view raw text
fr JOCKEY FRED PALMER— Turned in a remarkable riding feat at last Sundays Longchamp races. — 4 France Team of De Waldner, Carter, Palmer Win Events Honoring Late Jean Prat By PRINCE VLADIMIR WIAZEMSKI Our Paris Correspondent PARIS. — The late Jean Prat, who started racing in the 1860s and was active in the sport until his death in 1939, was the prototype of a pure sportsman of the "golden age" of the~French turf. Two races which have become classics have been dedicated to his memory — one for four-year-olds and upward over 15 V2 furlongs, and the other for three-* year-olds at VA miles. Both are run on the final Sunday in April at Longchamp and this year were won by the team of owner Baron Geofrey De Waldner, trainer Percy Carter and jockey Freddy Palmer. Palmer, who won the important Fontaine-bleau on Savelot ear lier in the afternoon to complete a brilliant "hat trick," drove Wallaby, last years French St. Leger winner, to a two-length score over Madame Suzy Volterras English-bred gelding Epsom Victory in the race for older horses. Le Rorthaisien was third in the fine field. Wallaby, a four-year-old son of Fast Fox out of Wagging Tail, by Tourbillion, was held off the pace in the marathon and was sent to the lead turning for home. Saint Crespin Held at 4-10 The shorter Jean Prat for three-year-olds was made more interesting by the presence of Prince Aly Khans classic hope, Saint Crespin. Only six started in the 2,000 event, with Saint Crespin backed down to 4-10. The pace was not too sharp in the early going and turning for home Baron De Waldner s Memorandum, who started at 13-2, was urged to the lead by Palmer and held Saint Crespin safe in the drive to score by a half-length. Memorandum, by Mat do Cocagne out of the English mare, Referendum, by Big Game, traces to a full sister to Town Guard. The result shook the English observers who came across the channel for the event. Saint Crespin is one of the leading candidates for the Epsom Derby. The ,000 semi-classic Prix Daphnis and the Prix Chloe, the former for three-year-old colts and the latter for sophomore fillies, are major preps for the French "Guineas" Poules dEssai to be contested on Sunday, May 17. Jean Sterns Savarus, who was wearing blinkers for the first time, was sent off at 7-2 in the Daphnis. He took the lead at the break, was never headed and won going away. He was timed in 1:42 for the mile. Savarus was coming off a moderate effort at St. Cloud just five days earlier and the blinkers evidently made a marked difference. Apollo Disappoints In the filly event Jean Desbons Iadwiga, who was sent out as the 4-1 second choice, triumphed by two, lengths over George Wildensteins La Bievre, with Marcel Bous-sacs 7-4 favorite, Floriana, a dull sixth in the field of eight. Iadwiga had a brilliant record as a two-year-old and now looks to be the class of her age division. She was much the best of her field. Baron De Zuylens Apollo, second on the Experimental Free Handicap list this year, was the 2-1 choice in the important Prix Cor de Chasse at St. Cloud at 1 1-2 miles, but failed to live up to that confidence by finishing a well-beaten third behind I Sterns Lothaire and Mrs. Kilian Hen-nessys Saint Trojan. Lothaire, a smallish, very light-boned bay by the young sire La Varende, is out of Batavie, by Admiral Drake. He led all the way and showed fine courage in holding off Saint Trojan to score by a length and a half. Victor Lyons Petrarque, a good looking three-year-old by Babus Pet, who is by I | Hyperion out of Fair Gold, by Vandale, I scored a smart victory in the Prix Andro-cles. Madame A. Mariottis gray Pie Pan was second. The runner-up is a half-brother to Amber, the 1957 French Derby I winner who is now a promising young ] stallion. Daniel Courtois Emperador, a beautiful , four-year-old by Elbe — Platiname, by Sir-1 j tarn, once again showed his ability to carry his speed over a distance by winning the two and a half-mile Prix Edgard Gillois j I at Le Tremblay. Alec Weissweilers Bra-sidas, a plodder, was second. The winner was given a fine ride by apprentice Henri I Mathelin, who recently scored a sensational | victory on Voveen in the Prix du President de la Republique, the springs leading steeplechase event. He looks to be one of the nations finest young riders, both on the flat and over the jumps. Two ,000 steeplechase events, the Prix Fleuret and the Prix Ingre, sparked the final spring program at Auteuil. Fifteen four-year-olds competed in the former race, over the high jumps, with Antonin Mour-ruts Bosnap winning impressively. There was only one fall in the event. In the Prix Ingre over two and three-quarter miles, Timbo, a former plater, came home in front.