GRAND NATIONAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 175, 25 July 1940, Page 18

GRAND NATIONAL.

STEEPLECHASE WEIGHTS. WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW. Since the year following the last war five horses who have been weighed on top for the Grand National Steeplechase have been successful. As there have been 20 contests in the period this is rather a good percentage. The quintet who so scorned their assessment were Coalition (12.7 in 1921), Oakleigh (12.0 in 1923), Aurora Borealis (11.1 in 1930). Billy Boy (11.3 in 1932) and Valpcen (11.13 in 193o), says "Rangitira." When Coalition won his first Grand National in 1920 under 11.13 lie did not have pride of place in the weights, and he bore only No. 4 saddle cloth on the day. The three horses above him that year were Lorhella (12.7). Master Strowa.n (12.5) and Waiiuai (12.51, all previous wit r.crs. and the three of them started. Lochella fell. Master St rowan ran off. and Waimai was unplaced. Third place went to Oakleigh. who did not run the next year, 'but was successful in the following two yea rs. In Coalition's second victory he might have been a shade lucky, for old Waimai, then 12 years old and dropped to 10.7. led over the last fence but slipped on landing. In Aurora Borealis' year the field, as indicated by the top weight, was a poor one. Mangani, who was second top with 10.12, did not run, and Omeo, third top with 10.11. finished third. Horses who have been handicapped above 11.0 since 1930 have been—1930—Aurora Borealis, 11.1 (next weight, Mangani, 10.12). 1931—Wiltshire. 11.5 (next weight, Claremore, 10.9). 1932—8i11y Boy, 11.13'(next weight, Wiltshire, 10.13). 1933—8i11y Boy, 12.5; Make-up. 12.1; Callamart. 12.1 : Luna Lux, 11.2. 1934—8i11y Boy. 11.13 (next weight, Makeup. 10.13). 1935.—Va1pf.-n. 11.18: Tudor. 11.8; Billy Boy, 11.5: Riotous. 11.3. 1936—Valpeen, 12.2; Billy Boy, 11.5. 1937—Tudor. 11.11 (next weight, Royal Limond. 11.0). 1938—Jolly Beggar. 11.3; Clarion Call, 11.1; Nocturnus, 11.0; Bonnie Rollox, 11.0: Erinatlon, 11.0. 1939 —Erination, 11.8; Padishah, 11.5; All Irish, 11.2. 1940—Padishah, 12.6: Clarion Call, 12.1; Erination, 11.12. Until 1913 there was no maximum weight in the conditions for the Grnnd National, and occasionally horses were weighted over 13.0, and besides were liable to fixed penalties, up to 71b for horses weighted above 11.0. In 1907, for instance, Kiatere, who had won the Great Northern Steeples under 12.13 in June, carried 13.3 into third place behind Eclair and Needlework in the Grand National. The maximum weight condition was 12.7 when first instituted in 1913, and it has remained such ever since. The only horse to have succeeded with the maximum has been Coalition.