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JOCKEY JEAN MASSARD — Scored astride Bewitched in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp. - : ■ ; 4 France Alec Heads Two Charges Unfortunate In Post Position Draw at Newmarket «- - By F. D. GRAINGER : Our Pans Correspondent PARIS, FrAnce. — The French invasion at Newmarket almost succeeded in landing a Guineas double of over 2,000 for Alec Heads Chantilly stable. And the raid might have proved highly successful but for ill-fortune in_ the draw for all-important post positions in both races. In fields over 12 runners horses drawn on the far side high - numbers are believed* to have a disadvantage of three lengths over the Rowley Mile. "And Heads charge, the Aga Khans chestnut Buis-son Ardent was drawn on the extreme outside of 19 starters for the colts classic, the Two Thousand Guineas. He finished third beaten t w o lengths by the 50-to-l outsider Gilles des Retz, who was favored with the low five number, a position that made the difference between success and failure. In the fillies event, the One Thousand Guineas, Heads luck was again clean out. For his presumed "racing certainty" Midget was drawn 18 of 19 with her compatriot, and recent conqueror, Cigalqn, on her outside -in the most dreaded berth of all. This pair finished second and fourth to the winner Honeylight, in a center position. In placing three of the first five in the colts race and two in the first four among the fillies, the French raiders can be said to have done well, in the circumstances. And we are never one to make excuses for beaten horses. It doesnt pay dividends! Had it not been for such a severe winter at Chantilly, both these classic races might have gone to France. For only a couple of lengths margin in each race made all the difference. And be it noted that both Buisson Ardent and Midget had not run to expectations in their first trips this year. Their great improvement had been effected in the short space of three weeks. A A A The rushed preparation instead of one carefully timed for Buisson. Ardent and Midget greatly redounds to the .credit of young trainer Alec Head, age 32. His powerful stable of 80 horses is now beginning to show something like the form expected from such a -well-bred lot. He has made_ entities in all Britains big events and we" predict, with confidence, some big gains in the-near future. Alec says he fancies the Aga Khans filly Danira in the Epsom Oaksl His patron, now returning, to convalescence after a serious winter illness, may not visit Epsom but will be seen at Royal Ascot, a fortnight later in June. The Boussac colt Philius, for a long time a 5-to-l ante-post favorite for the- Two Thousand Guineas, finished fifth after being In the first three for seven furlongs. He failed to stay. But greatest mystery to all French turf followers was the amazing opposition by British bookmakers to Philius near the start. He drifted ominously in the betting market from 5-to-l to 20-to-l vainly offered, only to be finally ratified at 18-to-lc— all in the space of 25 minutes. We are hot going to explain that one! The British officials opinion in placing Buisson Ardent as top colt and Midget as second best filly in his Free Handicap, made last December, was well-night accurate — without the draw. His contemporary on this side of the channel also proved once again that when bettors flout estimated poundage from handicaps to classics they burn their fingers more often than notl ~ French racing is making a great appeal to American European trippers, and among the many we met last week was Mr. Leonard Liepman, president of the Victory Racing Plate Company, who first-flew directly to" London on a visit combining business with pleasure, bef ore "coming to France. His tour also includes Switzerland and Italy. * A A , Longchamps star program last Sunday included the 1,000 Prix du Cadran French Gold Cup over two and one-half miles and the- 8,000 Prix Hocquart, an event confined to three-year-olds over one and one-half miles. Both events were regarded as direct pointers to the chief Royal Ascot prize and the Epsom Derby by hundreds of British visitors who flew over just to witness these two races. We are afraid the trippers did not glean much future information from the Prix du "Cadran, for though eight of Ihe 10 starters hold the Ascot commitment, they were an unimpressive muster in the paddock. Odds of 4-to-5 were laid on the Boussac Elpenor [ to win for the second year, but the dark brown six-year-old, after making the run-, ning for two and one-quarter miles, rapidly compounded and finished in the last three. When the favorite was beaten, "Bewitched, making his second appearance of ! the year, "well ridden by Jean Massard, hit I the front only to be strongly challenged ; by the 17 hands Clichy, owned by "Beaver" Strassburger, and the Mathet representa-, tive, Polar. It was a thrilling struggle from , the half-distance between the first-named pair, but Bewitched held on gamely to his t i first-run advantage by a neck with Polar, who had previously beaten Bewitched, three lengths further away. The winner, owned by Madame Cino Del Duca, one of four lady owners to win races during the afternoon, has won other events in France and Italy. He goes to Ascot with the full confidence of connections. But it is doubtful ifElpenor will attempt a repetition of , his 1954 victory over there on this showing. M. Boussac may rely on the four-year-old j Macip, a good stayer, who won the French St. Leger last September. AAA The Prix Hocquart attracted 11 runners." They were quite a good looking lot, but the result was not in accordance with anticipations. The two Epsom Derby favorites, Lavandin and Valcares, monopolized most attention in, the paddock. Lavandin Ctntinved on Peg* Nirt* | Report From France BjlRALPH D. GRAINGER j Continued from Page Eight j had obviously trained -on since winning a mile event a fortnight ago and was looking a picture." "Valcares was not on his best behavior. . In the race, Poincelet held Lavandin ir the last place and made no forward move until two furlongs out. He then found a wall of horses on his inside comprising Yellowstone, Floriados, Azteque, Incitatus and"Astrologue, all battling for the lead. Just inside the distance, the greatly improved Floriados settled Yellowstone, and with Poincelet switching the fast-finishing Lavandin to the outside of the five in front, he passed Azteque and . Astrologue in a few strides but cpuld not reach Floriados, who won by a length from Yellowstone with Lavandin another three-quarters of a length away third, to be a .most unlucky loser. The stewards afterwards held an inquiry and asked Poincejet for an explanation of his tactics. Trainer Alec Head also said i he was not satisfied with the way Lavandin was ridden. It now appears that another ! j jockey will be found for this 8-to-l ante- 1 post favorite at Epsom. J J Valcares had every chance, for after , , being well placed for ten furlongs, the Volterra colt faded badly and finished in J | the last two. This was not surprising after , his paddock exhibition. He will not contest his ra"ce in England. His trainer, Mathet, I could rely on the crack Tanerko but is J more in favor of exploiting him in the ; Longchamp, Prix Lupin and the French Derby, run at Chantilly, on June 10. Owner of Tanerko, Francois Dupre, says that he will make ho decision for another 10 days or, perhaps, even until May 29. We hope it is favorable ""because we think Tanerko, a 10 pound better colt than any in France, would certainly win at Epsom if saddled. Floriados, who has run only three times in his career, stayed on well. He showed immense improvement on his previous outing when he failed to get beyond one and one-quarter miles. The Boussac nominee holds the British and French Derby engagements, but at the moment doubt is expressed about a journey to England. In our view, a decision will be made when plans for Tanerko are known. We feel that some side-stepping will be made. In any case, we could not advise the support of Floriados at Chantilly with a fit Tanerko in the line-up.
