HECTOR GRAY'S OPTIMISM VINDICATED IN THE DOZERS VICTORY!

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 193, 16 August 1941, Page 5 (Supplement)

HECTOR GRAY'S OPTIMISM VINDICATED IN THE DOZERS VICTORY!

It's a habit with him; so much so that the name of the Grand National Hurdles winner and Bert Ellis are almost synonymous. Nowadays when prospects of a National are being discussed the question asked in most racing quarters is, "What ir- Ellis riding."

This great all-round horseman the best since the late Billy j Young and the late Hughie I Cairns—is a rare judge. He has! the uncanny knack when faced, ■ as he invariably is, with the j choice of mounts, of picking the right one. When he rode The Dozer to victory in Thursday's National Hurdles it was his tilth success in the race. In addition he has won two Grand National Steeplechases, and also achieved success in the Great Northern. I The dark visaged South Island' horseman won his first National j Hurdles on Penury Hose in 192."). j and his other winners in the race j were WharncliU'e, and Padishah, ; twice. I In his latest achievement Ellis! had what really was an armchair-' ride, tints bearing out Trainer Hector Gray's superb optimism. | Never have 1 met a man as eon- ; fident as Cray was regarding the [ prospects of a horse in a race of theimportance of the National. I Even when it was raining cats and] dogs—about ten hours of them—his] ardour was not dampered one iota. [ I met him in Cashed Street and; asked him if he was as confident as: ever, having regard to the conditions. Me smiled, his keen blue eyes shining out of a veritable ocean of wrinkles. "The Dozer's a certainty," he reiterated. "I won't hamper Bert with instructions. The Dozer will

probably jump out and pull hard, but he'jl be out of trouble with no mud flung in his face. They tell me Pekoe has been backed off the map; well, all I can say is they'll all be off the map before the race is over." Can you beat that? Put as all men know now that's just what happened. The Dozer showed the opposition a clean pair of heels; actually lie threw mud in its face. He gave a dashing display, his effort at the stand hurdle the first time, when he took off a long way anrl brushed the fence with his hind hoofs, being especially thrilling. Even whei. perhaps a little weary at the last ohstacle he cleared it in fine style. it really was a two-horse racf\ King [ley attempted to go with The Dozer for six furlongs, but was a beaten horse soon afterwards. Just as at Auckland in June the one race on the opening day got to the bottom of him. Pekoe jumped poorly, and Esperance Bay. the Northern winner, was a complete flop despite the fact that he looked well and was fancied by his connections. The Dozer is probably the cheapest horse ever to win* a National. Ho was given to his present owner, who. maybe because of some superstition, insisted upon paying three half-crowns for him. This was The Dozer's fourth start over hurdles for three wins and a second, but his owner, Mr. A. Drozdowski. was not present to see him set seal on his fame.