TO MEET HONOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 623, 27 March 1929, Page 12

TO MEET HONOUR

CRACK YOUNGSTERS WEIGHT PUT ON PENTHEUS Some idea of the opposition Honour will be called upon to meet in the two-year-old classics at Randwick during the next few days is contained in this reference to Australian youngsters. Pentheus at Rosehill a fortnight ago was handicapped at 10.2 at six furlongs, the minimum being 6.7. Unbeaten two-year-oldf Holdfast is in grave danger of losing his position as Sydney’s youngest idol. While lie is going along steadily in his preparation, without any great blowing of trumpets, his local rivals are showing their worth in public, and the form displayed at Rosehill by Pentheus, Magnifier, Comanche, and Violin Solo indicates that the big two-year-old events of the autumn will provide remarkable racing. Pentheus, in particular, is a colt of whom the best has not been seen, for he was untroubled to carry 9.6 over 5* furlongs a fortnight ago. The value of Pentheus’s form was that he came away from his field at the right end, and, had McCarten cared, the colt could have put many more lengths between himself and Exact in the last furlong. Apparently he has that rare combination, great speed and unlimited stamina, and there is little likelihood of the seven furlongs in the Sires’ Produce Stakes troublinq him. It is unfortunate that Holdfast will not meet Pentheus and his other rivals in the Sires’ Produce Stakes, but the Melbourne invasion that is sure to come will maintain great interest in that race, and the visiting youngsters will have to be top-notchers to hold their own. Finished Fast Comanche's form was impressive even though he was beaten, for it was his first run since winning the Canonbury in the spring, and be carried 9.1. After striking a little trouble at the turn, he finished brilliantly over the last furlong, and it took a really good yp un S - ster, Violin Solo, to whom he was giving a stone, all his time to withstand the challenge. Comanche gave promise of staying

in the spring, and though such early indications do not always work out correctly, there are many good judges looking forward to his developing into a real champion. He will be greatly improved by the run. Ran Greenly Violin Solo has done more work than most of the other good youngsters, but he ran a trifle green in the straight, and with added experience may improve still further. Magnifier looked as though a race or two would bring him to his top, and as he blew to double figures in the betting his form in finishing fourth to Violin Solo said much for his further prospects. He was not well placed early, but finished with great dash, and by the Randwick meeting he should have developed sufficiently to have a chance in almost any race.