Racing KNIGHT’S STAR FOR BIG STEEPLECHASE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 4

Racing KNIGHT’S STAR FOR BIG STEEPLECHASE

The present steeplechase season has been really notable only for the quick rise to fame of Knight’s Star and tomorrow’s Wellington Steeplechase at Trentham should show wether this nine-year-old Medieval Knight gelding is entitled to a place among the top-flight cross-country horses.

Knight’s Star has 11-10 to carry i over three miles and three fur- ? longs and 23 fences on a heavy track. Only three horses have carried more to victory over the Trentham course since 1906 — Master Strowan with 12-5 in 1918, Coalition, 12-1 in 1921, and Brookby Song, 12-0 in 1948. The combination of a big weight and a heavy ground has been too formidable for all but champions in the Wellington Steeplechase. But, with the deterioration of the track since Wednesday, there has been no tendency to rate Knight’s Star’s chance less highly. In fact, opinion has strengthened that he will be bett r equipped to outstay several others which have no form under conditions peculiar to Trentham.

It is different with Knight’s Star’s best efforts as a hurdler, and his stamina was quite evident before that. On June 3, Knight’s Star won the Great Northern Steeplechase with 10-4. He had only Jewel

Denby only two lengths behind, but the others were badly beaten off by the solid pace over three times over the Ellerslie hilL Won Big Double

The Great Northern-Wellington Steeplechase double has been completed in one year by a small and notable band of jumpers. Only Kiatere (1905), Coalition (1921), Beau Cavalier (1927), Survey (1939), and Brookby Song (1948) have done so.

Survoy, the last South Island winner of the race, is not ranked highly among the all-time greats, but the great quality of the others cannot be doubted.

Knight’s Star is built very much on the lines of Kiatere and Coalition—big strong horses, horses capable of prodigious weightcarrying feats under the most trying conditions. Knight’s Star has 41b mere than Hit Parade, last year’s winner of the Great .Northern SteeplesHurdles double, but not a notable success since.

Hit Parade is a dashing jumper, but in a long, drawn-out slogging battle Knight’s Star should be his master at the weights. Last year, Wotan’s Gold beat all but Cabana in the Wellington Steeplechase and Peepin’ Thru in the Riddiford Steeplechase before coming to Riccarton where he won the Grand National Steeplechase with 10-3.

Wotan’s Gold has not distinguished himself in any way this winter, but earlier racing has made him thoroughly seasoned, and one of his dogged run? could carry him Into one of the places. J. H. Hely will ride Wotan’s Gold. First Trentham Test

Conkeda will be having his first test under winter at Trentham. He was in much less distinguished company when he won the Wanganui Steeplechase, but it was evident from his performance that he is a wonderfully clean jumper, and his 1 pedigree invites the belief that he will not fail on the score of stamina. He has the staying lines of Musket and St. Simon through Catmint and Day Comet, the latter the sire of Mangani, the Wellington Steeplechase winner in 1930.

Viewfield, at the age of nine, is still striving to establish a position against the top-flight jumpers. He has won the Manawatu Steeplechase this year, but it may be a reflection on the class of this field if he makes the grade tomorrow.

Ronay, Chase, and Solent have dropped out of the field, and a start for Impennatus is not certain.

Four-year-old Prospect Chase’s withdrawal leaves Orelino the lone representative of the powerful Levin stable of Messrs A. E. and B. A. V. Preston. Orelino is one of few four-year-olds that have won the race, but two have won it—Whalebone (dead-heat with Oeo) in 1891 and The Friar in 1897.

Orelino is a brown gelding by Robin Goodfellow from Olein. He easily beat five moderate opponents in the steeplechase at Egmont on June 22, but encouraging was the strong gallop he kept up for three miles. Jewel Denby strengthens the light-weight division. This nine-year-old Probation mare showed she was strong in stamina at Ellerslie in running Knight’s Star to two lengths in a fast-run race. She lacks good size, but if at ease in the conditions she should not find 9-8 troublesome. Meresun and Surrey Gold have dropped out of the Trentham Hurdles, the other major race for jumpers tomorrow. A start for Programme is not certain, but a decision will be left until today. Nupla is another doubtful •tarter, and if he drops out of the field, J. H. Hely will ride Hickory Stick.

Any further deterioration in the track will place victory closer within the reach of Golden Fox, winner of two races under the worst conditions at this meeting last year. Last month, this Woodvilletrained six-year-old won the Wanganui Champion Hack Plate, one

mile and a half, and the Manawatu Hack Handicap, one mile, at successive starts.

Rangi's Luck, top weight with 10-9, won this race a year ago with 10-2. He has been a winner and has also been placed this winter, and is back on a course where the conditions suit him. Bulla, whose form on the flat was of a good standard, has quickly made the grade as a hurdler, and if his jumping is up to standard he will take beating in the Vittoria Hurdles.

The light-weights, Cloudy Robin, Fair Counsel, and Golden Glow have dropped out of this field, leaving 18. Riccarton’s only representative, Brown Baron, will be ridden by J. W. Harris.

Keep Time and Conkers King are selected to win the totalisator double, the Whyte and Stewards’ Handicaps.

IN FAVOUR AT DOOMBEN

Kingster, King’s Fair, Mandingos

CN.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, July 4. Brilliant gallops today by the New Zealand gelding. King’s Fair, the Australian horses. Copper Year and Kingster, led to big wagers here today on the £10,500 Doomben Ten Thousand on Saturday, but bookmakers cannot settle on an outright favourite.

Some have Mandingos favourite, others have him sharing the top line with Kingster, and three bookmakers have Copper Year sharing the top line with both Mandingos and Kingster.

Copper Year, since he drew barrier one in the sprint, has been backed straight out for an estimated £43,000. Late yesterday, King’s Fair was backed straight out for £16,500, but despite this his odds were extended when rumours that the horse was lame got about. Today, however, King’s Fair showed no signs of lameness. Galloping 25ft out on the course proper at Doomben, the big New Zealand gelding ran three furlongs in 38sec. His race jockey, N. Best, rode him in the trial. Kingster, winner of the Stradbroke Handicap, galloped at Eagle Farm today, recording 39sec over three furlongs. Shock worker of the morning was the New Zealand sprinter. Supreme Court, which recorded Imin 4Jsec for five furlongs, and came home over the last three in 41sec. Supreme Court is regarded as the horse that could prove the surprise packet in the big sprint.