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1924 PLANS FOR EPINARD Correspondent of English Paper Reports Progress of the Colt Wertliclmcr Crack Is Expected to Meet Most of His Early Engagements Has Grown During the Winter. Although some of the views expressed by Longchamp in the following article, which is reprinted from the London Evening News, are nullified by the withdrawal of Epinard from the Lincolnshire Handicap, the bulk of his remarks will still be found timely and interesting: Epinard is now In good strong work, the conditions are ideal and the horse goes with much of the old dash, though he has not yet shaken off entirely the sloth that comes from the long sojourn in winter quarters. Still there is no foundation for the suggestion that the horse is fat to grossness. Indeed I can say that I have never seen a horse, fresh from winter quarters, looking less fleshy than this one and since beginning work he has surprised his trainer by the Way in which he has taken to it. The horse has improved greatly in appearance and even though not yet fully trained he looks much better than he did on Cambridgeshire day. He goes with the same freedom and gives the impression of never tiring. Such gallops, as I have seen him cover have been good fast ones and he gave me the impression of being, if anything, speedier in his pace. A TRIFLE DISAPPOINTED. Just in one respect am I a trifle disappointed. I may be wrong, but to me there seems an indefinable something that suggests the horse has not developed the weight-, carrying proportions that we had reason to expect from what we saw of him as a three-year-old. Without any prompting on my part the same idea was volunteered by a competent observer who was in my company when last we saw the horse. However, it is only fair to say that the trainer does not think there is anything to justify misgivings in this respect. Epinard has surprised his trainer by the rapidity with which he has shown more than a mere glimpse of h!s old form. Such work as the horse has done confirms the impression of good judges that he has made more than the regulation improvement since last year and I do not think that any weight likely to be given him in any of his engagements will frighten his connections. Unexpected training conditions might easily upset plans and I am too old at the game to be certain of anything in racing except its uncertainty, but I am justified in saying that insofar as they are able to determine their course at the moment the connections of Continued on twelfth page. 1924 PLANS FOR EPINARD Continued from first page. Epinard believe that he is now coming to his best form and that, as he can be wound up without any undue effort, their best policy would be to exploit him for his early engagements in England and rest him later on before his trip to America or his autumn engagements, should it be found inadvisable to go on with the American trip. This much I have first hand from the connections and members can rest assured that in spite of anything that may be said to the contrary, this represents the present idea with regard to Epinard on the part of those who control his future as much as any set of human beings can control the future of a highly strung thoroughbred. Too much can be made of the supposed desire of the owners to get a good price about their horse as an argument against backing him for the Lincolnshire or any of his early engagements ovsr here. It must be remembered that "good" in regard to prices is a relative term and to the French owner obliged to limit his belting to the mutuel operations oh the day of the race, the present offers about Epinard on this side are princely in comparison with what he could hope for in France. Even on the day I do not think that Epinard, fit and fancied, would touch on the Carholme a price as short as that he would be at on any of our own race courses. As a matter of fact, however, I can say on their own authority that the brothers Werthcimer are more concerned with exploiting their great horse for stud purposes than for gambling in this or any other country. Their policy this year will be to take every opportunity of making good the claim of the horse to be a world champion so that when he retires to the stud he may be a source of . profit and pride to his owners and of glory to French blood stock. DO NOT EXI-ECT CLEAN SWEET. It is not the belief of the connections that the horse is going to carry everything before him. They quite recognize that he may meet another Verdict or other animal a little too good for him at the weights, or as a race is run, but they are certain that the horse will never be disgraced and that his performance on the course, win or lose, will add to his reputation and establish beyond challenge his claim to be the worlds wonder horse. There are no mean judges in France who think that the connections take an exaggerated view of the horse, but the connections are eager to put their faith to the test of a practical trial with what they believe to be the best tackle in the world British thoroughbreds. Their one fear is that the presence of their champion in races may so frighten the British owners that they will not think it worth while to have their horses trained to try conclusions with Epinard. They sincerely hope that in the interests of sport there will be no reluctance of the kind and they on their part are prepared to guarantee that insofar as lies in their power Epinard will only run when fit to give his best. He will bo run over such distances as tho progressive program contemplated, when he was entered for the series of races beginning with the Lincoln, permits. Let us hope that there will be no necessity to depart from the plans in the minds of this sporting pair.
