THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1004, 21 June 1930, Page 8

THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS

USUAL MODERATE LOT ENGLAND’S CLASSIC CONTESTANTS The following 1 interesting article of the Two Thousand Guineas contest at Newmarket on May 7, is from the pen of the London writer “Rapier/* In reading this it should be borne in mind that Liolite, Paradine and Silver Flare were the Two Thousand Guineas placings, while Blenheim, Illiad and Liolite was the Lerby result, this race would not be decided until three weeks after “Rapier’s” article appeared: Prior to the Two Thousand Guineas I met Colonel Giles Loder going into the sal© paddocks in the morning and he scarcely knew which of his to fancy most, Christopher Robin or Strongbow. Victor Gilpin, he thought, was inclined to favour Strongbow. A Triumvirate Oddly enough I encountered Steve Donoghue, who had spent some time tli© previous evening with Edgar Walla.ee and Michael Beary. lie fancied his own ride Strongbow very much, and when I glanced at some of E. W/s outpourings I was not surprised to find lio tipped us Strongbow for the Two Thousand and Boary’s mount, Qurrut-al-Ain, for the One Thousand. The Hon. George Lambton said Caerleon had pleased him more in his last gallop or two than at any previous time. That, perhaps, is the link which connected up Lord Derby’s colt with his favouritism. The odd thing is that Mr. Lambton did not like him at all on the day when he was put on view in the paddock. I quite forgot to ask him why, but you may be sure he had a good reason. Yes, He Might Have Won Blenheim? "Oh,” said the ringside critic, "he can't win; he’s too small" Then I met that colt’s trainer, Dick Dawson. "Blenheim?" I queried. "iSTo not now the rain has come to make the going heavy. He’s no chance, but if it had remained firm I should have fancied him very much. X believe he would have won.” Someone who I fancied would know about the Manton quintet remarked with a suggestion of claiming to know that Trews was the best. He never mentioned Paradine. Naturally he did not want to look foolish, you know. Had not Paradine been out three times already without winning? And had we not seen Rustom Pasha give him 71b and a severe seven lengths trouncing for the Nonsuch Stakes at Epsom? How then, could Paradine have anvthmg to do with it? If Looks Could Kill I took a glance over them in the paddock, and though; them a most uninteresting lot, on the whole, to be contesting a classic race which has been won by such great ones in the past. * climbed the stairs to the top tier of the fine new stand and overtook one who has been in the game for many years, zealously studies form and apparently makes betting pav for at least he survives. “I’ve just seen Diolite,” he said, "and I never wall” disappointed in my life. He’s a mer! pony x ventured to differ and suggested he must be very near to 16 hands if he did not actually measure as much. In fact, I went so far as to say something nice about the on?

by my side during the race. When It was all over I caught his eye and I knew he would never forgive Liolite. Same Every Year They may have been a lot of moderate horses. Are we not writing and saying the same thing year after year? At any rate they appear to be the best we have and if year after year w r o cannot produce what satisfies us, then the race of thoroughbreds would certainly appear to be deteriorating. For one thing, however, we ought to be grateful: the best horse beyond a shadow of doubt won the race last week. We have seen the best horse win the Two Thousand Guineas before, but it does not necessarily follow that it will remain the best horse after another month has passed, competing over an entirely different course and over a distance longer by half a mile May Be Dethroned That is why Liolite may be dethroned on Lerby day at Epsom. On the other hand he may not. We saw him always looking like the winner, even when Paradine, and, possibly, Silver Flare and Blenheim, spread across the wide course, were “there.” And when finally he strode away from them up the hill it was to do so stylishly and faultlessly. The paddock critics were not quite so harsh in their judgment when they came to look at him again, this time in the unsaddling enclosure for tb< winner. Now they thought he had grown quite a lot! They appreciated that he had quality and they had seen for themselves his correct and smooth action. He won the race just as smoothly as did Manna five years ago, and that horse as we know was a very easy winner of the Lerby. He was by Phalaris, who it was said by the highbrows of breeding would never breed a Lerby winner. Not Yet is by Liophon. and the same highbrows are now declaring that Liophon will never sire a Derby winner. \Vell lie is in great danger' of doing ■so while Liolite keeps fit and well and his legs, especially the off fore, do not givo any trouble. He has still to go far before he is in the unsaddling enclosure at Epsom, but we will agree that he has made a capital start. Others have a lot to make up on him and though history teems with instances of Derby winners that were beaten for the Two Thousand Guineas, and of winners of the Newmarket classic that could not stay a mile and a-half at Epsom, it has to be recognised that Liolite won the race last ''. e , easier than his own sire did half a dozen or so years ago. Onlv just Blink how Trigo was slammed tor the race a year ago. Christopher Robin, even Strongbow, did no worse last week. Blenheim, Trews, Iliad and two or three others did ever so’ much better. The Derby Between now and the Derby I shall doubtless have lots to write about the Derby, but I hope I shall never write a word belittling Diolite’s triumph. To ao so would not be playing the game by him, and I say this with all the more meaning because I was one of the poor fools who bad formed some distrust of last year’s form and was fondly imagining that some “dark" one was going to drop from the clouds and make the good ’uns of last vear look silly. However, we must keep a sharp eye on the Aga Khan’s Rustom Rasha and Blenheim. Through Para!l lne S, ustom Pasha must have won the Two Thousand very easily. His trainer says he would not have done, “because, ’ he explained, “he would have been so hopeless in heavy going ” ‘’ N ° ™ atter ; vha * the going mav be ' a * Epsom I shall expec t to see the colt there, and to tell the truth X could not understand his absence last week rmi/ here ,s onJy one T "° Thousand Guineas every year and last week’s was worth just on £IO,OOO to the winner. The Stable Elect I bad t© fall back on the supposition ° n lo " lCfl1 reasoning, that Blenheim must be as irooci better at the moment than “Rustom ” lor on no other ground could I excuse

the absence of the latter. We must also watch Silver Flare, who was third, because this is a. fine big colt, that iti steadily going ahead. Humorist and Captain Cuttle each ran third for the Two Thousand before going on to gain Lerby honours. Then there is Paradine, who was second. He is the conundrum of tlio race to me. If he was not suddenly finding an advance in form of 301 b or 141 b, and I don’t why lie should do so, then the form as a whole is discounted. You will understand, therefore, that Liolite is not going to have it all his own way with the critics between now and the Derby. WARNED OFF A RACING OFFICIAL An inquiry was concluded at Wagga (N.S.W.) last wreck by the stipendiary steward, Mr. N. V. Devlin, regarding the alleged betting transaction* between a Cootamundra racing official and a jockey at the Cootamundra races. At the conclusion of the inquiry the steward stated that he had known for some time that jockeys in the southern districts had been betting and setting other persons to bet for them. This, however, being the first convicted case, he had decided to lake a lenient view and warn the official off the courses for six months. The jockey was suspended during the pleasure of tlie steward. Mr. Devlin added that he would tak? more drastic action in future. CRIBBING DATES WOODVILLE RAISES PROTEST At the monthly meeting of the Woodville Jockey Club committee, a lively discussion arose when the question othe dates for races was being dealt with. Strong disapproval was expressed at the attitude of several clubs altering their dates and thus conflicting with those usually taken by the Woodville Club. It would be impossible to alter the date very much for the Woodville Club’s December meeting. It was ultimately decided that Mr. M. O. Grainger and the secretary (Mr. W. A. Lyon) wait on the dates committee at their meeting in Wellington, and place before them the views oi the stewards.