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I k— =— ■ , England Meld Makes Rivals Look Second-Rate As She Calmly Captures Epsom Oaks L- By CLIVE GRAHAM : London Correspondent, Daily Racing Form LONDON, England. — If the general impression from Epsom last week was that this years Derby field could be described as below normal quality, there can be no denying the enthusiasm created by Melds victory in the Oaks. The time of 2:47% was slower than the Derby, slow indeed, by any standard. In the early hours of the morning, morning, the the Epsonn Epsom« morning, morning, the the Epsonn Epsom« course received, a solid drenching of rain, and the track was perceptibly slower than it had been.pn the previous days. Lady Zia Wernhe rs beautiful filly whose charms were described in this column after she had j won the One Thou- sand * Guineas be- j trayed trayed no no signs signs of of dis- trayed trayed no no signs signs of of dis- discomposure on this hot and humid afternoon. Several of her rivals, notably Lark and Cheveley Beauty, were awash with perspiration, but Meld was a model of. coolness and sang froid. Although tall, standing 16.1, she has none of the" greyhound look that one might expect in a filly of this height. Indeed, she has the robustness of girth and quarters that would stand her in good stead — perish the thought — for hurdling or steeplechasing, and withal a molding of exquisite quality. Opposition was .by no means second-rate, although she made it look so. Feria, third in the One Thousand Guineas. Ark Royal.Junbeaten this season and winner of the Lingfield Oaks Trial; *Lark; winner of the Cheshire Oaks, and Alcyone, heroine of two easy victories at Newmarket, were,all expected to test her thoroughly. Only the rugged Ark Royal, an almost black daughter of Straight Deal, came within measureable degree of justifying such expectations. After Hypermnestra had set an easy pace around Tattenham Corner, Harry Carr sent Meld to join her, and within a few strides the Alycidon filly had gone to the front. Ark Royal was pursuing closely, for Manny Mercer, on this proved stayer, was intent on discovering any possible flaws in the favorites stamina. After a. furlong in the half-mile Ensom stretch, Meld and Ark Royal had drawn five lengths clear of their next closest rival. At the quarter pole, hard-ridden Ark Royal gained a narrow advantage, which however, afforded- her suoporters only temporary and illusory satisfaction. Harry Carr realized that Meld was idling, and he picked his whip up and gave .her what he afterwards described as "a real sharp slap." The effect was instantaneous. Without appearing to hurry, the big bay filly opened an immediate lead and galloped past the winning post, winner by six lengths. Reel In by Jock Scot appeared late on the scene to be third, three lengths behind Ark Royal. The winner,, whose victory put Alycidon out clear at the head of the sires list, was homebred by her own Lady Zia Wernher. Her "dam, Daily Double, is by Fair Trial, and the third dam is the famous Double Life. A A A The Coronation Cup, with Chamier, Darius, Narrator, and the 1954 Irish Derby winner, Zarathrustra, in opposition, was spoiled as a spectacle by a farcially slow early pace. None op the jockeys felt emboldened to take the risk of making all the running over the Epsom Derby course. The six starters hack-cantered to the top of the hill, when Barlow on Narrator came away. The Nearco colt kept going strongly, to beat the challenges thrown in succession by Chamier, Zarathrustra and Darius, and retained his lead by a length. Despite the unsatisfactory nature of this contest, it is highly probable that the winner has now proved, himself to be the best older middle-distance horse in England, and a serious rival to Phil Drake and the three-year-olds at Ascot next month. * * * Laurel president John D.Schapiro was an interested spectator on all three days, and was agreeably surprised to find a great heightening of interest in International racing generally, and the Washington, D.C.7 event in particular. He was accorded the rare honor of being presented to Queen Elizabeth in the Epsom paddock before the Oaks stakes, and the Queen smilingly expressed her hopes of sending a worth-er representative than Landau to carry her colors in some future running for the Laurel trophy. The Jockey Club stewards called Schapiro to an official conclave at their London headquarters on the day -after* the1 Oaks,u and gave his brainn •« • lt i£* ftj.i tl sj c t Ki • MME. SUZY VOLTERRA— Owner of Phil Drake, Epsom Derby winner. child their official sanction and approval. Another gratifying step forward was arranged. Geoffrey Free, senior Jockey Club handicapper, will forward his rating of the 10 best English mile and a half horses to Laurel early in August. Choice of the two representatives for Englandiwill be made from this list. * * * French victories at the meeting were not confined to the Derby alone. Alec Head sent out Palariva, a fast, bay or gray filly by Palestine, from Maisons-Laffitte to win the Great Surrey Foal Stakes. The Aga Khan was forbidden ,by the doctor to attend the meeting and watch_the success of this Irishbred two-year-old, who returns to England for the Queen Mary Stakes at Ascot this month. The Woodcote Stakes, first two-year-cld event to be run oyer six furlongs, was won by Idle Rocks by Rocke-fella. Easily the most impressive two-year-old winner, however, was Joe Mc-Graths Prince of Greine. This Arctic Prince colt, one of his sires first crop, was the medium of a gamble in the Lonsdale Produce Stakes, and made most of the running to win handily. What with the crowds lining the* rails, the noise from the fair ground, bits of .paper and other debris blowing across the track, Epsom provides an ordeal for any unraced two-year-old. The Arctic Prince youngster mastered his task valiantly, and he might well be an Epsom Derby winner of 1956. BRIEFLY . . . John Barry Ryan and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mather were among American spectators at Epsom. . .Acropolis cast a plate at the mile post during the running of the Derby ..A new strike by railwaymen jeopardized racing on the week end . . . Capt. Cecil Boyd-Rochfort seems likely to head the trainers list for the second year in succession . .There are rumors of another doping scandal being uncovered ...Epsom attendances on Derby day dropped 10 per cent compared with last year. Executives laid the blame on the general election which disrupted the meeting . . .Royal Charger had a minor winner at Stockton "last Friday. His three-year-old son Lone Charger took the Bishopton Stakes ... By Thunder sidestepped the Coronation Cup for an easy victory in Hurst Parks Winston Churchill Stakes. He will oppose the Boussac stayer Elpenor in theiAsc6t,Gold»Gup.
