GRAND NATIONAL

HIGHLIGHTS OF RACE WORKMAN'S VICTORY FIRST SOLD FOR 40GNS. SPRING DOUBLE DIVIDEND [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March 27 Although the favourite did not win the Grand National, the result was a very popular one. Sir Alexander Maguire, a business man in Ireland, led in the winner, his nine-year-old gelding, Workman, who ran third at Aintree in 1938. Workman won by three lengths from Captain L. Scott Briggs' MacMoffat, with Miss Paget's Kilstar 15 lengths away, third. Cooleen was fourth, as slie was a year ago. Of the 37 starters, 11 completed the course of more than four miles. The others were: Symaethis, fifth, Dominick's Cross, West Point, Pencraik, Royal Mail, Bachelor Prince, and Under Bid, who came in as named.

The favourite, Kilstar, had never previously seen the 30 National jumps, but he was believed to be favourably handicapped, and much reliance was placed upon him, for his winter jumping record had been good. Next in order of favouritism came Mr. A. Sainsbury's Blue Sliirt, then Sir E. Hanmer's Teine Willow; then the topweight, Mrs. Camille Evans' Royal Mail, who had had an idea! preparation. Of tho Irish horses, ({oval Danieli, who was second last year, and Workman started at equal odds in the betting. Perfect Conditions at Aintree This is tho second time in many years that an Irish-owned and trained horse has won the National. The last Irish winner was Troytown, who was ridden in 1920 by a Welshman, Jack Anthony. The afternoon was fine, the going perfect for racing over fences and visibility was excellent. One of the handsomest horses in the parade was Royal Danieli. Workman is- a very big horse with tremendous power behind the saddle. He looked, should he meet a fence wrongly, as if he would not fall, but go right through it. Kilstar could not have looked better, but in tho opinion of one observer, he is too much of a racehorse to be a real Grand National horse. Cooleen looked fit to run the race of her life, and she has never looked better. Rockquilla and Brendan's Cottage also looked well, a3 did the American-bred War Vessel. At the first fence, Drim, War Vessel, Brendan's Cottage, and Mesmerist fell, Royal Mail having dropped back last. Dunhill Castle fell at the third. As they approached Becher's Brook, Birthgift, making the running, the field was well strung out. At the jump Royal Danieli came to grief, bringing down Epiphanes.

Red Freeman fell at the first fence on the racecourse and. Sporting Piper jumped in front, closley followed by Under Bid, Kilstar, Dominick's Cross, Birthgift and Workman. Into the country the second time, Kilstar joined Under Bid and Red Freeman, these being followed by Workman, West Point and Dominick's Cross. Profitable Purchase at 1500 Guineas Workman suddenly shot to the front at tho fence after crossing Valentine's Brook, and three fences from home he was just in front, coming on to the racecourse, closely followed by MacMoffat, these being clear of Dominick's Cross. Workman and MacMoffat jumped the rest together, followed by Kilstar and Dominick's Cross, and at the last. Workman and MacMoffat again jumped together, followed by Kilstar. On the flat, Workman soon gained the advantage. Sir Alexander Maguire is a native of Liverpool. He has match factories in Dublin and Belfast, and lives at Ard Mulchan, Navan, County Meath. Workman was bred by tho late Dr. O'Leary, of Kanturk, County Cork, His. sire, Cottage, was by Tracery, and his dam, Cariella, by Caricato, who was bred in Argentina. Workman was sold as a two-year-old for 40 guineas. Sir Sir Alexander bought the horse for 1500 guineas three years ago after he had won a race over four and a-quarter miles at Punchestown, confident even then that Workman had the jumping ability, the speed, and the staying power to bid strongly one day for the Grand National. Workman has won more than £IO,OOO in prize-money. Ambassador's "System"

T. Hyde, the winning jockey, rode first as an amateur, and became a professional about two years ago. He won the Irish Grand National last year on Clare County. The trainer of Workman, J. Ruttle, is a former cross-country jockey who has ridden at Aintree, but not in the Grand National. When Workman was led into the unsaddling enclosure Ruttle dived a hand into his pocket and produced two boxes of matches. "I carry them for luck,'.' he remarked.

Mr. Joseph P. Kennedy, the American Ambassador, told the London Press Club of a method he uses for "furnishing the nutrition" of the Kennedy family. "It is," he said, "to send my son, as I did to-day, to the Grand National. We have a system. The first year we bet on an American horse because we are Americans first. The second year we bet on an Irish horse because we are Irish Americans. It is a great system. Last year the American horse won; this year the Irish horse won."

The dividend on the totalisator double, coupling Squadron Castle, the winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap, with Workman, the winner of the Grand National, amounted to nearly £l5O. There were 151 successful combinations, 135 being made when the price of tickets was 2s 6d, 11 when the price was ss, and five when the price was 10s. JUMPING TREBLES FEAT OF BLACK BANNER The achievement of Black Banner in winning the Great Western, Riverton and Autumn Steeplechases on successive days of the recent Riverton meeting is a record that has few parallels in this country, but two can be cited of other jumping trebles, although neither was on all fours with Black Banner's efl'ort.

Black Banner carried 11.6 to victory in the Great Western; an additional 71b. did not trouble him on the middle day and he annexed the honours in the Autumn Steeples under 12.9. Winning stakes amounted to over £BOO and his rider, T. J. Boyle, would collect over £7O.

At the Great Northern meeting at Fllerslie in 1928. Glendowie won the Hunt Club Hurdles, Great Northern Steeples and Winter Steeples, his total winning stakes being £2(300. S. Henderson was his rider throughout the meeting. French Fleet, another Southland horse, won the three hack steeplechases at the Dunedin winter meeting of 1932. He was ridden by E. Maekie and carried 9.13 on the first occasion and 11.12 on the last. The fields were small and French Fleet's reward for this feat was a mere £225.