FORM REVIEWED

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1940, Page 8

FORM REVIEWED

(By "Hurry On.")

BEAU LEON IMPRESSES COLTS ABOVE AVERAGE

The form displayed at Avondale on Saturday and Monday suggests that the northern three-year-olds are above the average. In the absence of Sir Beau or Enrich it was not possible to make any comparison with the Awapuni form, but it would appear as though this pair will be assured of plenty of opposition in the Great Northern Guineas next month. Perhaps the most impressive part of the form shown was the filling of the first four places in the Flying Handicap on the first day by the three-year-olds. Marshall Hall was the winner and the next three Grandora, Phaleron and Gaymiss, were all of the same age.^ "Diis performance was all the more meritorious when it is remembered that all except Grandora were having their first race since the autumn, while most of their

opponents were seasoned horses. Beau Leon did not contest the Flying on Saturday, but registered a fine Guineas trial when he cai-ried off the Champion Hack Plate. His effort was so impressive that in the Avondale Guineas he shared favouritism with_ the Flying winner, Marshall Hall, and justified this confidence by accounting for his rival in easy fashion. Beau Leon made his first appear ance in a race in the Dcbutante Stakes at Wanganui last September, and though he was not in a place he finished so strongly that he was accorded strong support at Avondale a week later. On that occasion he came home strongly in third place.

Disappointing Efforts. In his next start he was favourite for the Welcome Stakes at Ellerslie, only to finish outside a place. This was the start of a series of disappointing efforts, and it appeared as though he might not fulfil his early promise. In the late autumn he began to display improvement. Fol- / lowing a good effort in the Champagnej Stakes at Ellerslie at Easter, he was third in the handicap event on the second day. Going on to Avondale, he beaf a good field .which included Queen.City, Sir Cameron and Happicoat in decisive fashion on the second day. He made his first three-year-old appearance at the Pakuranga meeting last month when he finished strongly into second place in a hack race. Beau Leon is, as his name suggests, by Beau Pere, while his dam, Lady Bede, was an Eiiglish-bred mare by Adam Bede from Lady William by William Rufus. Beau; Leon carries the colqurs of his breeder, Mr. E. H. Cucksey. Improved in Guineas... Though Lou Rosa failed in the Flying Handicap, he accounted for those who beat him in that event in the Guineas. Lou Rosa burst into prominence when he paid over half a century on the occasion of his win at Te Rapa last November, and he followed . that win by annexing the Great Northern Foal Stakes and the Royal Stakes at Ellerslie during the summer meeting. His autumn form was disappointing, and after his failures at Pakuranga and on the first day at Avondale he :was beginning to lose caste. Nevertheless the. solid manner in which he finished to take second money in the Guineas on Monday suggests that he does' foetter in smaller fields. Being by Foxbridge he is likely to improve with age. T. v.'' " '

Finished Solidly. Sir ; Cameron, like Lou Rosa, failed in the Flying Handicap, but succeeded in reversing , positions with Marshall Hall and Grandora in the Guineas. Aftqr losr ing ground early in the Guineas owing to a check, Sir Cameron put in a splendid finishing run that carried him into third place at the end. In most of his two-year-old races Sir Cameron shaped like a stayer and his finishing effort in the Guineas appears to confirm this. He is by Posterity by-the imported Mirabelle II. the dam of the A.J.C. and V.R-C. Derbies winner, Theo. Below Expectations. After his attraetive performance in the Flying Handicap Marshall Hall's failure in the Guineas was- disappointing. No excuses could be made for -him as he was in front most of the way. In the run home he failed to stay. As a two-year-old Marshall Hall gave the impression that he would stay, and . this was confirmed by hjs breeding as his sire, Hall Mark, was a great stayer, winnmg the Melbourne Cup as a three-year-old. It is possible "that his hard race on the opening day affected Marshall Hall, and it may be too early to pass judgment on him. . • Tlie Others. Though Grandora ran quite a respectable race in the Guineas, sprinting is always likely to be his forte, even though he may run on better with age.: Phaleron was expected to make a bold showing in the Guineas after his close third in the Flying Handicap, but he ran only a moderate race. His two-year-old performance suggested that he did best when fresh, as his second day efforts were seldom in keeping with those he registered on the first days. Form of Kindergarten. Though Kindergarten only contested hack races he created a favourable impression. He needed the race thgt he had the first day, but even then finished strongly into third place. He was confidently supported on Monday, but wheri he was nearly at the rear of a big field when they settled down his prospects were hopeless. He put in some great work over the final stages to fi.ll second place, but he had no chance of catching tlie winner, Calula Boy. Nevertheless, Kindergartens effort was a fine one and he may be playing his part in bigger events before long. .