Lady Quex Got Enough Rope to Hang Herself

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 635, 11 April 1929, Page 12

Lady Quex Got Enough Rope to Hang Herself

The oft discussed question of whether starts should be flat-footed or from a walk-up was again raised yesterday after the disastrous dispatch in the open sprint. r PIIH six horses were walked into the -* barirer, and just as they were within a few yards of the tape Lady Quex, a much fancied candidate, bounded forward and her rider was told by the starter. Mr. C. O’Connor, to stand there. Then the other horses

came into line, but Chelone began to play up. As soon as he was straightened the barrier was let go. The dispatch was attended by disaster, and the £9B3** invested in Lady Quex’s chances vanished into thin air, all in the fraction of a second. When she had been standing at the

barrier, the filly had caught a strand of the starting tapes in her mouth, and this was the cause of the whole trouble. Consequently when the start was made the tapes nearly pulled the head off Lady Quex and inflicted slight facial injuries on her rider, L. George. The filly nearly fell, taking the tapes for a chain before she got clear. Of course this was the end of Lady Quex, so far as any winning chance she had, for she was a bad last, half a furlong behind the pacemakers in the early part.. Might Have Despite this severe handicap Lady Quex made a great effort round the home turn and into the straight, but it was a hopeless chase, and she finished last. Her penchant for a hempen diet was rather costly to her admirers. But it was in the dash the filly displayed from the three to the one furlong post that reminded one of the high reputation Lady Quex has established as a speed merchant. Value had run a good race the first day, and therefore her success over such inconsistent sorts as Subdivision and Chelone was not surprising, although in some quarters the victory was not at all well received. Subdivision looked like being cut out of second money by the erratic Chelone, but Reed fairly lifted him along over the final 100 yards to save his supporters something from the wreck. British King was disappointing, but he was off the course all the way up the straight. Altogether it was an unsatisfactory affair. But it’s an ill wind, etc. However, the incident might not have occurred had the starter decided on a flat-footed dispatch.