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Ireland Mitigate Puzzles His Connections By TOM COOPER Dublin Correspondent, Daily Racing Form DUBLIN, Ireland. Mixed fortunes awaited the small Irish contingent at the stormy Royal Ascot meeting. As there could be no representative of the Prendergast Stable, which in recent years has played a prominent part in it, only jfive horses were sent across from Ireland. Most confidence was placed in Mitigate in the Queen Ann Stakes, the first race of the meeting. Starting a firm second favorite, the Irish Lincolnshire Handicap winner puzzled his connections by an indifferent performance. The choice was Big Berry, who had finished second in the One Thpu-sand Guineas. Big Berry, ridden by Lester Piggott, appeared to be in command a little over a furlong from the finish. However, those who are familiar with the riding methods of veteran Tommy Burns could see the Scotchman preparing for a typical late run on Upadee. Challenging inside the distance, Upadee ran on stoutly to win cleverly by three parts of a length. Upadee, a four-year-old filly by Fairfax, is trained by B. Gallivan at the -Curragh. The stewards of the meeting asked Tommy McCairns, the owner, arid jockey Burns to explain the difference in the fillys running at Ascot and earlier in the year at The Curragh. Having heard evidence from Brad Fetherstonhaug, the trainer of Mitigate, the stewards ex- -pressed themselves satisfied with the Irish fillys running. Over a similar distance in the Irish Lincolnshire Handicap at The Curragh in April, Mitigate finished as far ahead of Upadee as the positions were reversed last week. Fetherstonhaugh believed that Mitigates form was too bad to be true. He decided to prove it by saddling him again in the Jersey Stakes, the first race of the second day. Again, Mitigate ran badly, victory going to another Irish-trained outsider, Marshal Ney. The history of the Jersey Stakes winner is a typical example of the ups and downs of bloodstock breeding and racing. We easily recall one warm August day nearly two years ago meeting popular veterinarian. Joe Cosgrove at the yearling sales at Ballsridge. Cosgrove, always benign, was in even better spirits than usual, The reason for his elation soon became ap- parent. He had bought a chestnut colt by His Highness., .out of a Fair Trial mare for a mere 60. He asked us, as he asked nearly everybody at the sales that day, to come and inspect his purchase. He particularly requested that the faults of the colt should be stated and listed. Nobody was able to make a serious criticism of the yearlings appearance. Cosgrove was confident even at that stage that he had obtained a rare bargain. Marshal Ney, as the colt was named, won a fair race as a two-year-old and gave the champion filly, Sixpence, her hardest race of the season at The Curragh. This year, Cosgroves colt just failed to carry top weight successfully in the Irish Free Handicap. He then disgraced himself -by finishing at the tail end of the field in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas. Cosgrove was so disgusted with Marshal Neys poor display that he gave a half-share in the colt to his son, Maxie, also a leading Irish veterinarian. The junior partner was the only one who had sufficient confidence in the colts ability to make the journey across to Ascot. More important than the two Irish-trained successes at Ascot was the notable achievement of the young stallion, My Babu, who sired both first and second in -the Chesham Stakes. My Babu had his first runners last year and, though meeting with fair success, slightly disappointed through his failure to get a top two-year-old. The story reads much better with his second crop. Already eight youngsters by the Two Thousand Guineas winner have won races in England or Ireland this season. Three of this octet appear to be among the best in training in England. These are the colts Eubulides and Our Babu and the filly Our Betters. Eubulides has won his only two races with great ease.. In the Chesham Stakes, which is the most valuable of all the high-class two-year-old races at the Royal Ascot meeting, Eubulides was never headed and ran out a four -length winner from Our Babu with the favorite, Royal Palm, in third place. Royal Palm, an own brother to Royal Serenade, was reckoned the best two-year-old in England prior to this defeat. Our-Babu won his only previous race, the Spring Stakes at Newmarket, after a good struggle with Our Betters. As the filly was conceding six pounds to the colt on that occasion, owing to a penalty for a previous stakes win, she must be one of Continued on Page Fifty-Three Report From Ireland- By TOM COOPER Continued from Page Six the best of her age as well as sex. Breeders in Ireland and England are being well compensated for the loss of Nasmllah and Royal Charger by the presence of My Babu at the Baroda Stud in County Kil-dare, as he promises to exceed the stad records of both these fine stallions. Blarney: The Canadian Oaks winner, Taber Lass, was sold as a yearling within minutes of Blue Sail. . . Both came from the farm of Waterford breeder, Nixie Halley. . . . Both are now owned by Max Bell of Alberta Ranches. . . . Taber Lass was sold for 80; Blue Sail for ,000. . . . County Carlow Burgage Stud received an indirect boost from racing at Royal Ascot. . . . Burgage stallions are Black Tarquin and Liberator m.-. . . Black Tarquins first runner in Europe, Dark Helen, finished third in the Queen Mary Stakes. . . . Critics are unanimous in forecasting her as the most likely Oaks winner amongst the fillies seen out so fari . . . Liberator m, who will not have runners until next year, gained further attraction as a stud prospect when his four-year-old half-brother, Elpenor, won the Ascot Gold Cup.
