QUEEN OF SONG

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 4

QUEEN OF SONG

Veteran Mare’s Success In Dunedin Cup ROYAL CHIEF BEATEN COUNTERBLAST’S SPRINT [ Per Press Association. J DUNEDIN, Feb. 9. The first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting was held today in good weather. The track, after overnight rain, was in good order. The totalisator handled £lB,194 for the day, comoarcd with £19,961 10s last year. Results:— WARRINGTON HURDLES. (Of £175; 1J miles). 3/3 —Western Song, 9.9, Langford 1 2/2—McHeath, 10.9, Richards 2 1/I—Slayer, 9.10, Shand 3 Also: 5/4 Baitruin. 4/5 Camerino. Two lengths; four lengths. Time, 2.46 1-5. TRIAL HANDICAP. (Of £120; seven furlongs). 4/3—Our Pal, 8.4, Jennings 1 5/6 —Crack o’ Dawn, 8.1, Hibberd 2 7/7—Spear Thrust, 8.1, Spratt 3 Also: 3/4 Sunny Jean. 1/2 Pilot's Love, 2/1 Neptune, 1/2 Lord Puck, 8/8 Invadere, 6/5 Bilbao. Head; four lengths. Time, 1.29 2-5. BERWICK HANDICAP. (Of £150; six furlongs). 3/2—Great Flight, 8.6, Wilson 1 1/I—Teak, 8.2, Spratt 2 12/11 —Combat;, 7.9, Humphries 5 Also: 8/10 Spanish Lad, 7/9 Astaire, 2/3 Synthetic. 10/7 New Note, 5/5 On Call, 9/7 Waitoru, 12/12 Adina, 16/19 Epic. 4/4 Flagman, 19/ 18 Violenta, 14/15 Withdrawal, 15/13 Bastille, 11/15 Chirp, 17/16 Gray Vixen, 18/17 Remembo, 6/6 Steer Clear. Neck; two lengths. Time, 1.14 4-5. PUBLICANS’ HANDICAP. (Of £2OO ; six furlongs). 1/I—COUNTERBLAST 8.9, Wilson 1 4/4—TORO-KOURA, 7.7, Caddy 2 3/3—SECOND INNINGS, 7.8, j. W. Jennings -3 Also: 2/2 Top Row, 6/6 Rodeur 8/7 Norseman, 10/10 Valmarch, 7/8 Wild Career. 9/9 Rebel Chief, 5/5 Phalanx. Two lengths each way. Time, 1.13 4-5. DUNEDIN CUP. (Of £“50; 1J miles). 4/5 —QUEEN OF SONG, 8.6, Spratt 1 2/2—WILD CHASE, 9.1, Wilson 2 6/6—ARGENTIC, 8.2. Mackie ... . 3 Also: 1/1 Royal Chief, 3/3 Night Wings, 5/4 Galleon. Two lengths; four lengths. Time, 2.33. CHAMPAGNE STAKES. (Of £350 ; six furlongs). 4/4—MASTER HOTSPUR, 8.13, Messervy 1 5/S—ARAN UI, 8.13, Spratt 2 2/2—GOLD SALUTE. 8.10, Didham 3 Also: 1/1 Moorsotis, 3/3 Montessa. Two lengths each way. Time, 1.15 4-5. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP. (Of £2OO ; one mile). 9/B—Mona’s Song, 8.8, W. F. Ellis 1 4/4—Thermedior, 8.1, Mackie . .. 2 10/10—Queen Dorothy, 8.9, A. E. Ellis 3 Also: 5/5 Lazyzones, 1/1 Boswell, 6/7 Cape Gabo. 11/11 Swordstick, 2/2 Rabble, 8/9 Passaform. 7/6 Ashaway, 3/3 Kilrobe. 12/12 Seafox. Two lengths; neck. Time. 1.41 3-5. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP. (Of £2OO ; one mile). 4/6 —Spartan, 7.9, Messervy . J 1/2—Settlement, 8.7. B. H. Morris 2 2/1 —Capricious, 7.12. Wilson 3 Also: 13/14 Auctor. 11/11 Straightdel, 3/3 Disband. 9/9 Elmarch, 6/4 Counterflight, 7/7 Jedburgh, 10/10 Rebel Queen. 12/13 Master Dingle, 16/16 Tupai, 8/8 Kippen, 14/12 Green Boa, 5/5 Atua Rere, 15/15 Twenty Grand. Neck: three lengths. Time, 1.41.

ANOTHER SCEPTRE ROCKFEL BEST OF YEAR. ENGLAND BEST FILLY. LONDON, Nov. 10. Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen’s great filly, Rockfel, set the seal on a remarkable three-year-old career by winning the Aintree Derby yesterday. By all Turf enthusiasts she is acclaimed the best of her age in this country, if not the best in the world. Rockfel won the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks; beat Pasch, the Two Thousand and Eclipse winner, in the Champion Stakes; and yesterday trounced Foxglove II (winner of the Jockey Club Cup, Ebor Handicap, and Ascot Gold •Vase), Challenge (second in St. Leger and Jockey Club Stakes winner), and that good filly Bombay Duck. Her winnings total over £20,000. Over the 1 mile and 5 furlongs of the Aintree Derby, ridden by Harry Wragg, went to the front at flagfall and remained there until the end. The efforts of the opposition to get her in the straight were fruitless and the filly won easily by three lengths from Bombay Duck. Wragg did not have to touch Rockfel with the whip. He sat quite still in the straight, while the others came almost level with him four furlongs from home. Then Wragg, with the slightest movement of his arm, urged the fillv on, and she, seeming to know that the time had come to win her race, strode a,way from the others as if they were standing still. When horse and rider returned to the unsaddling enclosure they found that the crowd had formed a guard of honour, and through the cheering throng they walked with this great filly showing little signs of having just returned from a race. Harry Wragg said: “I have never ridden before any horse of her.class. There is no need even to think of showing her the whip. She is just a perfect racing machine. When t I pulled her together as they got to me in the smoothest possible style to win half-way up the straight, on she went easily by three lengths. As you saw she was never headed.”

Rockfel’s career began in a selling race, which she did not win. She could have been claimed for a hundred or two after that defeat! But her owner developed an affection for her. Rockfel is to be kept in training

another season and will attempt to win the >.scot Gold Cup next year. She has proved herself champion of her age, and racing men, who once pointed disparagingly to her plain head and light, narrow neck, now enthuse over her beautiful galloping action and greyhound build. They are comparing her to those famous fillies of the past, Sceptre and Pretty Polly. She is a daughter of Felstead, Sir H. Cunliffe-Owen.'s 1928 Derby winner. v