view raw text
j ► I News From England Direct Attention Onto Derby, Oaks By CLIVE GRAHAM London Correspondent, Daily Racing Form NEWMARKET, England. April 30.— There is a feeling, growing in strength in this country, that our chief "classic" races are run too early in the season to provide a genuine test of the merit of the three-year - old generation. The races for the Guineas were scheduled for this week, and attention is now being switched onto the Derby and Oaks. Many of the horses concerned have only just attained their third ; ■ ; 1 . ; r * " * e * | ■ anniversary and are particularly suscep- j tible to chills and fevers. Bone formation J is still immature, so the emphasis leans J heavily towards precocity. A ten-day set- s back to a good colt or filly at this time of year spells unnecessary hardships and misfortune. There is some wisdom to be learned from all of us in the French cus- ] torn of fixing the date of their major three- year-old event, the Grand Prix de Paris, for the last Sunday of June. The results for the Guineas, can be discussed next week, for there has been plenty of interest in other important stakes. France recorded its first significant win of the season when Baron Guy de Rothschilds Guersant beat Wilwyn and Zucchero for the Coronation Stakes at Sandown Park at one and a quarter miles. Guersant, a big rangy four-year-old colt by Bubbles from a Brantome mare, broke fast and went away on top. Wilwyn tracked him in this eight-strong field, but Zucchero lost ten lengths at the start, and trailed to the right-hand horse-shoe turn. Half-way up the hill there is a stiff finishing climb on this track Wilwyn drew level with-Guersant, and looked sure to win. Then he flinched. "I had the feeling something inside of him was hurting . . some sudden spasm of pain. He lost his rhythm, and before he recovered it, the Frenchman had gone two lengths ahead." Such was Manny Mercers version. Wilwyn cut the lead down to one length at the wire, with Zucchero galloping into the leading pairs heels to get third place, another two lengths away. After the race, we asked Baron Guy, best-liked of all the big Parisian owners, whether he felt disposed to accept an offer to run his horse in Laurel Parks International. His comments are worth recording, for they underline that sense of sportsman- ship which is so refreshing to find in this decade. He said, "It might not be fair in the race or for my horse. GueYsant, as you have seen, is a big fellow. His trainer has had trpuble with his forelegs, and would probably advise me against running him on an an ti -clockwise track. If the turns are sharp, he would be almost certain to bear out. and perhaps carry other horses with him." The Baron, however, has several three-year-olds of promise, and if any come up to expectations he signified his willingness to be a contender. Apart from this event, Sandown was marked by an interesting race for the Royal Stakes, which brought about the downfall of Prince Canarina. This colt, first choice at 4-6 in early betting, and then gambled on at 1-2 at starting time, ran only third to Mountain King by Chamossaire and Straight Lad by Straight Deal. It is usually fairly easy to conjure up excuses for beaten horses, but Prince Canarina had every chance to win at a mile, had an excellent ride from Billy Snaith, but seemed unable to extend himself in that last quarter-mile. It was his first run, and he may go better next time. But it appeared from the stands as if he could not or would not stretch himself out when the whips were cracking. The Blue Riband Trial Stakes was won convincingly by Premonition, a big bay son of Precipitation from a Fair Trial mare. This race is run at Epsom over the last mile and a sixteenth of the Epsom Derby track. A small but select field numbered Prince Charlemagne by Prince Chevalier and Swashbuckler by Ocean Swell, both easy winners of similar stakes races this year; Novarullah by Nasrullah, and Fountain by Nearco, who had first-grade two-year-old form. Premonition, trained by Captain Boyd-Rochfort, and winner of his only two starts last year, came with a surprising burst of speed in the last fur- long to beat Prince Charlemagne in a Continued on Page Thirty-Seren Graham Reports Continued from Page Two photo-finish, with Novarullah two lengths away in third place. Premonition is such a lazy character in his early morning work that little confidence was vested in his chance. When Carr irave him what our jock«»vs are pleased to style "a reminder," the hit* colt put his down and his toes out. It was a taM a mile past the winning post h«for- Harry Carr, amazed at this sudden hurst of unexpected energy, could pull the colt into a trot. This colt, barring McMenfa, looks the likely Derby winner of those we have seen so far. Many of Precipitations get have too cumbersome a knee-action for the Ensom course, but Premonition has inh«*ritr «* *h" "dafcv-cutting" style of the Fair Trial breed. It was good news to hear at the weekend that English -bred Royal Vale had won another stakes race. Bob Jones, his former trainer who had charge of the horse in England, reckons Jim Ryan is to be soundlv congratulated. "In careless hands, that horse could have been ruined forever in a very short time." That was Bobs verdict this week. Royal Vale comes of the Pha-laris male line, notable for high-couraged. but sensitive, intelligent and nervous horses. Bob had hoped to train him up into a cup horse in England, but when owner-breeder Sydney Baker died, the horses came under estates-duty tax and had to go up for sale. Royal Vale, on the side of his dam. Cora Deans, is related to Deanslaw. another notable bearer of Mrs. Weirs colors.
