1957-01-22 — Page 7

THE CHINA "MAIL, 7 TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1957.

A NAME LINKED WITH CRICKET

WORLD'S GREATEST RIDING MACHINE REFUSED TO BREAK HIS HORSE'S Courage TO PLEASE EACH-WAY BACKERS

FANTASTIC SIR GORDON SIMPLY HATED TO LOSE

There have been some great jockeys riding on the international turf this past. generation or two. In the eight countries that I have visited to watch. racing I have seen many brilliant riders-but only one Gordon Richards.

Let's be fair to Gordon now that he has retired; he was not merely great, he was fantastic-the nearest thing to a winner-riding machine we are ever likely. to see in the saddle.

During the

last two scarons hand- there have been only ful of stances where a jockey bas matched a verdics when he should by all the tenets of the Lame have finished secondl

So far as Gordon wan con- comed, this trick of stealing races amounted to genius. What arth It must have been for any owner to employ him as a jockey!

to

One always felt melined double one's bes, just on sight of him walking into the parade ring confident, powerful, alert, with n friendly smile wrinkling the creases around those

big brown eyes. Always the same, ile some clockwork toy.

And

GAMESMANSIHP

behind this

Intade a

By

Clive Graham

(The Scout)

general way, but, despite his

of calm com- outward display posure, he had a natural pro- pensity to worry.

He worked to such an extent over his Derby defeats on Big Game and Nasrullah What ሕሮ developed, a duodenal ulcer and took to a milk and steamed fish diet.

MORE WORRY

Then came the day when the

Jersey cow supplying him with

milk

discovered WAT

Lo be

mind actuated by only one ob- suffering from tuberculosis, jeeb, that of winning. 110 sethe worried even more! about this with all the games- manship at his command,

What appealed to

much (and

The factor undoubtedly underlay his phenomenal sur- ceas) was that Gordon ry how he could to disguise the fre never took kindly ta defeal. Iul simple words, he was n bad joser.

He

hated 10

be

beaton at whatever he set out to do. 1 re-

member mony

ago following

Years

him

around a golf course-- 10 was then a mere rabbit

at the gene

and I'll wear that he souched the ball with

his

foot nearly

often as he did with

his club.

this

In the Interests of fair play spectator suggested that he was overdoing the fooly-footy birsiness.

"Do you mind getting out of my way?" said Gordon, brand ishing a niblick. "Go the other aide of the fairway and watch my opponent. I know him, and I'm sure he's chealing than I am!"

worse

Ho pushed her from a posi- 14th or 15{}}, tion away back, went round the outside of five, checked her from running over to the stand sido rails. straightened her out to taked the lead rounding Tattenham Corner, and was then overhauled by Ambiguity,

NERVEST

"If Pinza gots a ride liko that, hand," I he'll need 21lb. in

gured, and promptly changed my Derby selection In quence from Sir Victor Sassoon's winner to Premonition.

COT130-

I was not alone in thinking that Gordon, on the ove of an- other Derby, had fallen a prey to nerves.

On Pinza, however, he found a wonderfully clear run on the inside and the big colt took the round Tattenham Corner bond XO

with as if he had been fitted

T-skates roller

He stil carried o but inlter- ly he reservod the terrier-like,

terrifie

1-

Two cracks with the whip- and the greatest rider of our isme, at his twenty-sixth templ, had at last won his first Epsom Derby.

The Richards success story, culminating in Pinza's Derby, has coloured the history of rac- ing since the mid-twenties.

No one since C. B. Fry has given more and done more for the wide field of sport than Sir Gordon. His knighthood was not gained merely by reason of his exceptional prowess and his un- questioned reputation for Inte- grity na Jockey.

TWO FAULTS

If he had any weaknesses, one of a horse lay in his handling

in a long-distance

race

Aned to a few runners. He hated

to make his own running in on event of this description.

Charles Fry (17), son of Stephen Fry, former captain of Hampshire CCC, and a grandson of C. B. Fry, the England cricketer, scholar and athlete, at the nets with former Surrey and England cricketer, Alf Gover, at the Indoor Cricket School, -

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Wandsworth. ----

Three Years Out

Sir, I was interested in your statement in yesterday's China Mall that if the Novy win the Annani Rugby Tournament this year, it will be the first season they have done so since 1937- 38. I shall be grateful if you would let me know where you got this information for it would appear that the records need correction.

The last time the Navy won this Tournament. (in that year

son.

Central Press Photo.

These Three Head Entries For National

By RICHARD BAERLEIN

Medals

SGT (M) ROY OBEYS ORDERS and it's crazysa CARPENTER

It strikes me as,weird, to say. the least, that a man who play ed a vital part in giving British. sport its biggest boost in years. should suddenly be eut off from It and sent away for the next

years,

2

That has happened to Flight- Sergeant Jack Roy,

blunt- spoken, beely trainer of Bri- tain's victorious Olymple boxing team, who brought home Ave, *medale, including two golds.

from Australia:

Regular RAF Sergeant Roy will soon be on his way by air to Cyprus, drafled, he tells me, to help organise PT for troops.

the

Essential as this job is what n waste of Roy's unique talents.

OUR BEST

Amateur boxing's debt to him is incalculable. He is the most successful trainer the RAF-or Britainhas ever had.

Xays HARRY

HE SHOULD STAY HERE

JACK ROY,

It was Sergeant Roy who per- suaded Dick McTaggart, IAF boys who neo risking their lives corporal who won a gold medal, for Britain in the Middle East. AND the Vat Barker Trophy for

But how many can do. what the best boxing stylist

turn out the most at Mel Roy did bourne, not to quit

tearí the game successful Olympic more than two years ago, British sporting history against

what oven The

selectons imagined were impossible odds?,

Sorely pressed to make featherweight, McTaggart wea thrashed to one-round defeat by Dave Charnley in the 1954 ABA Anals.

The despondent Dundee boy wanted to get out of boxing for good. Trainer Roy talked him out of it and advised him to dry

Three horses stand out, in my opinion, in this year's | again 09 a lightweight. Now Grand National entry, and when the time comes for a McTaggart reigns supreme over final selection 1 shall be surprised if It does not come from the rest of the world's amateur

boxers. one of the three. They are the two 11-year-olds, Quare Times and Devon Loch, and the nine-year-old Key Royal.

!

box

.

in

Despite, the Cyprus, emergency I maintain that boxing trainer Roy would today be serving his force and his country boller It

been he'd

told Carry.. on Bergeant!"

Unluckiest Footballer?

against

It was Roy "Chiefy" to a Quadrangular one, with the

countless, RAF” boxers who Army, Navy, Club and Police

pulled young dyweight Bernard

Is there an unluckier League competing) was in 1049-41,

All three are truc Aintree

Koy

Royal Is 'p vastly Lloyd out of a bout, after one footballer than Frank Houghton, winning games and drawing

what he round against Hell Shimabukura, the player whose two goala 1. I know,

Vlee types and have confirmed this different horse from because as

was last year and then he

in the ABA v. USA match in

Sheffield

Wednesday Captain, I was presented with over the course.

Whereas Devon Loch and managed to finish frih.

October 1955.

enabled Newcastle United to the cup con-

at the Football Club

out-and-out Quare Times are

Ho has twice proved his dinner at the end of that sea-stayers Key Royal is probably ability

ain promotion in 1948, Frank to Jump tho Aintree Lloyd inter collapsed and វីដ

was only 21 then, newly arrived best at three nites. This may fences and the thire time he hospital was told: "You must

from Ballymena for £3,000 bod being never

again." Sergeant full of ambition.

When ho The Navy were also leading be the case on a park course will attempt them, all

will be in this year's Roy's prompt action may have scored his second goal that day In the 1941-43 season when the but Key Royal takes so litle well,

saved Lloyd's life.

he fell and broke his arm. When Colony was attacked in Decem-out of himself in jumping his National,

fences that he will be able to ber 1941.,

he recovered he went down dis- stay the Grand National

with o chest complaint and spent three years in a Swiga sanatorium. He went to Exoter City; and at the beginning of last season he broke a leg. In a practice match. He came, back an assistant trainer, but insisteck

Won I say: There must be scores upon playing agrin. of RAF sergeants capable ofist team place, and now be organising physical jerks for the has fractured a log again-

heel-

fur

Another concerned his riding

he

that

of two-year-olds. In my view. that's where he lost many his Derbys by teaching those Bockhampton babies

of

o come

10

whip-slinging, punching, louse-rein nisa the special occasion.

** m noticeable that

hands and eased dropped his his touch when the saw he would be surely beaten by a neck, say, or half ́n length,

In

swinging out of the gate, sprint but not to stay.

These minor

and unproven These tactics, which often re-faults apart, his genius for

enforced dropping achieving sulled

the impossible has back out of a place, caused him placed him among the

Im- The subject of this slander to lose somo of this popularity was Donald Snow, who was with the betting, talk-through- -(London Express Service), then traming horses at Ogbourne | the-pocket public. In the silver

(COPYRIGHT) "Gordon's score?" he asked. ring a section started to "Omcially-four," said 1.

to him as "Big Head."

Donald ground bis leeth, whammed with the brassie, and sent his ball sulting over the greens into a faraway spinney

Gordon's hole!

refer

to

Gorton defended himself solutely. "Why should I break; #horse'?

courage merely benefit those who have bet on [him for a place?” he asked

vehemently,

TA

frel

mortals.

K. A. WATSON,

tance.

I appreciate that there are three other National winners among the entries ESB,

the

I have pointed out before Royal Tan and Early Mist, but that at least 1wo previous I vastly prefer my three as WORLD ROWING winners of the Grand National, Aintree propositions to

Royal Mail and⚫ Kellsboro' others, in spite of their winning Jack, were Daly throe milers performances, on park courses, yet they were

-(London Express Service). ablo to win the Grand

(COPYRIGHT) National.

CHAMPIONSHIP

IN SEPTEMBER

Devon

Now York, Jan. 21.

NO WORSE ' virtual "World Rowing

Was Lech

thee un- HE BEAT GRANDPA Championship" will be held in

in last year's Philadelphia in September, 1958 luckiest loser

National ant for this reason between 10p rowers from Europe, North America, South alone everyone would like to America, Japan and Australia, see him

triumph this year. seldom

"Chick" Stenton is one of the

champion anglers of Lincoin

shire. When he went along to # competition in the River "it any of them could The "champ," with a display

Withan the other day he took of bali control which showed what feel, well, their hearts W his seven-year-old grantison more of Stanley Matthews than ust be made of steci."

with him. Aine along

Little Hairy Calton, became two up, And he maintained bla right Alfie was given a line and to and declared himself the win- lo casc his mount when he everyone's astonishment he was ner, but not without winks and sensed

of the rat to land a catch-a nine grins, shared with the bystand-winning had dwindled to zero.

pike, Was grandpa's pounds face red!

crs.

Happy as the proverblak kind,

that

chance

WILL TO WIN

Gordon refused to accept any

Even so, I will always res side-bets, double-tipped the member

Gordon

that!

for

the International Rowing Feder- Unfortunately fortune ation armounced today.

favours such a happening.

Devon Loch has proved him- Jeon Carlin, the Federation's Vice-President

North self to be no worse for last America, said that giant three year's experience and, although day regatta would be held on a he has been narrowly besten on 2,000-metre Course on the several occasions recently, this Schuylkill River and include was only because the distance Set Ovents, skift

coxswained end favoured his opponents rather coxowomiers pairs and

fours, than him. double skulls and eights.

The regatta to be sponsored

won two He has, however, races and is never for away by and by a time they reach the last

cuddies, paid for drinks all enthusiasm, that unconquerable Strapping Youngster delphis businessmen, would

round. Yes, he certainly hated

10 be on the wrong end,

few

I recalt also that start-of-the- season Lincoks meeting a years ago when he failed ride a winner.

I saw him at Aintree on the Thursday and put the leg-pull-

ing question: "What has hap Derby

known

be held under Olympic rowing rules, Mr Carlin added.--Françe Presse.

the t

was Devon Loch's performance at Cheltenham last Seer which convinced so many that he was a National type.

Quare Times, before he won the National, also convinced

NO GROUSE

Soon the burly sergeant is of to Nicosia. He has no grouse: "What of 7 It's Just part of my duty," he says.

DODWELL & CO., LTD. Wine & Spirit Department

AGENCIES'

BY RAPORTWENTY

pl

drive and that will to win which no other jockey could equal tet

Roy Kenning is the centre- alone

surpass.

forward of Wybourn ncd Park When he was really it and, Youth Club In the Sheffield lo in form, every race seemed to Friendly League. He has played contain for him the urge and In only 13 of their matches so exultation

of an old-fashioned far this season, but has scored One That Got Away large number of his followers cavalry charge.

56 goals, Both Shefeld pro- before the Epsom ferslonal clubs are interested in meeting of 1953, it be this strapping youngster. pened to you?" adding that my came

that he was

be to editor wanted me to ascertain knighted. The Oaks preceded whether his riding ability, was the Derby that year and Gordon on the decline.

When was booked for Kerkch in the THEY WALKED OFF to Bourneville Athletic. Oaks

and for Pinza in the colls' Gordon went off like

Kendal United walked off in classic. When the meeting start- rocke!! "You can tell

Youred he seemed nervous and out a rainstorm during their match editor

he half-shouted, of sorts.

with Keswick in the Westmer- and that seeing my smile, Join-

Never, never, never have Iland County, Cup competition. ed in the joke at his own ex-seen a leading jockey, ride a They did not return despite the worse-judgedt rácó van Gondon order of the referee, Jo- one did on Kerkeb in the Oaks that } elɖentally, Kendal were losing could cause him to rise in this afternoon bt June 4, 1053.|.

pense.

It was only rarely that

Fil

5-1,

BE SPECIFIC

LWDN

NAMESAKES

INSTRUCTIONS:

in the spaces againsy' each of the clue, below with a word related to my life. The letters in circles spell out ทะ name. Who am I?

Manila in only 2 hours

& 40 minutes!

1 Tend the sick

A

2 Verandah·

3 Medieval tale

4 Sweethearts

Solution on Paro

3: Subterranean vault

CATHAY PACIFIC

... AT HIS BEST?

that he would win at Aintree, though he was beaten in the Stirchley United, the Kings National Hunt Steeplechase at Norton (Birminghain) League Cheltenham. club, had five centre-forwards, so they let Jack Waterfield gó

the two (cams met

Jucic's successor Fred Dando, got two goals, but Jack got five, and Bourneville won 5-2.

GOALS GALORE

Most Athletle play In the Jublice (Birmingham) League, and they have seared 40 goals in their last three 10-0, 0-0 and 12-0.

matches-

SPORTRAIT.

"I'm "zórry, Fanshaw, but I didn't realise you were. blekich'a bad loser.") 20

London" Keprost, derrim:

This race, by the way, is by far the best guide during the National winner. year to the Quars Times was unlucky to

be taken have to

out of the raco last year at a late stage, but there is every prospect of his coming back with renewed vigour.

He is certainly not too old to be past his best, because he was very late to mature and

#

even

seven-year-old he knew very little about the business. Probably he is at his best.

Kes

Royal Impressed me nore than almost any Grand Sefton winner I have ever seen when he won at Liverpool Inst November. IL was the im provement in his method of racing which was so Impressive, ind since then he has gained a further victory at Kempton, where he finished half- a langth, in front of Devon Loth

TOS PROVED ABILITY

Key Roybl will never ba asked to race "beyond ques miles in his preparation, but he has alreally done enough to prove himself a worthy National candidate, and ho... is haying an old-time preparation..

Invitation Accepted

Helkinki, Jan. 21. #Finnish Esports" officials fác copted today, a Sdvist fiviistian to compete, in aporta, events(10) bolhold in Moscow ndxt"July,

„The Finnish, squad will fituni- ber” about - 200,-France-PremOJ-

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