Newspaper strike: To tell the story of this edition of The Irish Field, we must first go back a week to the issue of Saturday June 26th 1965, Irish Sweeps Derby Day. The front page carries a box titled Notice To Our Readers. It states that: “The Irish Graphical Society has given notice of withdrawal of labour to commercial printing-houses and newspapers”, and that the strike is to begin on Friday July 2nd.
So instead of producing a paper on a Friday night, this week’s edition is printed on the Thursday, dated Friday, July 2nd 1965, and is on sale Friday morning.
While last Saturday’s edition had been 16 pages, today’s paper has 12 pages. The front page has a box titled Notice To Our Readers which says: “We much regret that we have to advise our readers and advertisers that this will be the last issue of The Irish Field pending a settlement of the dispute in the printing trade.
“We also regret that, due to a ban on overtime by members of the Irish Graphical Society, this issue has had to be reduced in size, entailing the omission of many of our regular features.”
Today’s paper prints the runners for Friday evening’s fixture at Navan, and the entries for Navan for tomorrow, Saturday. But there is no form. The regular weekly articles by some columnists are omitted: including Michael Dillon on agriculture, P.D. McWeeney on sport, and Stanislaus Lynch on show jumping.
The Irish Field will not appear again until Saturday, September 18th, Irish St Leger day.
Bing Crosby: Today’s front page has two photographs, and Bing Crosby is in both of them. At the top of the page is a photo of the presentation of the trophy following last Saturday’s Irish Sweeps Derby. Mr Joseph McGrath presents the Gold Cup to Mr and Mrs Max Bell, part-owner of Meadow Court, with Bing Crosby (also part-owner) on the left, with a pipe in his mouth.
The legendary crooner appears again in a solo photo at the bottom left corner: “Bing Crosby bursts into song after Meadow Court, in whom he holds a share, has landed the Irish Sweeps Derby.”
Longchamp: At Longchamp last Sunday, Reliance beats Diatome by a length. Last month at Chantilly, in the French Derby, Reliance had been three-quarters of a length ahead of Diatome. Earlier this season in the Prix Lupin, Diatome finished six lengths behind Sea Bird.
The writer believes that there is not much between Reliance and Meadow Court, runner-up to Sea Bird in the Epsom Derby.
“Formor’s” analysis piece is headlined “3-Year-Old Form Proving Consistent”. This is good news for “Formor”, who writes that: “Consistency is usually an indication of excellence and collectively the 1965 classic generation far outshines the class of 1964 which included such major disappointments as Dillettante II and Crete.”
For example, three colts who had been in the first seven at Epsom, Meadow Court, Convamore and Ballymarais, occupy three of the first four places at the Curragh.
“Formor” adds that Sea Bird has been leased to go to stud in America at the end of this year. He runs in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud tomorrow, while Meadow Court goes to Ascot later this month for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Irish Sweeps Derby: Saturday’s meeting at the Curragh takes place on yielding ground, and the report from “Burnaby” is on page two. “Burnaby” describes the meeting as “an outstanding success”, adding “everything went smoothly” and has words of praise for the Turf Club, Hospitals Trust, with a special word of praise (printed in italics) to Captain Spencer Freeman.
The Irish Sweeps Derby is the second race on the card, timed for 3.00. The big race has 21 runners, headed by Meadow Court at 11/10 favourite, chasing a first prize of £55,900. “Burnaby” writes: “Lester Piggott was adamant after Epsom that Meadow Court would win at the Curragh.”
The result is never in doubt. “Burnaby” writes that Meadow Court is cantering when turning into the straight. Piggott makes his move with just over a furlong to go: “Piggott roused Meadow Court in a manner which suggested that he was merely doing so to remind that horse that there was a race on.”
Meadow Court wins by two lengths from Convamore, with Wedding Present three-parts of a length back in third, and Ballymarais fourth. Both first and second are sons of Court Harwell.
Meadow Court carries the colours of Max Bell, and he is owned in partnership by Bell, Crosby and Frank McMahon. It’s a second Irish Sweeps Derby win for trainer Paddy Prendergast (Ragusa in 1963); but the master trainer has also won two Irish Derbies, before the beginning of the Hospitals Trust sponsorship, with Dark Warrior and Thirteen Of Diamonds.
A good day for Prendergast and Piggott gets better as they team up with another two winners. Celtic Song wins the Tyros Stakes at 4/7 favourite; and the day concludes with Dandini, one-time ante-post favourite for the 2000 Guineas, winning the French Furze Stakes.
The McGrath colours are carried to victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes, for three-year-old fillies, over a mile and a quarter. Messene, a filly by Ballyogan, wins by a length and a half. Owned by Paddy McGrath, trained by Seamus McGrath, and ridden by George McGrath, Messene thus books her place in the Irish Oaks later this month.
The Tote aggregate for the six-race card is £100,745, seven shillings and sixpence. This is nearly £6,000 lower than last year’s Derby Day.
Also present at the Curragh is regular columnist “Pandora”. Although Meadow Court is the big winner, Pandora writes: “I think Bing Crosby stole the show – judging by the number of people who jabbed me in the ribs and knocked my hat over my eyes trying to see him as he jubilantly sang a few bars of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling when the colt in which he owns a third share was led in.”
“Pandora” reports on the fashion stakes. “Fashionwise it was the most original Derby meeting I have ever attended.” These include: “At least four golden lurex suits.” She singles out for praise the Countess de la Valdene: “A superbly-cut suit of beige silk” and also Mrs Jacqueline O’Brien: “A cool lettuce green coat over a pink and green silk dress and a pretty helmet of lily-of-the-valley.”
“Pandora” also credits the practicality of Mrs Anne Biddle: “A white corded silk coat over a black linen dress and a black and white headscarf tied at the back of her neck.”
After the races, about 400 guests attend a party at Rangers Lodge, the Curragh home of Captain and Mrs Patrick Harbord.
Phoenix Park: Wednesday evening racing is at the Phoenix Park, and the going is good.
Vincent O’Brien scores a treble. It starts with Mlle Barker winning the apprentices’ race in the hands of John Bourke. The other two are both ridden by Jack Purtell. Valentines Day wins the Rathangan Handicap by a short-head; and later, Belgrave wins the Fingall Stakes.
Feature race of the evening is the Currage Cup, a handicap with £1,000 added, over a mile and a quarter. This is won by 2/1 favourite Impunity, who wins by a length and a half. Phil Canty is on board the winner, trained by Kevin Prendergast.
Owners, trainers, riders: Page three has an article about the consequences of the Irish Sweeps Derby for the lists of this year’s leading owners, trainers and sires.
The article does not name its writer. It starts with news that Mr G.M. Bell is “assured” of being leading owner in Ireland this season after Meadow Court’s win of £55,900 in stake money. Paddy Prendergast “will be” the leading trainer, and Court Harwell will be the leading sire. There’s still at least four months of the flat season remaining!
In the owners’ list, second place is Mr Bert Kerr, on a total of £11,087 from nine races, including Green Banner winning the Irish 2000 Guineas.
Paddy Prendergast heads the list of winning trainers, with 11 races, total prize money £66,726. In second is Vincent O’Brien, who has won 14 races, worth £12,577. The trainer with the most race wins so far this season is Clem Magnier, who has 17 race wins, and prize money of £5,779.
Leading jockey is currently Jack Purtell, with 19 winners. George McGrath is close behind on 17, followed by Mick Kennedy with 15, and Liam Ward on 13.
Joe Mercer: Ladbrokes announce that on Tuesday, they take a bet of £4,000 to £400 for Joe Mercer to be champion jockey in Britain this year, and his odds are cut to 8/1. Lester Piggott is still favourite at 1/5; followed by Mercer, then Ron Hutchinson 10/1, Scobie Breasley 20/1, and Edward Hide 25/1.
INS: The Irish National Stud buys a quarter page ad to announce details of ballots for stallions for 1966. Whistling Wind has a fee of £250, and services of Miralgo will cost 400 guineas, both with live foal offers. “Breeders wishing to use these horses for season 1966 should make application before 14th July giving particulars of mares for inclusion in the ballots. Application forms available on request.” Apply to the Manager, National Stud, Tully, Co Kildare. Telephone Kildare 21251.