1938-02-11 — Page 18

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 11, 1938.

GOOD TALENT AMONG OLD PONIES

AUSTRALIAN PONIES FOR ROOTY HILL DERBY

LITTLE AUDREY AND CRIFFEL SHOULD CATCH THE EYE

TORNADO STAR MAY BE IN RUNNING

PROS-

(By "RAPIER") IN DISCUSSING PECTS AMONG THE NEW AUSTRALIAN PONIES, I FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT DIFFICULT FOR, APART FROM EIGHT WHICH I COULD NAME AS BEING MORE OR LESS OUTSTANDING, THE OTHERS, I AM AFRAID, HAVE NOT COME UP TO EXPECTA- TIONS. AT THE OUTSET, THEREFORE, IT MAY BE OF INTEREST IF I WERE TO NAME THE PONIES WHICH I REGARD AS BEING LIKELY WINNERS. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

LITTLE AUDREY, CRIFFEL,

BREDON,

CAPE YORK,

MACQUARIE RIVER,

TORNADO STAR,

KING'S PRIVILEGE,

ANNABELLA.

Although the Rooty-Hill Derby does not, on the surface, attract the same amount of attention as the Hong Kong Derby, it is, nevertheless, considered a great honour among owners to win this classic event.

Ever since Australian ponies were first introduced on the local

track, Mr. D. S. Li has had the most wins, on ponies which Kong Bros. have owned, in addition to which he won last year's race on Gypsy Love,

TORNADO STAR

After a year's absence from the local turf, Liberty Bay, seen above with Mr. L. G. Frost, has returned to the local turf in tip top condi- tion and should easily win the 1938 champions.

Mr.

LIBERTY BAY NOW FAVOURITE FOR 1938 CHAMPIONS BLANDFORD MAY PROVE

PUNTER'S CHOICE

ABLE AMAZON MUST BE WATCHED

(By “RAPIER”)

HAVING given my views on the new ponies in previous articles, I feel that it may be desirable if I were to say a few words regarding the old fav- ourites, whose form is pretty well known. In the Dunbar Stable we have Liberty Bay, Bear Claw, Wild Life, Red Feather, Boolat Bay, but I am afraid that I have no information on Diana Bay, and I have not yet spotted it in training.

THE PRESENCE OF LIBERTY BAY WILL AGAIN_ROB THE RACES IN WHICH IT WILL APPEAR OF MUCH INTER- EST, BUT APART FROM THIS I AM SURE THAT · RACING FANS GENERALLY WILL BE GLAD TO SEE THIS UNDEFEAT- ED CHAMPION MAKING AN APPEARANCE AFTER AN EN- FORCED ABSENCE OF FULLY A YEAR.

There is no doubt that it has fully recovered from, the injury which kept it away from racing last year. It is now in fine con- dition, and it should win the 1938 Champion Stakes without diff- culty.

"

Messra. Kong Bros, have Able

·Amazon, whose brilliant return to form last year was an outstanding event.

Bear Claw is also looking well, Cat, certainly a fine array of ponies but with Mr. Needa

Ito carry his colours. riding King's Warden, it will have to be on top form to win when these two meet again. Wild Life, Red Feather and Boolat Bay are also trained up to the mark.

The Sassoon Stable have Happy Eve, Havoc Eve; Honeymoon Eve (China ponies) and Courting Eve (Aus- tralian), and in the hands of Mr. Marshall they should do well. Happy Eve, in particular, and Havoc Eve also, is very fit.

DYNASTY STABLE

Eve, although it was beaten by both against either Bear Claw or Happy

these ponies on a previous occasion.

Mr. Eu Tong. Sen's old ponies Rose Queen (which came in second in the Derby to Herod in 1935), Potentate, Rob Roy, Dick Turpin, Blandford and Rose Evelyn, are all looking fit.

In the Dynasty. Stable, King's War- King's Privilege and Criffel. are den, King's Lead and King's Corona- both outstanding ponies. The form-tion will be under the control of Mr. Needa, and I expect to see the first and the latter by John Peel.. er is owned by the Dynasty Stable, named giving a good account of itself Needa has the choice of either of them, and the one he will take out At first glance, it would appear in the Derby will be the pony to that out of their four new Austra- to watch against Little Audrey.. lian ponies-Torpedo Star, Colorado

I cannot recall on any previous Star, The Typhoon and Tornado occasion when Mr. Tam Pearce had Star the last named is regarded any luck with a really good Aus- as the best, and it will probably be |tralian pony, but in King's Pri Mr. Li's mount for the coming Aus-vilege he has one in a hundred. tralian Derby.

By its looks, it may not appear that this pony has the requisite stamina to last out a long race, and it does not seem to be as strong as Little Audrey, but it certainly has the speed. It was taken out by Mr. Needa for trial opt last Friday morning, and it finished the mile in 2:00:2 minutes.

I am not expecting the others to cause any worry, but Tornado Star is certainly the best of the bunch, although I cannot see it winning the classic, even with the assis- tance of such a brilliant jockey as Mr. D. S. Li..

They also have Dawn Star and Tiny Star.

THE AUSTRALIANS: -Among the Australian ponies, it seems to me that Strathroy has re- covered somewhat from its lapse last year, and, if appearance is any cri- terion, I would say that it should win several races, even against Able Amazon or Blandford.

Mr. Needa had a gallop on Electron the other morning, and it would ap- pear, therefore, that will be taking it Watch out for Electron as the out. pony is fighting fit. picture

Lancashire Chips is also looking a of fitness, as is Double Finesse, and they "should both be pro- minent over short distance events.

„GORDITO FANCIED

The best subscription griffinis, China ponies, of past years are undoubtedly Rose Evelyn, Wild Cat, Bistre, Gordito, The long awaited clash between Rose Tiny Star, and possibly, Racing Boy, Evelyn and Gordito should prove most whose best days seem to be over. A interesting, and in the event of Bland-race including the sextette would be ford running against either Able grand entertainment, and I for one Amazon or Strathroy, just remember would not dare to name the ultimate that Blandford very nearly won the Queensland Champions, last December.

ANOTHER FANCY

fancy for the Rooty-Hill Derby

There is another pony which I

Cape York, which is owned by Mr. S. T. Chau.

winner, although my fancy is Gordito. There are two China ponies, old favourites, who will no doubt receive a warm welcome from the racing public. I refer to Trentbridge and Royal Sent Trentbridge won Derby (ridden by Mr. Needa) in 1933, but due to lameness its racing activity in subsequent years has been tailed.

cur-

is a tribute to the patience and per-

alike. severance of the owner and trainer

A FINË ARRAY Expansion Time and A Great Time,| belonging to Mr. Li Po Chun, are the best in this stable, and with Mr. Pote Hunt-on-top they ought to do well.

Mr. Li Lan Sang's old ponies, al- thongh not of superior quality, are LITTLE AUDREY

nearly always well trained and he has Readers will have observed that I

MR. NEEDA'S MOUNT?

Cossack's Beauty, Bright View, Night I was rather pleased to see have placed Little Audrey at the

Mr. Needa also galloped Criffel over View, Plain View, Wild Cat and Tabby getting into its stride again during the mile, and its time was better than

morning training, and It is certainly head of my list, and in my estima-that of King's Privilege by about two a good start, I think we can safely running well. How it will fare tion_it_will__probably have been seconds. As a result of this perform-leave it to Mr. Proulx to accomplish against Bear Claw and Happy Eve, I

cannot say, proved the best by the time the ance, I expect to see Criffel going out the necessary.

but its recovery in itself. Annual Meeting is over, It is joint to the post for the Rooty-Hill Derby ly owned by Messrs. Wolf and Harvilege for some of the other shorter under Mr. Needa, leaving King's 'Pri- rison, and as I have seen Mr. H. C. events, in which it will have to be ser Pih training it at the morning gal-iously reckoned with. lops, it is safe for me to say that but it is never safe to base an opin- Personally, I rather prefer, Criffel, he will have charge of Little Audrey ion on mere appearance.

This pony has been the cause of in its initial appearance, especially

many a headache to quite a number MR. TINSON'S CHANCES in the Rooty-Hill Derby.

Mr. G. G. N. Tinson, the owner of to control its nasty habit of throw- of riding boys, who found it difficult There is no doubt that Little Audrey Bag Tor and Vixen Tor, has again is a fine pony, and the one occasion been fortunate in securing another ing them. Even Mr. Proulx suffered that I saw it taken over the 14 miles fine animal in Bredon. This, pony is such an embarrassment when he distance, which it finished" with prac- sprinter, I shall not be far wrong in tically no effort, has stamped its name stating that it should carry off one of was unseated by Cape York not so on my mind as the potential winner of the Sydney Maidens, which will be very long ago, this great race.

contested on the first day of racing week. Bredon does not seem to like the starting barrier, however, and in spite of attempts having been made to break down its fear of the gate, it is still causing a little misgiving to its stable connections.

I must state, however, that in either King's Privilege or Criffel, Little Audrey will meet with stern opposition.

TWO OUTSTANDING MOUNTS

Training times have revealed that

i

It will be Mr. Benny Proulx's mount, 'and, knowing his ability to get off to

The pony is powerful looking, something of the same type as Elec- tron. I rather like its appearance, and it seems to have the requisite stamina for a long and gruelling

race.

(Continued on Page 19)

RETURNED SOUND Royal Scot was also lame last year, and it was sent up to Tientsin, from where it recently returned apparently fully recovered from its injury. This pony is now owned by Mr. B.-W. Brad- bury, now

After its defeat, in the Derby: în 1936, Royal Scot was relegated to the "C" Class, but it was not long before the Jockey Club officials found that they had made a mistake, and, with- out running a race în “B”. Clasa com- pany, Royal Scot went straight up to "A" Class.

—- FURTHER RACING NOTES

·BY "RAPIER” WILL BE FOUND ON PAGES 19 AND 21.