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ENGLISH THREE-YEAR-OLDS . e . Gilpin Places Diophon at Top of the List for Coming Season. ♦ Beviews Performances of Aga Khans Colt as a TWO Tear-Old — Considers Track ltesponsible for Lone Defeat. P. P. Gilpin, the L.nglish trainer, writes his opinions of the leading i:nglish three-year-old prospects in the following article, which is reprinted from the Bondon Weekly Dispatch : Among our own classic colts for 1924 1 si.pp so one should mention first of all Dio-pho i. he having won four of the five races in which he compet- d last year, winding up with the Convincing victory in the Middle Park Plate, justly considered one of tne greatest tests of excellence in each seasons program. This colt was bred by that wonderful judge. Lord dAbernon. whose judgment is only to be equalled by his good fortune on the turf, and was bought for His Highness the Aga Khan, whose appearance in the world of English racing has been marked by extraordinary success. DIOPHOVS DIBIT IX JUT. Diophon made his how to the public when he came out in July for the Stakes of that name run at Newmarket, there were a dozen runners, and thouqh I should say he was not nearly wound tip. he won comfortably enough, and in fact did all that a novice— which he was -could possibly he expected to do. In that race he met several useful colts, such as Illiterate, which was second; Spal-1 een. highly thought of; Tippler, which had already won twice, the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom having fallen to him in his previous outing with 131 pounds, while Halcyon. Crand Knight and lAighm had all demonstrated their right to race in good company. He next "walked over" for the Chesterfield Stakes at the BCCOnd July Meeting and then went on to earn fresh laurels at Goodwood, where he took the I.avant Stakes over five furlongs from the speedy B -resford and Druids Orb. which had WOO the New Stakes ! at Ascot from thirteen others. The fourth competitor. King Georges Carmel, having also already been a winner. Now this was all good work and acoom- ; plished in a manner that was thoroughly satisfactory in every way. He, however, was not to escape without defeat, and this | came about in the Hopeful Stakes at the Newmarket First October Meeting, when i Wood- ml. In receipt of fourteen pounds, beat him a head. But, were 1 his owner. I should not fce -n the hast dismayed by his failure on | this occasion, as the race was run over the last five furlongs of the Aoingdon Mile. ; where the last furlong is all down hill and Uoitinuod on eighth page. I t i | j | I I [ENGLISH THREE-YEAR-OLDS Continued from first pace. the horses finished in the dip. I do not like courses where there is a down-hill finish, and this one is no exception; it is only suitable in my opinion to a quick-running non-stayer. Therefore should I certainly hold Diophon excused on this account. Woodend is entitled to credit for winning, as he had not previously won. He proved himself a nice colt, but he was to meet his Waterloo a fortnight later when he did not shine in the Middle Park Plate, notwithstanding that he was said to be much fancied. In this race Diophon, making his last effort of the season and starting favorite at 2 to 1, won in the style of the good colt I lV. l sure he is. The ritnnerup was the undoubtedly gfnuine filly Flack, belonging to Ford Kose-bery, which was in receipt of ten pounds, or seven pounds more than weight for sex. Plack is on the small side, but has merit and will assuredly be heard of again, for she is a rare little sticker. King Georges colt Knight of the Garter was third, a length behind the second, and ran sufficiently well for the big fellow that he is to hold out hopes of letter things in the season just before us. He has range and scope and is one for which time may conceivably do much. It would not, therefore, be ur.duly optimistic to expect a great deal of improvement in his public appearances this year. Sorr.erville Tattersall ran a nice blood-like youngster in this race named Hurst wood, by Gay Crusader from Bleasdale. which was bred in Ireland by Peter Fitzgerald and bought out of his lot at Doneaster as a yearling by Mr. Tattersall. He struck me at the time as being backward and wanting time; this notwithstanding he came out thirteen days later and ran a good race against Salmont Trout in the Dewhurst Plata, It was this last race so soon after his previous display that I suspect told its tale and in all probability to a great extent accounted for his having somewhat disappointed his connections in the Hurst Park Great Two-Year-Old race, run sixteen days afterward. I did not see that race, but hetrd that he did not have the best of luck at the start. Be that as it may. I think he was scarcely able to do himself justice on that occasion. » Bellinis prepotency was passed on to his son Atlantic Expr ss, 2:07"t. whose dam was the half thoroughbred Expressive, 2:11 * i . by Kleetionoer, out of Esther, a thoroughbred daughter of Express. Expressive was one of the greatest campaign- rs that ever lived, winning race after race as a t lire -year-old on the Grand Circuit against old horses. Her son was entitled to sire a champion and this he did in Nedda. whose dam. Pleasant Thought, was by 1rodigal, second dam the doublc-gaied Hxtasy. 2:11 1-2 trotting by Baron Wilkes and third dam Ethelwyn, by Harold. Mr. Diekerman lived the greater part of the year at Hillandale and in the period lie-fore the coming of the motor drove a pair of trotters to and from New York six days a Week, stabling them at frank Ferguson s. He was president of the Btock Exchange for years and was one of that devoted band which included David Burner and Albert Hall that foregathered at stony Ford during the life of Charles B.iekinan. None surpass d Mr. Diekerman in his love for a g od horse ami it is fitting that the future remounts of the New York state police should roam over territory that was so dear to this splendid type of sporstman, whose kind is pa-sing fust. About the only condition imposed by Mrs. Diekerman in leasing the property at a nominal fee was that she he pern-it ted to ride and walk over the fields. With the hor.-es of the Constabulary snugly boused in their roomy box s or sunning themselves on tha hillside the glory of other days will be recalled when the children of Atlantic Express doininate3 a scene of unsurpassed beauty at the very doors of the jjr«:u metropOtM of [Ken v. rk
