ENGLISH RACING

THE GRAND NATIONAL

(iTBOiI OtTB CWK COBBESPOOTENT.) LONDON, January 23. The presence of the King and Queen and the entry of horses owned by Americans, Frenchmen, and a'Brazilian will largely increase the interest and importance of this year's Grand National, to be run on March 19 at Liverpool.

There are 60 entrants, the list having closed on January 5, but the. weights are not yet known, and the two acceptance dates are February 2 and March 9. America has entered seven horses, one being the nine-year-old Battleship, who has won the American Grand National. Battleship (Man-o'-War—Quarantine) has • won several races in England during' the current jumping season, but at present there is no definite knowledge that he will be able to stay the Grand National distance. He is at Lambourn, in R. Fobbs's stable, and he has gamed his successes with B. Hobbs—a boy of 16— on his back. Young Hobbs rode 10 winners under National Hunt rules before the age of 16—probably a record achievement. Another Grand National entry from America is a horse called What Have You. American visitors will arrive in large numbers, and they have hopes, of securing the prize. _ Foreign sportsmen are all intensely keen on winning the National, which is the oldest and now the most valuable event of its kind in the world. An Ameriaan owner, Mrs Charles S. Bird, was very hopeful of victory in 1932, when her Irish-bred mare, Heartbreak Hill, winner of the Grand Sefton at Liverpool, ran well for a long way. Mrs Bird's home is at Ipswich, Massachusetts, and the mare was named after a steep hill near the town. Heartbreak Hill was interfered with by a riderless horse at the second fence after Valentine's Brook. As it was, the mare did well to finish sixth to Forbra. At Gatwick Six of the 10 runners for the fourmile Stayers' Handicap at Gatwick on January 8 hold the Grand National engagement. The winner was Dryburgh, I lon of Buchan and Mother Superior, owned by Mr R. B. Vick. The horse registered his first success since the autumn of 1935. The other Grand National runners were Lord Rosebery s Keen Blade, who started favourite, Lazy Boots, True Blue, Uncle Batt, and Passing Fancy. None was placed. Keen Blade started favourite and finished fourth. t Sugar Loaf, a Grand National; entrant, won the three-mile handicap steeplechase at Manchester on January 3 for Mrs H. H. Stubbs. This is a 10-year-old gelding by Sir Berkeley— Salynoggin. trained by R. Lyall at Alford. Lincolnshire. Belhector, Lady Rowley, and Sugar Loaf made the early running, but at the water Lady Rowley was slightly in front of Belhector and Sugar Loaf. At this point Erinor fell and brought down Emancipator. Going into the mist on the far side, Belhector was clear of Sugar Loaf and Lady Rowley, with Inversible now last, but two fences from home Belhector was leading from Sugar Loaf and Ballyhoulihan. Sugar Loaf challenged strongly from the final fence to win easily by six lengths; 10 lengths divided second and third. From Wroughton Ivor Anthony has entered threeRoyal Mail, Drinmore Lad, and Free Wheeler. It was anticipated that Castle Irwell and Morse Code would be among the nominations. Castle Irwell's owner, Mr Peter Bostwick. does' not intend to ride over here this winter. Royal Mail won the Becher Steeplechase and Drinmore Lad the Valentine Steeplechase in November. Free Wheeler belongs to Mr Louis Stoddart, and will be ridden by his owner. * O. Anthony's entrant is Miss D. Paget's Golden Miller, but it is not definite that he will be again asked to tackle Aintree. It is possible that Miss Paget will concentrate on another Cheltenham Gold Cup for Golden Miller and give the Grand National a miss. Not to Run Major Noel Furlong made it knOwn in good time that Reynoldstown, winner in 1935 and 1936, would not be entered. It was a foregone conclusion I that Reynoldstown would have top weight, and with the minimum weight reduced 71b it virtually meant a 121b penalty for the gelding. Major Furlong believed it would be asking too much of a gallant horse to tackle a more formidable task than he has twice j accomplished. Reynoldstown will be permitted to rest on his laurels, so far as the Grand National is concerned, and the connexions can concentrate on other important races, namely, the Gold Cup and the Champion Steeplechase. The decision was made before Reynoldstown won the Mapperley Steeplechase this month, Major Furlong remarking: "It was after very careful consideration that I decided not te> enter Reynoldstown at Aintree. There is such a thing as taking the pitcher to the well once too often. As Reynoldstown has won the Grand National in successive years, I think he has done enough. "Apart from that—and it is a fact that has influenced me very considerably—it is my opinion that the alteration in the conditions of the race is not fair to the best horses. One does not want to see high-class horses beaten in the Grand National by selling platers receiving a lot of weight. I "I shall run Reynoldstown in those races which appeal to me instead of those I had in mind when I had the Grand National in view." No horse has won the Grand National three times. In addition to Reynoldstown, Abd-el-Kader, The Colonel, The Lamb, and Manifesto have won it twice.

LYNCH LAW

TO BE SPELLED (Received February 14, 6.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, February 13. The unbeaten two-year-old, Lynch Law, may have to be thrown out of work owing to a severe jar to one of his forejoints, where there is considerable swelling for which a rest will be essential. His trainer, J. T. Jamieson, is much perturbed, and is taking no risks with the champion.