Lingfield Put On Race for Strephon

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1070, 6 September 1930, Page 12

Lingfield Put On Race for Strephon

RAN WELL TOO FORM WAS ENCOURAGING So many English horses are imported to Australia that racegoers take their appearance on our racecourses as a matter ot course, comments a Sydney writer. So few Australian horses go to England to race that when Strephon sported silk for the first time, at Lingfield, ins presence caused Quite a flutter in English racing circles. Perhaps Strephon did not cause the i same interest as the American, Heigh j Count, who last year visited England in search of the Ascot Gold Cup. There are two reasons why that was so. No Press Manager Firstly, because Strephon was not tho medium of intense Press publicity. He arrived in England practically unheralded and unsung, and, secondly, because he Is trained by an English- j man who adopts conservative methods, i while the trainer of Keigh Count let i people know he was an American and , decked the alleged champion out in | bright colours. In fact, when Reigh Count appeared . in public for the first time he walked | round the enclosure with a bright yellow rug that extended from the tip of his ears to the tip of his tail, and almost touched the ground. All Yellow Also his mane and tail were plaited with bright yellow ribbon. It isi not on record that Mr. Hertz, the husband of the fair owner, is an Orangeman but perhaps it is correct to say that yellow, canary, mustard, or whate\ er else women like to call yellow, vas Mrs. Hertz’s favourite shade of colourObliging Souls However, whatever may be said of English racing and its authorities by Australians who visit England,, it has to bo said that they are obliging souls, and were nice to strephon and his owner, Mr. Sol Green. Not only did the clubs provide i facilities for Mr. Green, but Lingfield obligingly put a race on its programme so that the Australian champion could have an outing in public. That is what I would call service. Tho “Daily Express’* turf writer imparted this information in a recent issue of that paper. He said: “There is a seventh race at Lingfield today. This latest arrival might be fittingly named the Strephon Plate instead of the July Plate, for it was appropriately added to the programme in order to introduce the Australian crack to an English racecourse. His First Run

“It only closed on June 24, and Mr. Sol Green, the Anglo-Australian owner of the five-year-old invader, was fully prepared to seize the opportunity provided. As Strephon lias done well enough since in a. gallop, Sam Darling has advised his latest patron to give the horse a run. “Naturally the horse has picked up the full penalty, and I gather the main idea is to see whether the winner of the Victoria Derby and A.J.C. St. Leger has been acclimatised sufficiently to make it worth his keen owner—well known in bookmaking circles in both countries —entering his proved champion for the autumn handicaps.” How He Ran The following day after Strephon was beaten the same writer had the following to say: “The Australian champion was not able to prove himself a ‘don’ at the first time of asking on a gallop yesterday, at Lingfield, which was certainly as hard as ever he has experienced in his native land, but I am convinced that all who saw Strephon 11. for the first time in the paddock and in racing action were convinced of his ability, and realised that, when at his best, he was a worthy winner of 10 of his 12 races over there.

“He had looked like retaining his lead over the mile and a-half of tho July Plate until the younger Lemonetta and Accra, who had come rather wide into the straight, tackled him and ran home the stronger. It was a fine set-to, and Fox’s strong handling just got the favourite, Accra, there by a short head, with Strephon II- two lengths away. Round Corners

“Richards had soon taken Streplion 11., who was well fancied and backed, into the lead, and it was apparent that the invader required a bit of holding. “He galloped a little high, but he took the ‘bend like a polo pony'— Richards’s own words—and his action is impressive. It stamped him a race-

horse. It must be remembered he hud not raced for 20 months. “Ho was going so freely that it looked as though he flight continue in the van, and I liked the way he ran on again when overhauled. Naturally, however, he wanted the outing to brace him up, and I ata sure he must have satisfied Mr. Sol Green, his tall and powerfully-built owner, that it is worth persevering with an ambitious English campaign next season.” It will be seen that Strephon ran anything but a poor race, and in view of his recent form it will surprise me if he does not tackle one of the important handicaps run at Newmarket in October. X>et us hope that he wins, although lor the time being Australian sport—owing to the Australian Xl. stands high in English eyes.