N.Z. GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7356, 8 July 1889, Page 2

N.Z. GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP.

After withholding thatahdicaps for the above for a week, in order to get the fullest information as to the form of the horses running at the Napier a third postponement .of which was found neoesoary, she Committee decided to wait no longer, and accordingly they submitted the weights on Saturday night, and I am sorry I cannot compliment them on. their fvork. In tne flrat P lace they . haye Btarted 2uite high enough, though the top weight, hemist, has 31bs less to carry, this time than lie did last. On form conceed both Irish King and Kangaroo more than he has been asked to do. The two latter on the form they displayed last year, are perhaps correctly weighted, but Kangaroo has shown such bad form this season that he has received fully more San I expected. Oddfellow has been gradually getting the weight on, and on their HawkVc Bay Steeplechase form he has to conceed Chemist lOlbs and Orient 61b. A good lodge thinks that Chemist, weU ridden, might have won that race. Accepting that view Chemist then should now beat Oddfellow and Orient, but there i 9 this to remember: Oddfellow had nothing in his favour after travelling all the, way from Auckland, and may be better than he was at Napier ; on the other hand, a few days' enforced absence from the training track sometimes does a horse that has been so much good, To-rent has demonstrated bis ability to carry weight and stay over hurdles, and he has also been over country. Fit and well on the day he -should run a good horse with list 51b, but I don't think he is the stayer the tittle horse next him on the list is, and though this horse has not been over a country In Etbiie I think it is only a matter of standg up and coming to the post (or Alma to ' beat every horse in the race unless Water- ; fall should behave well and take to his work kindly, and prove as good as breed- ' ing suggests. It is a difficult matter to ; handicap horses like these, which have never been over a country. There would be perhaps little to spare oatweenAima .and Waterfall forpace on the flaVbut L think the son of Ranter would beat any horse In the race on the _ flat over a distance of ground _ad win the national

run oh the flat. I don't think that the best of them would dispose of him at the end of the journey. He has demonstrated. his ability over hurdles, and if be is as clever over the big obstacles, he will show what a good little one can do. I never despise & small horse after what I have seen many accomplish—Whalebone to wife. Chemist is not a big one either. Shillelagh has gone away, bat fit and well he could", I believe, beat anything above Alma. Between him and Oraiigeman.l dont think the handicapping was good. In tho Great Northern Steeplechase, a, country over which Orangeman has tired every time he has been ruu there, .he was well with Shillelagh and 'contesting the ground well up to the last fence at a difference of 31 bs. "Now on level country and over a distance, for he can stay, Orangeman is a fair horse, and that he would have beaten Shillelagh at their weights on level ground last month 1 should have been satisfied. From this it will be seen that I like his show next to that of Alma of the over lOst division. Chance ia a patched up one, and this may be passed. Landsborough would seem to be one of the sort that keeps on going. but I should not consider he had any show of winning. Moana, at lOst 101b, who has been considered good enough to start for a race like the New Zealand Cup, should have a big say if a proficient I like to keep well bred ones on my side. Ocela won a good stake last year at Nelson, but is only a moderate performer. Guy Fawkes cannot complain km the score of weight if well. He is a good fencer if not a weight carrier. CEdipus for an unknowu quality, has been treated to plenty of weight. Secretary can have no show. Presto, if sound and well, might have a bit of a say. but I have no particular liking for him. Monteagle can fence, but he is not my idea of a four-miler. Daddy Longlegs is infirm. Glencoe has done nothing to entitle him to give weight to Orlando, or for that matter anything in the race. Gunpowder is going well, but has done nothing to make anyone look upon him as a wonder. Premium is not reliable or of a class to win. Ariel is looked upon as a horse likely to turn out useful, but be is not to be relied on. Waterfall wants educating evidently, and time should make & good norse of him. Sockburn and Louis on the same mark hardly look the correct thing, Sockburn will not start, having been blistered and turned out for a spell. Louis wants time. Waitangi is a good fencer, but cannot stay. Maywood fs a moderate. Panic is nicely served with weight, and being a good fencer should have an outside show. His Napier form the other day wants discounting at its true value. Chemist was evidently running in the interests of Defamer, who provedTunequal to the task, and Chemist, on the heavy going could not get up. That he is good, and that Panic would have been a real bad 'on had Chemist beaten him, would have been the public verdict. Panic has incurred a penalty of 71b, bringing his weight to 9st 121b. Hurricane would hardly appear class, though lightly weighted. There are so many contingencies in jumping races, and especially in events of the Grand National class, that it is really a difficult matter to pick winners at this stage and without knowing what the nonperformers may be capable of; it is hard to say whether they are well handicapped or not. Of the horses that have negotiated either hurdles or country up to the present time, I have most respect for Ahua, Orangeman, Torrent, and Chemist in order, and I have respect for both Waterfall and Moana, though the latter has a leg which may not stand long. I shall be quite satisfied to have the two former representing mc fit and well on the day.