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Delaware Park Notebook By JOE HIRSCH Royal Vale Magnificent in Defeat Six Furlongs Distance Bit Short Likely Choice for Essex Handicap DELAWARE PARK, Stanton, Del., June 17. — Royal Vale, magnificent in defeat, highlighted yesterdays Royal Gem H. purse purse with with a a brilliant brilliant purse purse with with a a brilliant brilliant stretch effort that fell just short of catching the front - running Repetoire but, nevertheless, thrilled the 12,565 in attendance. The six-furlong distance of the mid-week feature was a trifle short for Mrs. J. R. H. Thourons English-bred six-year-old, prepping for for the the 5,000 5,000 Sussex Sussex for for the the 5,000 5,000 Sussex Sussex here on July 3. By the same token, the event was made to order for Stanley Mikells speedy Repetoire, who had accomplished three good sprints here during the past few weeks, including a second to Pet Bully in the Wilmington Handicap. We did not see Royal Vale in any of his races last year but Evan Shipman, after watching the Massachusetts with us last month at Suffolk Downs, confirmed reports that the Kingsway stallion at that time was not the same horse who in 1953 had performed so glowingly in those memorable races with Tom Fool. The Thouron standardbearer was perfectly placed for a score in the mile and J9 quarter New England classic but Jack Westrope said later he was unable to stir his mount for the necessary move. Royal Vale ran a similar race in the recent Suburban and minus a rally, finished fourth. AAA Yesterday, he lacked only distance. Penocc set the early pace but Repetoire took over at the half mile pole with Royal Vale trailing: in the rear on the rail, at least 10 lengths behind the leader. West-rope swung his horse outside at the five-sixteenth pole and Royal Vale buckled down to the task at hand. The powerful grandson of Coronach, who spotted the winner nine pounds, came roaring down the homestretch as though equipped with overdrive. He made up over seven lengths in the final furlong and his gallant bid failed by only three parts of a length. In defeat, Royal Vale served notice that he appears to have regained some of the form with which he accumulated 15,-825 last year. He should be the choice for the Sussex and some of the other handicap events in Chicago which trainer Jim Ryan is said to be eyeing. AAA The clubhouse terrace was the scene of much camera work this morning for the "Post Time," U. S. A.," television program, which is carried by stations throughout the country. This particular film features Bayard Sharp, a DuPont official and a director of Delaware Park, and Francis Bellhouse, the former steeplechase rider and now a trainer for F. Ambrose Clark. The occasion was the eighth running of the Tom Roby Chase, set here for next Monday. Bellhouse was riding with Roby when the noted jockey went down at Belmont Park about 12 years ago. Roby incidentally is still in Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica. Sharp, long a steeplechase enthusiast, is the donor of the Tom Roby Trophy, one of the few cups in the sport to be presented to the winning jockey rather than the owner. The film may be seen next Thursday evening. AAA Alan Clarke took a day off, driving his young daughter • to Philadelphia. . . . Jockey Jimmy Lynchs young miss flew up from Miami for a visit. . . . Jimmy Dunn, Neville Dunns nephew, who is chauffering his editor uncle on their tour of eastern tracks, will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall and hopes to make the Tar Heel golf team. He will major in business administration and plans to enter the breeding field upon graduation. ... Messrs. Lou Effrat and Joe Trimble, noted improvers of the breed, who also cover the Yankees for the New York Times and the Daily News, respectively, were the guests of general manager Bryan Field. . . . Track officials and turf scribes, having tied in their historic golf match of last week, meet again in a • play-off Friday night at the Newark Del. C. C. AAA Around the Track: Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jeffords Coreopsis was destroyed the other day. The promising three-year-old had bad knees and, rather than sell him as a cripple, trainer Oscar White decided on the former course of action. . . . Mrs. Marion W. OConnors La Corredora arrived from Belmont to prepare for the 00,000 New Castle to be held here on July 5. . . . Mrs. Esther Kirk, wife of trainer Carson Kirk, is resting comfortably in Wilmington General Hospital after an auto collision in Newport yesterday. Her bruises are "not serious," according to doctors. . . . Ray "Sonny" Workman, the noted ex-jockey, took in an afternoon of sport yesterday. . . . Muggins Feldman is distributing stakes books for the Atlantic City course. It lists 10 grass events and eight over the regular strip.
