Bridegroom And Slayer Have Best Credentials For Grand National

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 187, 9 August 1941, Page 3 (Supplement)

Bridegroom And Slayer Have Best Credentials For Grand National

Bridegroom is the favourite for the sixty-seventh Grand National Steeplechase to be run at Riccarton next Tuesday over a gruelling course of three miles and a half. The course embraces twenty-one obstacles which are generally conceded to provide the stiffest jumping in the Dominion.

Trained at Awapuni by L. Knapp, a master with jumpers, and owned by Mr. K. McK. Duncan, noted gentleman jockey, Bridegroom was second to Streamline at Ellerslie last June after his victory had been proclaimed when he down the hill the last time with a substantial lead.

Though his preparation since has been checked through leg trouble, he is reported to have recovered. It will be recalled that last year Clarion Call was a doubtful starter nearing the end of his preparation, but took his place in the field and outclassed the opposition.

Form suggests that his most dangerous opponents will be Slayer, the topweight," Ballybrit, a better horse now than at any stage of his career, and the lightweight, Astral Flame, a young horse in his first season of steeplechesing.

The field , this year falls be quality is concerned, but the n

ow many of the past as far as ine acceptors should provide a

spectacular race,

PLAYER must appeal, as he is a grand weight-carrier and a proved horse over the course. He has a steadier in 11.6 to carry, but it is questionable whether it will stop him. Though he lacks the brilliance of some of his rivals, he makes up for it in stamina, the main essential over the National course. Early in his career Slayer was raced by Mr. M. Walker, who exchanged him with Mr. L. C. Hazlett for Withdrawal, which lags well behind Slayer as a stake-winner. Unlncby At Trentham In the Wellington Steeplechase of 1939 Slayer looked unluckv to crash, I as he was holding a good position and would have been hard to beat. He made up in some measure for his misfortune by taking the Matai and July Steeplechases on the later days of the meeting. Coming on to Riccarton, Slayer had his first tilt at the Grand National, arfd carried fr.3 into third place behind Padishah (11.5) and Erination (11,10), the margins being six lengths and three lengths. Though he had failed to take the National, Slayer won the Beaufort and Lincoln Steeplechases, the Lincoln under 11.4 by half a neck from Bndegroom (10.5). Second to Clarion Call in National Last year Slayer made light of 11.11 in the Dunedin Steeplechase, but he did not race at Trentham. At the Christchureh Hunt meeting he' disgraced himself by running off in the Homeby Steeplechase, but his lapse from grace was only a temporary one, as in the National he had'lo.l2 and was the runner-up to • Clarion Call (12.1), who outclassed his field after a brilliant exhibition of jumping. Though he was ten lengths behind Clarion Call, Slayer beat the others just -as easily, the third horse, Gay Boa (9.1) being a similar distance pack. In his other run at the meeting he won the Lincoln for a second time under 11.7 by three lengths from Ballybrit (10.5). Preparation This Year « Slayer was then spelled, and he aid not reappear until the Riverton meeting, when he lumped 12.6 into •ourth place in the Riverton Steeplea! 3 !®' though he was well beaten. At his next start he was out of the Future in the Dunedin Steeplechase, t that was not surprising, as he was racing on a heavy track and had 12.7 on his back. • was the runner-up under "13 to Ballybrit (11.2) in the nomeby Steeplechase last Saturday. PJ S Jumping was not of the best, as P e brushed several of his fences, neaviiy, hut he is a tough horse considering his size, and that race can! best X^ t0 n £ h' m right to his There have been "hard luck" the Grand National before, time 1S ard P ass Slayer by this JkHybrit Certain To "We Admirers (10.9), the Homeby W,, hase Winner, has never havi better, and he is certain to man y admirers. His form this Rtol. r as been hard to fault, three second yielf ' ing two wins and a csJiin in ? d by J. Langford at Inver1r n ♦ Mr. M. Hanley, Ballybrit Baihi en ' year " ol< l chestnut gelding by Snowfall Slre ° f the 1931 winner ' B»n„-K a -? in tbe 1939-40 season that form i- starte( l off to show good Rivoif „ successes including the Stepnio'u G, ' eat Western and Otago runn P i! chases , while he was the JStp.to Chat in the Wellington the Ei ? ase > though Chat won with greatest of ease. theSfertcm at the beginning of of! season Ballybrit started fallin g in the Homeby the , se an( l losing his rider in attenm? National. At a third f olloweH Q, e got , round safely and w ea Slayer home in the Lincoln. Client Start sb!r^si t .i^ vas then Put aside, and on a r,„„ - e P re sent winter season Hiver»nn I «t 1Sln ? note b Y taking the ®i)?ht iIL Steeplechase under 11.1 by C! e s h s from La Boca (10.0) fourth (9 -!3), w'th Slayer in

Whirr, then at the peak of his form, had a runaway win from him in the Otago Steeplechase, Ballybrit never getting near him carrying 11.8. That was not surprising, as \\ hirr only had 9.0, and the state of the track was against the heavilyweighted horse.

Ballybrit (11.2) had a decisive win from Slayer in the Homeby Steeple-' chase, the pair meeting at a difference of 111b in Ballybrit's favour, and under the lower scale of weights in the Grand National they will clash on similar terms. Both horses should be improved as they have been lightly-raced, but the lower rating in weight is likely to favour Slayer more than Ballybrit, though Ballybrit may be the most improved horse in the field. Erination Looks To Be Past His Best Erination (10.9) has reached the ripe age of twelve years, and at this stage a National victory looks beyond him. He will carry the colours of Mr. A. Syme for the first time in the race, though earlier in his career Erination has played his part in the Riccarton race for other owners. Away back In the 1937-38 season Erination proved his versatility by taking the Great Northern Hurdles and Wellington Steeplechase, while at the beginning of the following season he failed in the Grand National under 11.0, Clarion Call (11.1) scoring his first success in the race from Bryce Street and Valpeen. He was also beaten in the Grand National Hurdles, finishing fourth, but he is a tough customer, and on the final day followed up a fourth placing in the Sydenham Hurdles by coming out again three races later and winning the Lincoln Steeplechase under 11.3 by two lengths from Santoft (10.5). Erination was kept going and had a couple of wins over hurdles in the North. In the Great Northern Hurdles he carried 11.11 into third place, and was later fourth in the Wellington Winter Hurdles. Beaten By Padishah Another trip to Riccarton followed in 1939, and under the topweight of 11.10 he was second to Padishah (11.5) in the Grand National. He missed in the National Hurdles, and his only success for the 1939-40 season was in the Manukau Hurdles at Ellerslie in October, when he was burdened with 12.10 and defeated Survalyon (9.11) by two lengths and a half. Erination was on the scene again last August, but he had been smashed up in a race in the North Island, though he showed little of the effects of a sorry time. He had 11.12 in the Grand National, but tired into fourth place, the place-getters being Clarion Call, Slayer and Gay Boa. He made a poor showing in the National Hurdles and was well beaten into third place by Slayer and Ballybrit in the Lincoln Steeplechase. His only other victory since was in the New Year Hurdles at Ellerslie on January 1, when he carried 11.7 and defeated Innes Lad (10.3) by a neck. Since then Erination has changed hands, and is now in the care of Mrs. A. W. McDonald. He made a bold showing for a time in the Homeby Steeplechase, but tired, and it is not likely at this stage that he will produce the stamina necessary to win. Problem Horse Bridegroom (10.8) is the problem horse in the race this year. Up till quite recently Bridegroom looked to have a great chance, but it was dimmed somewhat when he had to J be eased up through leg trouble. Though his preparation was l checked, he is not a gross type, and the enforced rest is not likely to be as serious in his case as with a horse who puts on condition rapidly. Bridegroom proved his ability to master the course in the 1939-40 season when he won the Hunt Cup and ran Slayer to half a neck in the Lincoln Steeplechase. He failed in his immediate starts after returning to the North Island and was then spelled. Towards the end of the season he took the Manawatu Steeplechase and did not reappear until the Waverley meeting last May, when he was given 3. run on the flat.

Won From Dozie Boy At Hamilton Races In his first attempt over country this winter, Bridegroom fell in the Egmont Steeplechase when likely to take a part in the finish, but he made up for the lapse by winning the Waikato T-e Rapa Steeplechase easily from Dozie Boy. The Great Northern meeting followed, and under> 10.3 he was second to Streamline (10.10). The only other race Bridegroom has had since was in the mile and a quarter Cheltenham Hack Cup at the Manawatu Hunt meeting on July 19. Aussie Ra (10.3) has never shown any form to suggest that he will take part in the finish. His form in the Homeby Steeplechase rules him out of consideration. Whirr (9.13) will be bracketed with Slayer. He won the OtagoWingatui Steeplechase double at the Dunedin winter meeting, and his only race since was in the Homeby last Saturday, when he failed to run on. Marked improvement in stamina would need to be shown by Whirr, and though he drops 61b to 9.13 his chance of seeing out the distance does not look a good one. Does Not Appeal Chat (9.12) had a surprise win in the Wellington Steeplechase of last year, but she has not won a race since and has not been too sound. In the last" National she was well out of the picture at the end and then fell in the Lincoln. She is trained by A. M. Wright at Woodville, but does not appeal. Surcoat (9.8) must also go into the discard, as there has not been anything in his form to suggest possibilities. He is trained by P. J. Boyle at Heddon Bush, Southland, but has not been a sound horse. Good Lightweights Astral Flame (9.2) is a definite lightweight prospect. He is a young horse, a six-year-old, and is in his first season as a steeplechaser. So far he has won four races over country, and though he alternated success with falls for a time, he appears to have settled down with racing.

There was a good deal of merit in his winning effort in the Lawford Hack Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, as he was burdened with 10.13 and won decisively from Ruling Star, who hampered him before and after the last fence. With his light weight Mr. W. E. Hazlett must be conceded a chance of taking the coveted race. Dozie Boy, also weighted at 9.2, shaped well enough in the Homeby Steeplechase to give him a chance. He missed second place through falling just short of the post after he had stood the leaders up a big break from the last fence. If he is kept handier to the front during the running, and under his weight that should not be difficult, he may be hard to beat. Though he has not taken a winning trick this winter, Dozie Boy has been placed a number of times. He is trained by G. W. B. Greene at Hastings, and is a ten-year-old brown gelding by Lucullus. The field is as follows:— GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLES of £1475 and trophy valued at £25, three miles and a half J st. lb. Slayer 11 6 Ballybrit 10 9 Erination 10 9 Bridegroom 10 8 Aussie Ra 10 3 Whirr 9 13 Chat 9 12 Astral Flame 9 2 Dozie Boy 9 2