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England Most English Horsemen Readyto Admit Cantelo Will Annex Epsom Oaks June 5 By CLIVE GRAHAM Our London Correspondent LONDON. The Epsom Derby picture has not been clarified by recent happenings, but most English horsemen are prepared to admit now that the Epsom Oaks will be won by William Hills Chanteur II. filly, Cantelo, who gave a dazzling performance to win the Cheshire Oaks, hard held, by six lengths. The runner-up, Anthelion, is a useful ! filly, and so is the third, H. J. Joels Seascape, who was beaten "a distance." Cantelo covered the lVz miles in the fastest time of" the meeting. After the. race a bet of 2,000 to 4,000 was booked on her chance on June 5. This was her sixth win in succession, for she was. unbeaten in all her five races as a two-year-old. When winning the last of these, the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot, she showed considerable excitement at the starting post, and it was fully 10 minutes before she would consent to line up. Bill Elsey, the trainers son, accompanied her to the start last week, and held her by the bridle, just behind her rivals, releasing her at the rise of the barrier. Seascape set the pace for the first 6 furlongs, but Cantelo then went past her effortlessly, and could have won by 10 lengths or more. It was mentioned recently in this column that the dams of Taboun, Petite Etoile and Tomy Lee, were all extremely moderate performers on the race course. The same can be said of Cantelos dam, Rustic Bridge by Bois Roussel. She never reached the first three in her only seasons racing, as a three-year-old, and was given a Bull rating of 67, 59 points less than that accorded Frieze, her contemporary, who won the 1952 Oaks. Parthia Not Impressive Parthia, second favorite for the Derby, won the Dee Stakes, over an extended 1 JA miles, unimpressively, for he had only a neck to spare from the moderate northerner, Shining Orb. Indeed, had Stanhope Joels Belafonte by Nearco, been able to obtain a clear run, next to the rail, Parthia would have had to be content with second place. Belafonte is a big, fine, good-looking colt from a Solario mare, and although he has yet to win a race, he has run only a few times, and is obviously improving apace. This improvement is due, says his trainer, Humphrey Cottrill, to his being put on a diet of raw eggs, of which he eats half a dozen a day. Parthia by Persian Gulf, is trained by Capt. Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, and will next run in the Lingfield Derby Trial. The same trainer and the same sire were responsible for the Chester Cup winner, Queen Elizabeth II.s Agreement, who toted topweight of 130 pounds to a cleverly gained success in this historic race. In addition to the prize money, the queen was presented with the customary trophy that goes with this event, a 50-pound Cheshire cheese. Boyd-Rochfort, after a comparatively lean time, struck winning form again at Kempton, when Alcide cantered home by 20 lengths in the Victor Wild Stakes. When, beaten previously, by Vacarme at Newmarket, Alcide was handicapped by the poor early pace, but he now had Michelino to cut out the work for him. Confidence in his ability to beat the challenge from France and Ireland in next months Ascot Gold Cup, has now been fully restored. Another inmate of the Freemason Lodge Stable to attract attention was J. H. Whitneys French-bre Barbarian, a three-year-old brother to a French Oaks winner. Although only fourth in the Royal George Stakes one mile, 3 furlongs at Kempton, he was going along strongly at the finish, and will probably be on the mark for the Ascot gold vase. Two-year-old results still point to the Honeyway colt, Honeymoor, as the best of his age yet seen. Martial Maiden, who finished four lengths behind him in her previous race at Sandown, paid him a compliment by winning the Red Dragon Produce Stake at Chester last week. Trainer Jack Jarvis had two other two-year-old winners there, Running Blue by Blue Peter and Lentolia by Pinza. The 50-strong stable of horses owned by Major Lionel Holliday and trained by Dick Hern sent out a number of fancied runners, but only Supreme. Courage and Princes Mixture came near to winning. So far this season, this usually powerful stable has collected only two small prizes, and the major who considered that he had found the formula for success on the turf is mystified and not pleased with results. Supreme Courage could not match the speed of Primera , by .My Babu in the Ormonde Stakes, run over an extended CAPT. CECIL BOYD-ROCHFORT Trainer of Alcide who cantered home 20 lengths in front in the Victor Wild Stakes at Kempton Park. 1 miles. The My Babu stock is not noted for stamina, but this five-year-old son 1 seems well endowed in this respect. Paddy Prendergast sent over the two-year-old Hawa by Golden Cloud on a t scouting mission, and was delighted with j his success in the Lily Agnes Stakes. The 3 Curragh trainer now plans a raid in the I big two-year-old events at Ascot next month.
