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; : France Franco-American Challenge in Derby Rests With Royaumont, Three Others By R. D. GRAINGER " Our Pans Correspondent PARIS France. Regarded as the spearhead in a five-pronged Franco-American attack on the Epsom Derby next Wednesday, R. B. Strassburgers powerfully-built had the misfortune to split a Ballynash, chestnut colt Mourne, by Vieux Manoir halfway Prix Daru, at 10 and near-fore pastern at point when contesting the 5,000 one -half furlongs, at Longchamp last Sunday. It was sheer tragedy. The accident enabled Madame A. Mar-riottis gray Amber, by Zuccarello Panto-mine, to achieve a surprise hollow victory by two lengths from Chronos. De K a 1 b pacemaker for Mourne, was third with the un-fortunate odds-on M nc not be be p fa in in L P m te tr di d F B f B n $; E J c, v a B o a J r 1 z ; " t 5 x k j fc 1 j 5 1 , : , n c e of f do h a a all, 11, is is 1- 111 rn 1 ?y e ic Mourne walking past the pest. Mourne will run again this season. Indeed, he may retired to stud. Everybody likes to see good horses compete but no one -likes to witness the downfall of such a grand thoroughbred beaten such tragic circumstances. Even the Longchamp odds layers and French ante-post gamblers, who had backed Mourne down from 16-to-l to 6-to-l in the British market, expressed their commiseration by telephone with the absent "Strass" and trainer George Bridgland in their great disappointment. Although the absence of Mourne is to be deeply regretted the overall strength of the French challenge must- not be underestimated. For Mrs. G. L.. Ohrstroms Royaumont, F. Dupres Apostol, and the Aga Khans Prince Taj will be in the line-up. Curiously, these three colts all claim Prince Bio as their sire. And one of the two-French Oaks raiders, the Agas Rose Roy-ale, was also got by the 1941 foaled Prince Bio bred by Laudy Lawrence. Royaumont, out of the famous French mare Montenica, cost the record sum of 5,000 for a Deauville yearling in 1955, -He -suffered a long and serious illness last July when ready to make his debut. The colt came down with intestinal trouble and a a was-only saved by great veterinary skill n and injections of glucose. a . i, Royaumonts appearance at Epsom is a great tribute to the meticulous nursing of Chantilly trainer Jack Cunnington, who a believes that Mrs. G. L. Ohrstroms aver- L age-size bay has a sound each-way chance. a Recent workouts have given Cunnington n the utmost satisfaction and Royaumonts e two victories this year have shown the s merest tyro that Prince Bios son has in- herited superb action, commendable cour- 1 age, speed and stamina capable of getting g the 12 furlongs. Up-and-coming Jean De-t forge will be the coachman. i Prince Taj, winner of only juvenile race i over six-furlongs last October, has twice a been placed over a mile this spring. On both occasions he found the trip much too - short and was running on strongly at the finish. Trainer Alec Head thinks the Ep- i som track suitable for the Agas bay colt i by Prince Bio out of Malindi. He will be ridden by Jean Massard. And now that the biggest danger Mourne is to be an absentee high hopes are cherished that Prince Taj will be the fifth Derby winner for the Aga Khan since Blenheim scored in 1930. , Apostol, a lovely all-quality bay colt has been a bit of an enigma to us this spring. Twice he has. been in trouble not of his own making at Longchamp. Owner F. : Dupre and astute trainer Mathet have attributed these vexatious defeats to Apos-tols inability to take right-hand turns. Dupre delayed his depision to run at Epsom until last week end. Apostol then showed his true prowess in a satisfactory workout over three letfhand turns at Chan-- tifly. His owner then informed us that Apostol, with J. Doyasbere astride, was quite a different proposition and the son of Prince Bio Apostille would go to England with reasonable prospects of winning him his first Derby and be the second tri-o umph for F. Mathet. Fourth Derby challenger is Pierre Wert-heimers . improved Chippendale but this ! former handicapper does not impress us as likely to emulate his owners last year win-ie ner Lavandin. Chippendale has recently been twice beaten by colts below top-rank, classic craftsman Rae Johnstone, with over 30 wins, will be on top. A British visitors to Longchamp are confi- dent that it will take a champion to beat the considered "racing certainty" in the hot favorite, Crepello, a son of Donatello Crepuscle. Even so, we certainly do not re- gard a French victory at Epsom as being anything like remote, and for that reason I JOCKEY JEAN DEFORGE Will be astride the American-owned Royaumont in the Epsom Derby on June 5. a a n a i, a L a n e s 1 g i i a - i i , : . ! we suggest Royaumont, win and show, as reasonably good speculation. Prince Taj may gain place honors. He is preferred to Apostol on the grounds of his physique being more suitable to the contour of Epsom. French form students are concentrating and betting freely on the two Oaks challengers, the Aga Khans Rose Royale and Madame L. Volterras Great Success. Former won the British 1,000 Guineas much easier than the length verdict over her stablemate Sensualita implies. It is the stable opinion that Rose Royale would have won at Newmarket by a bigger margin over an extended distance. Since her return from Newmarket "Rose" has made continuous progress and accomplished everything asked of her. In our view, Rose Royale, by Prince Bio, out of Rose of Yeroda, should justify her hot favoritism. The Aga has twice won the Epsom Oaks, with Ddaipur 1932 and Ma-saka 1948 and his latest contender is rated equally as good. Madame L. Volterra, who has no colts of classic standard this year, will be attempting her third Epsom triumph with Great Success, an alluring bay filly by Niccolo DellArca LOrgueilleuse. This charming owner won the Derby with Phil Drake 1946 and the Oaks with Sicarelle 1956. The French proverb says, "Never two without three," but in this instance it can also apply to the Aga Khan! Madame has taken a big chance in preferring to send Great Success to Epsom! instead of Chantilly for the coveted Prix-Diane French Oaks two days later. Our idea is that the stock of Uiccolo DellArca are disappointing in classic contests and just miss top grades. Great Success lost her first race by running green but sailed by 12 others at Longchamp afterward. It has taken Madame "Vblterra and her trainer, F. Mathet, 10 days to reach a de-: cision whether or not to oppose Rose Royale. They are under no delusion as to the task they have set Great Success. Neither are we. We pick Rose Royale with confidence and think Great Success will be the runner-up! 1 1
