RICCARTON EVENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 152, 30 June 1939, Page 12

RICCARTON EVENTS.

NATIONAL MEETING.

A DECREASE IN ENTRIES. BUT CLASS WELL REPRESENTED. The nominations, for the six chief events at the Grand National meeting, to be run at Riccarton in August total 210, compared with 225 last year. The Winter Cup has attracted 52, the same as last year, while there is a slight increase in both the Grand National Hurdles and the Sydenham Hurdles. The three steeplechase events —National, Beaufort and Lincoln—are responsible for the decrease, but it is not serious and probably the fields on the day will be just as large as usual. Half of the 'chasers, two-thirds of the hurdlers and about half the Winter Cup candidates are provided by the North Island. This is what generally happens, for especially with the jumpers the meeting depends largely for its success on the North Island. The Grand National Steeplechase has drawn all the best available material. All Irish, Riotous. John Charles. Courtyard, Power Chief, Survoy, Gold Wren and Slayer, who are paid up for in the Wellington Steeplechase on Tuesday, are all engaged, while in addition there is Rrination, who fell last year, but won the Lincoln Steeplechase on the last day. Black Banner and Pandine. wellperformed Southland junipers, Padishah ,

and Smiling Thru' and En Tour, who were third and fourth respectively in the Great Northern Steeplechase. * Out of last year's field only Erination and Santoft? are again entered. Padishah and Fireguard, who finished first and second respectively in last year's Grand National Hurdles, are again nominated, while the list also includes five other horses that were in the field a year ago—Erination. Courtyard. Inness Lad, Last Link and Silver Sight. The best of those engaged are due to make their appearance at Trentham next week, and so the form there should give a guide. The places in the Winter Cup last year were filled by Catalogue, Waitaka'and Alma, and this trio have been nominated again, as have also Ponty, Monipere. Lazybones, Mungatoon, Roy Bun and Wagner. Engaged in Double. Cottingham. Silver Sight. Power Chief. Survoy, Padishah. Erination, Red Sun and Courtyard have l>een nominated for both the Grand National Steeplechase and Grand National Hurdles, a double that has not been won by one horse at the same meeting, though Aurora Borealis went near to it when she won the steeplechase in 10:i0 and was only beaten by Carinthia in the hurdles two days later.

The maximum weight that can now be awarded in the Grand Xational Steeplechase is 12.7, but greater imposts have been carried successfully in the event. Canard has the best performance in this respect, for he won in 1880 with 12.10, while Xorton scored in 1804 with 12.8. Agent. Mangaohane, Chemist and Coalition had 12.7 when they succeeded. The Agent annexed the Grand National three times, twice in succession end again after an interval of three years, while Mutiny, Coalition, Oakleigh, Wiltshire and Valpeen won twice in succession. Dummy and Haydn both won the hurdle race and later took the steeplechase. Dummy scored in the hurdles in 1896 and won the Steeplechase in 1898, while Haydn accounted for the hurdles in 1901 and the steeplechase in 1902. These are the only pair to succeed in both races. Record Reign has the weight-carrying honours in the Grand National Hurdles, for he had 12.12 when he won in 1900. Liberator was successful with 12.6 in 184)4, and Paisano with. 12.1 in 1910. However, it must be recollected that the distance in those days was only two miles. Since it was increased to two miles and a half, at which it stands to-day, the effort of Xukumai, who won with 11.11, is the best. Liberator, Gladful and dolly Beggar are the only horses to win the event twice, and each did it in successive years. The weights for the Grand Xational Steeplechase, Hurdles and Winter Cup are due next Tuesday weel.