Evening star., 1934-11-22
BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, .JR.

DI hODEn1 d. IhALAAH % JESs
Amateur racing historians with a
Spenglerian turn of pessimism might
have begun yesterday afternoon to
write the first chapter of 'The Decline
of Timber Racing" had they looked
over the meager fields on hand as
the Middleburg Hunt wound up its
annual Fall steeplechase meeting on
Daniel c. Sands estate.
A total Of five went postward in
the r. Penn Smith, jr., Challenge
Plate and the Chiffon, both post and
rail races. OF these, one was Paul
Melons Drinmore Lad, which won a
timber test here at the opening day
last Saturday and had no difficulty
in repeating yesterday. William EW-
ing's Kilmalogue was about 40
lengths back at the finish, after Noel
Laing had kept him head and head
with Jim Ryan on Drinmore Lad
during the first 2 miles of the gallop.
Then Ryan let out notch and drew
into his long lead. Dickie Wallach
managed to get John S. Ames, jr's,
Grown Up home standing up to take
third money.
The Chiffon produced one of the
oldest rides ever seen on any track.
Burling Cocks was up on John Schiff's
Indigo, former brush runner which
won over timber at Hartford last week
Sid Hirst had the mount on Mrs. Va
dim Marakoffs Diana, the only other
starter. The two went along at close
quarters for about miles, when Hirst
suddenly stood up in his irons and
seemed to pull Diana up sharply. Ev-
cry one supposed she had broken down
or begun to go slightly lame. Indigo
slipped far ahead, fenced nicely, was
tagging Diana jumped the last fence,
another 300 yards back. Suddenly
Hirst began driving for home as if
riding a 5-furlong sprint He came
steaming down and passed the judges
only a short distance behind Indigo,
which was pulled to walk. Just what
on earth was the original idea OF
pulling up a horse that was at the
end as full of run as Diana, none ever
will know, unless Mr.. Hirst cares to
explain.
yHILE the timber events yester-
" day were a sad disappoint-
ment to the gathering Of
1900 spectators, most Of them native
hunting people who prefer this type
of racing because it more nearly ap-
proaches the conditions of the chase,
there was an ample supply of excite
ment in the brush races. Frank M.
Goulds What Have You was given
cagey ride by Bill STREET. to win the
Dresden, of 212 miles over the sticks,
and Randy Duffey brought Alvin IN
termeyer's Drapeau in a driving sec
ond. Charlie White had the mount
on Mrs. John Hay Whitney's Cold
Punch, an imported Irish steeple-
chaser that fell in his Saturday start,
and for a minute it looked as If the
White perseverance would pay of at
the betting booths. Pistol" had
steadied Cold Punch over the whole
route, gradually working his way
forward until at the last turn he came
on with a rush on the inside, caught
the leaders and-saw his horse go
deadly tired in the stretch run.
Noel Laing popped a surprise down
on the boys in the Wolver Hill when
he put over in stirring fashion r. v.
N. Gambrill's Well Played. son of
Fair Play. This one tumbled over
the first fence with Noel last week
at Hartford and William Laing's
prediction, THAT will teach that
young horse a lesson" was certainly
borne out. Well Played was rated off
the pace until they came to the last
few fences, when Noel moved into
command as he pleased and STAYED off
determined effort from Mrs. T. w.
Burling Cocks finished second. S. A.
Warner Baltazzi's White Lightning
was third, with Sid Hirst up.
Jim Ryan added one more to his
mile-long string of winners in taking
the days opener with Royal Thomas,
from the stable of Mrs. Lewis A. Park
Mrs. Durant had another second best
in Little Woman, which was ridden
over the fiat mile by Charlie White.
IND you notice that six horses fell
or lost riders on top of the hill
opposite the grand stands Satur-
day? The boys say it was all due to
the extraordinarily strong play Of sun
light on the fences, which are ap-
preached on an uphill slant 8.
Henry Frost. jr.. broke his hand when
Hopeful Jim fell with him Saturday,
and rode the next race on Laguna
Secca nevertheleSs-until she fell :.
that was about enough :. Henry was
at the races yesterday, dressed in
civvies did not ride . Burling
Cocks continued the streak of winners
and seconds which have marked him
as the most promising of the younger
all-around riders, timber, brush and
fiat Louis Stoddard was severely
criticised in the stands for his handling
of F. Ambrose Clark's The Chiseller
in the Dresden the boy seemed
IL