far as being a dangerous opponent was concerned. She was a long way back coming into the straight and several horses out from the rails. Her rider appeared to make only a halfhearted attempt to get in the money, apparently thinking that pursuit was hopeless. The filly did well to get up fourth, but had she been pushed she could have been in third money. So that, under the circumstances, it seems pretty safe to assume that Episode would have been second at least but for meeting with that interference, and would probably have given Prodice a much harder race. The filly looked a bit on the pretty side prior to the race, and as she met with no harm through the incident she will be all the better for that outing. She is more susceptible to improvement than Prodice. A Fair Showing Never in the actual firing line, Staghunter nevertheless gave a very fair display, being always in the middle of

the field, and there was nothing between him and Episode at the finish, the pair being three lengths behind the winner, with Staghunter having the advantage of the rails, and Episode finishing in the middle of the track. White Wings, who like Staghunter had registered a phenomenal gallop during the week, had every show. She got away well this time —indeed, it was a perfect start —and she was in the van in the home turn, and even at seven furlongs the sister to Agrion was in the picture. Then she faded, and was behind Staghunter at the post. Obviously she cannot as yet see out a mile, although she -is bred the right way. White Wings is an awkward galloper, and it might have been this that caused the interference with Episode. It was a coincidence that they should be the only representatives of Limond in the field. Well Beaten Mithra ran a really good race, and was doing as well at the finish as some of those in front. She was well back in the early part, and then on the home turn was right off the course. Sir Russell did better than at Avondale, where the bad going probably upset him. Gold Money was asked to cover a lot of ground, and Avoncourt was outclassed. Te Atiawa was in the picture for six furlongs and then dropped right out, finishing second to last. Grand Tea. who looked better than when produced at Avondale, was disappointing, finishing a bad last. It was a great race, almost impossible to describe in detail, for in the first half-mile the positions were chopping and changing almost quicker than they could be recorded, and the fact that they broke 49 for the first halfmile shows that they were galloping. This made the last half-mile to occupy 51 3-5. It is probable that we will now have to wait until mid-summer before the

three-year-olds get together again. That will be in the Great Northern Derby, and with the pick of last Saturday’s field, with the addition of Prince Humphrey, the Southern representatives, and others yet to make their appearance, the outlook is particularly bright for some stirring classic contests, with the prospects of the good three-year-olds holding their own with the older horses in events run at weight-for-age.