Gothic May Add £l0,000 to His Total

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 589, 15 February 1929, Page 7

Gothic May Add £lo,ooo to His Total

BIG PRIZES TO BE WON CLASSICS AND HANDICAPS During the next few weeks Gothic will probably contest races in Melbourne worth approximately £10,000.1 As all but one of these is run at ; weight-for-age, it is more than likely that Mr. Sol Green’s champion will increase his stake-earnings to nearly £‘30.000 before he embarks on his Sydney autumn campaign. When Gothic won the first race he ] contested this year, the Moonee Valley ! William Reid Stakes, he increased his earnings by £750, and brought his total to £18,742. His owner, Mr. Sol Green, probably entertains visions of the English horse exceeding £30,000 in stakes before he retires at the conclusion of the A.J.C. autumn fixtures. A nice programme awaits Gothic's attention during the next few weeks if all goes well with him. First of all he will tackle the C. F. Orr Stakes on Saturday next. This is at Williamstown, and the distance is a mile. Although Gothic will be opposed by Greenline and a few smart customers, he should prevail. Gothic’s next appearance will be at the V.A.T.C. autumn meeting. On the first day he will probably contest the St. George Stakes, a w.f.a. race run over nine furlongs, as he has been relieved of his Oakleigh Plate engagement. It has been definitely announced that on Gothic’s display in the Caulfield Futurity Stakes on the concluding day of the Caulfield fixture, will depend whether the English horse will run in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington. Of course Gothic will have a big task in the Futurity Stakes, but he is such a remarkably fine galloper that he should just about win. Flemington Attractions The Newmarket Handicap at Flemington will then probably be tackled by Gothic. On the other hand, should it be found that Gothic will not begin smartly enough in the Newmarket, his connections will then focus attention on the mile and a-quarter Essendon Stakes, run under w.f.a. conditions. This race is run the same day as the Newmarket Handicap. Five days later the C. M. Lloyd Stakes (one mile) and the Governor’s Plate (1£ miles), two w.f.a. races, will be served up for consideration, with the King’s Plate, a two miles w.f.a. race, to be run on the last day of the V.R.C. autumn meeting. Just at present it appears as if Gothic will certainly contest the C. F. Orr Stakes, the St. George Stakes at Caulfield, and the Futurity Stakes. His activities at Flemington are obscure for the time being. The races that may be contested by him, together with their values to the winners of 12 months ago, are: February 9. Williamstown, C. F. Orr Stakes, w.f.a., 1 mile, £402. February 16. Caulfield, St. George Stakes, w.f.a.. 9 furlongs. £BOO. February 23, Caulfield. Futurity Stakes, w.f.a., 7 furlongs, £2.600. March 2, Flemington, Newmarket Handicap, 6 furlongs, £2,595; or Essendon Stakes, w.f.a., 11 miles, £1,117. March 7,

Flemington. C. M. Lloyd Stakes, w.f.a., 1 mile, £1,108; or Governor’s Plate, w.f.a., 1A miles, £743. March 9, Flemington. King’s Plate, w.f.a., 2 miles, £1,106. Total, £10,471.

It may be argued that this is too comprehensive a programme, inasmuch as distances range from 6 furlongs to 2 miles. But last season Gothic won from 6 furlongs to 11 miles. In winnings at the latter distance he made Australasian record figures and he indicated that if the trip had been two miles lie would have been equally at home.

Gothic will not win all eight races enumerated above, but he has a good chance of winning the majority of them, and if he should do so he will increase his stake earnings by the best part of £IO,OOO.