THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1960.
THE DERBY STORY
No one could make "out". St Amant. At best, he was no giant of the Turf. At worst, he was a coward,
Indeed, he was more widely known as "The Coward" than by his real name.
The horse that won because
When
he was scared stiff
thunderstorm answer. St Amant was sulking hroke over the rolling Sur-after being accidently pricked by
Downs at Epsom
his blacksmith, rey Derby Day In 1904, the one pre-race certainty
Was that St Amant would finish trailing the field. that champiou:
He was an enigma. Yet, he
had everything makes looks, breeding..
But St Amant diso had an ugly demper and a mind of his own. He raced only when he felt like it. And no amount of gentle coaxing could persuade him utherwise.
HATE
IN THEIR
FISTS
The arc- lights knifed down through
He should have been favourite for this, the coveted premier event of the Turf. He had won the Two Thousand Guineas, beating John o'Caunt and Henry the First, in fine style by four lengths.
Refused to try
But three weeks later in the Newmarket Stakes he had re- fused to try and had been thoroughly beaten by those same two horses.
After that, how could anyone trust St Amant?
Throughout his career, St Amant showed himself to be erratic, temperamental and un-
reliable.
He started racing for money as a two-year-old. In his first race, the Coventry Slakes at Ascat, he beat twelve useful con- testants. The only one to finish ear him was the fancied John
O'Gauni.
He won his second race, alį
Firs
the drifting smoke on Goodwood, beating Henry the the two sweating, bloodied fighters,
Silently, tensely, the fans craned for- ward.
This wasn't boxing. This was Hate.
p
Then he came
agains! Pretty Polly, destined to become one of the greatest Alles of the century,
the Champagne Stakos.
15
Trac, Pretty Polly was rood enough to break the heart of any horse that raced against her. But St Amant thorough-
St. Amant won his fourth race. But in his last race of the season, Pretty Polly again beat him. The best he could do was to finish a bad second,
Even then, as records go St Amant's was not disastrous, Five starts, three wins, a second and a third.
The disturbing part was his lack of courage when the going was tough. Against Pretty Polly he just flatly ro- fused to make any effori. More, his shows of tempera-
the slightest unusual mert at noise branded him untrust- worthy.
Chief hope
St Amant came out for the first time as a three-year-old at the Craven Meeting. But he was
Meanwhile, the horse's up- and-down carcer was keeping his owner Mr Leopold de Roth- child on tenderbooks.
By
REX LOPEZ
No one will ever know. for certain.
14
But when the tapes went up he was od like a scalded cat, leading All the way from start to finish,
De. Rothchild's blue
...and yellow racing. colours were the most popular in the land. next to the King's. For 34 Jockey Cannon just sat back, sears he had been trying to holding on tightly, and tet St win a Derby. And St Amant | Ament do the work. was his chief hope," Then came the Newmarket Stakes.
Frightened
In this, his final outing before the Derby, St Amant should have cantered home. There, was nothing in the field he could not
have beaten.
The rest of the field was left to Aght out the minor places Among themselves.
Supreme moment
Not for a single yard was the result, in doubt.
St Amant won as he pleased.
Indeed, the two runners who finished in front of him, Henry It was "The the First and John O'Gaunt, had 'supreme moment. already succumbed to St Amant as two- and three-year-olds.
The thunderstorm and rain made the usually gay. Epsom scene look more like Poussin's
in no mood for racing and failed | painting of the Deluge. to get in the money,
Then, running true, he won the Two Thousand Guineas, first Classic of the season.
The hopes of his admirers rose.
Had St Amant reformed at last?
Sports Diary
TO-DAY Tennta
Walking around, St Amant, wet and frightened, turned his head and tried bite his jockey's leg.
10
"What's the maiter with him?" rider Kempton Cannon asked the boy leading St Amant.
"I don't know, sir," the boy replied. "But he's been acting up all day."
Strange thing
Men's "9" Division Section A:
At each clap of thunder, St v HKU: Recrelo (31 v XKCCSA CRC (1): SCAA (1) v RAF Recrelo Amant reared, pulled at his bit ¦ (1) v KTGCA.
HKCC: KITC v Resreto 4). Section B LRC v SCAA (2); PORC and tried to unseat his rider. Ladies Division: CRC v LAC
ly disgraced himself-and | 12); LRC (1) y UC. finished third.
Sulked
The mercilessly slash- ing hate of a scorned Jack Johnson. The bit ter, almost suicidal hate of an insulted Carmen the Daks, and Basilio.
Beginning next Thursday, the China Mail presents in six parts the stories of six such fights-fights! in which there was HATE IN THEIR FISTS as told by REX LOPEZ.
Indonesian shuttle aces to play in
.
Malayan Open
Kuala Lumpur, May 30. Indonesia, holders of the Thomas Cup, have indicated that they will send a team to take part in the Malayan Open Badminton Champion- ships in Ipoh, Central Malaya, between July 28 and August 1.
The Indonesian Badminton Association secretary, Mr Hamil Rikin has written to the Badminton Associat.co of Malaya secretary, Mr Teh Gin- soot asking him to arrange visas for 10 men,
No players or officials were named.
Malaya has
invited affiliates of the Asian Badminton Con- federation lo send players
to
the Malayan tournament but to date only Indonesia has replied. - Reuter,
Kilmarnock take
lead in U.S. Soccer League
Jersey City, May 30. Klimarnock of Scotland de
feated Glenavon, Northern Ireland League
championk 2-0 in a US. International Baccer League
Even if he could not have beaten Pretty Polly (she even- tually captured three of the live Classics: the Thousand Guineas, the St Leger)
St Amant should have at least finished second.
Soccer
Newcastle United Trophy: RN Inter-company Anal at Stanley Fort. 3pm.
Combined Chinese XI v Mexican soccer team at Hongkong Stadium, B
p
TO-MORROW Swimming HKASA Water-Polo Sub-Committee oor. 5.30 pm meeting. Shell Co.. Staff Club. 9th
Bowis 1st Division: CCC v KBGC. 2nd Division: USRC v AKCC. 3rd Division: XDXCC V
What had gone wrong? His trainer came up with a possible KGBC HERC.
USRC:
Four D. Jones THE WORLD'S STOCK OF H BOMBS GOES
UP IN RADIO-ACTIVE SMOKE...... BY MADDOCKS
WHOMEZ
FERDINAND
NANCY
LET'S HAVE
A PICNIC IN'
THE PARK TOMORROW (O.K.
I S'POSE
IT'LL BE VERY CROWDED.
AS USUAL
BRICK BRADFORD
at
gume Roosevelt Stadium here to- day.
:
The scorers were left-back Mali Watson (55th minule) and outside-lett. Willie Muir (89th minute).
Klimarnock is now leading the league, tavo points ahead of Eng ob League champions Burnley and Glenavo
Bayern Munchen & Western Gemany have lost two matches and New York Americans oné, while Nice of France will not play until June 8-AP.
A BLAST FROM MY.
PARAGUN SHOULD MAKE ME
TRAVEL FASTER THAN
........ KRIS IS MOVING.....
1
In a last-minute conference between the trainer, Allred Hayhoe, and jockey Cannon was decided to hood St Amant.
Then came & strange thing. As the horses lined up at the gate, lightning flashed. But St Amant, fourth in the betting, remained calm.
Was the hood over St Amant's head, covering his ears and restricting his vision, doing the triak? Or was "The Cowand too frightened to play up?
LEAVING A TATTERED GALLEON TOSSING ON A TORMENTED SEA.....
Coward's"
For he did nothing worth noting for the rest of his life.
On reflection it would seem that St Amant won the Derby, the greatest thoroughbred race. in the world because he scared stiff.
CHESS
by LEONARD BARDEN
Was
(5828) Here is a position from actua) (won by 8pielmann). play White to move and win.
Solution No. 5827: 1 QxBP threat 2 EtxB). BxQ ch; 2 BxKt; 2 KixB. or Q-05, or 1. B-Q6; 2 Q-B6. of 1... KI-K5; 2 R×Kt,
London Represa Kervice
AND NOBBY CLARKE'S ISLAND HAS VANISHED INTO A MUMBLING MUSHROOM OF MENACING SMOKE
OUR PICNIC TOMORROW
By Mik
By Ernie Bushmiller
YEAH--- PEOPLE
GET THERE
I'M SAVING THIS TABLE FOR
· AWFUL EARLY
-ERNIL- BUSHMILLERS
WE WERE. TOO CLOSE TO TITAN FOR HIM TO
60 INTO AN ORBIT
BOUND THE SNIPS....
THIS WAY THE GRAVITY OF TYTAN PULLINS
HIM TOWARD
By Paul Norris
BUT NÄYSE:ILL BE - ABLE TO REACH HIM BEFORE HE HAS!
SPORTING SAM
by Reg.
ootton
London Express Service.
Yorkshire should retain
County Championship
"
By ARCHIE QUICK
Yorkshire to retain the County Cricket Championship.
He would be a bold critic who would declare unequivocally that there is a side who will finish above the Tykes at the end of the summer's pro-
gramme.
{
They are enjoying-although the late Lord Hawke would not have used that word the benefit of sound professional captaincy for the first time in their long and honourable history, and if this team could win the coveted title last season under Ronnie Burnet I say they can keep it under Vic Wilson.
Burnet could neither bat nor Close, Ken Taylor, John Bolus la a young giant who should be bowl to county standard, but he and Peter Sharpe just itching a permanent Test all-rounder, did lay the foundation of a new to make the national grade, and yet he has never made an team spirit, and on the two in a bowling squad built round England position assuredly his Freddie occasions I have been among | bubbling
Trueman, own, the players this season, as well they have fast trundlers in
their celebration night Mike Cowan, Mike Ryan and his being taken on on Austra
Everyone puts it down to last August, it has been Reg Platt and a new left arman tour before he was ready. palpably evident that the once spinner in Don Wuson, whom Vic Wilsory has no doubts that
aa on
dour Yorkshiremeri are now Dhts well-knit eleven aricketers.
namesake skipper Vic-
of happy Wilson confidently predicts will he will captain the team to the follow in the classic Yorkshire title, and he sets them a fine
example by his mould or Wilfred Rhodes, Roy to the game and his impeccable gay approach
fielding in the leg trep; while Freddie Trueman - lets It be freely known that the Cham- plorship is already "in bag."
When the Yorkshire club Kilner, Hedley Verity sacked three or four of fls | Johnny Wardle. "capped" stars a season
of
two age many eyebrows were
und
raised, but the polley has Brian Close enigma
paid off a rich dividend, and
I can think of no county club
He tells me though that he is
a little worried about the index
The enigma of the team is finger of this bowling hand
of the moment poneming só many potentia) England men. Brian Close.
out
which he evidently broke at the tail end of last season. It
in is indicative of the spirit of 102 this ex-miner from Maltby that
Doug Padgett has already I saw him hlt 64. runs eased himself into a representa- boundaries
of his tive side and, of course, Ray against Hampshire #t Ports he told no one about it at the Illingworth is en established" | mouths, and included
them were four flawless Test player,
But there are batsmen like hit with a lazy swing Bryan Stott, a left hander, told of perfect timing.
Sheaffer's
Newest
SWILGAIRS
BALL POINT PEN
AVAILABLE AT
ALL GOOD STORES.
Ah! That Food! That Service! That Sarissair!
SWIEKAIR
THE OF SENTEN
among time, went on bowling and then sixes had it treated privately and let which it knit itself prior to setting Here out on the West Indian tour.
Although the work of the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association is planned to meet the needs of this particular · community, it is also part of the universal effort to eradicate tuberculosis. Scientists, doctors and others specialising in the treatment of tuberculosis throughout the world have made great discoveries during the last few years and the fruits of their labours are being made available to sufferers of this disease here in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association.
The future development and exten- sion of the work of the Association depends very largely upon the Annual Appeal for funds and it is good to remember that every donation represents an investment in health protection for our children and for ourselves.
ROWNTREE'S
DELICIOUS
Chiques should be crossed and addressed:
"The Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association” o/e Lowe, Bingham & Matthews, Alexandra Hause.
or sent
c/o this Newspaper.
SMARTIES
MILK
CHOCOLATE BEANS
As always-
ILFORD
Bere
LFORD
PHOTOGRAPHS
by our Staff Photographers
YW.C.A. Bazaar
Dragon Boat Races
Indian Women's Club Party
Tai Hang Kaifong. Annual Dinner Miss Hong Kong, Ritz Swimming Pool: Bazaar at Hong Kong True Light Middle School Technical College Student's Union | Night North Point Kaifong Charity Show All Local Sports
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