GRAND NATIONAL AT AINTREE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27628, 7 April 1955, Page 4

GRAND NATIONAL AT AINTREE

BOOKMAKERS LOSE HEAVILY (From the London Correspondent of “The Press") LONDON. March 29. The unhappiest people in Britain this week, with the possible exception of Oxford rowing supporters, are the bookmakers who operated on the Grand National meeting at Aintree oh Saturday. When Quare Times scored i a 12-length victory at Aintree he completed a double with Military Court in the Lincolnshire that has given the bookmakers one of the worst openings to the racing season since the Second -World War. ' But it was a different story for the Irishmen. They were at Aintree in force, and after the National they were jubilant. The happiest Irishman of all wag Vincent O’Brien, trainer of the winner this year, last year, and in 1953. He became the first man to train three successive National winners. He saddled up four runners from his Tipperary stable for the event this year, and was content with only the first placing. The winner was ridden by 25-year-old Pat Taaffe, whose younger brother rode the third horse, Carey’s Cottage. The race itself was a memorable event, even with a modified Becher’s Brook and the 'elimination of the most difficult water jumps on the course. Rain poured down Incessantly for hours before the race, and Aintree was a mud-bath for horses and spectators. But there were fewer casualties than usual, no horses were killed, and the critics of this “brutal race” were left with little to say. Royal Spectators Two of the most interested spectators were the Queen and the Queen Mother, the latter being present as the owner of one of the runners, M’as Tu Vu, who was conceded a good chance. They listened to the race commentary on a portable radio taken by the Queen. The press box was separated from the Royal box by a glass partition, but it was noticeable that the press representatives, like the public, were at Aintree to see the race, and not to gape at the Royal party. There would have been a good lesson in this showing of manners for many of those who attended the New Zealand race meetings at which the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were present. The horses jostled their way into position at the start—there was no official draw for this were soon on the way. A roar of laughter greeted the remark of one well-known London racing journalist representing one of the strikebound newspapers, when it was announced that Mariner’s Log had fallen at the first fence. “Thank goodness there arn’t any papers,” he sighed. “That was going to be my selection today!” The field was thinned out slowly by each successive fence. Coming to the last fence, Tudor Line seemed to have a wonderful opportunity of improving on his second placing last year, but he jumped right across the brush ?nd lost ground. Quare Times appeared to be galloping easily in the lead, and was not extended to win. Tudor Line was second again. The Royal party congratulated the winner’s owner, Mrs W. Weimar, whose victory caused gay to the little Irish town of Mullinger. HINDS GYMKHANA, EASTER MONDAY. Hinds Cup Field—Lady Vai, Night Wind, Tiki Napu, Triple Crown, Bedivus, Roving Gipsy, Magic Mist. First Race, 3min 33sec class, starts at 10.45 a.m.