TOUGH DOUBLE, BUT KORAL IS UP TO IT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30827, 12 August 1965, Page 4

TOUGH DOUBLE, BUT KORAL IS UP TO IT

The Grand National-Lincoln Steeplechase double has eluded some good horses in the last 20 years. But that will deter few people from supporting the brilliant young Koral in the Lincoln Steeples on the final day of the Grand National meeting on Saturday.

If Koral does come out on top he will be the first to carry off the double since Anglo-French’s year, 1943.

Anglo - French, like Koral, was bred and owned by Mr W. E. Hazlett. He won the Grand National with 9-7 and the Lincoln with 10-8. Koral ran away with the Grand National honours last Saturday under 9-5 and has 10-4 in the Lincoln. A Lincoln Steeples victory would also give Koral an unbeaten record in three starts over Riccarton country—and a treble that eluded his stablemate John O’Groats last year. John O’Groats won the Homeby - Grand National double but in the Lincoln he

was pegged back to third on a heavy track behind Braemar and Solitude, which had failed to reach the money in the Grand National. A measure of Koral’s brilliance was provided indirectly at Riccarton on Tuesday through the ease with which Cinnaman won the Beaufort. Koral beat Cinnaman hands down in the Homeby and the Grand National, and it seems that the Blenheim gelding will have to settle for a minor role again. Flying Swift could not test Cinnaman in the Beaufort, and he is unlikely to improve any with that race. He will meet Koral on 161 b better terms than in the Grand National but the Southland horse should beat him again.

May Be Stronger Facade, the Enfield Steeples winner, may be a stranger runner for the North Island if he does not jump too high and knuckle over, as he did in the Hunt Cup on Tuesday. A southerner with a lightweight’s chance is Runty, which was going well with a place chance until he was checked and lost his rider in the Grand National. Gold Tie, a newcomer at

the meeting; won three races in the season just ended. He was a distant fourth in the Great Northern Steeplechase.

Dhuran and Court Belle, the best behind Careen in the Winter Cup last Saturday, will be two with strong chances in the Islington Handicap, the first leg of the T.A.B. double on Saturday. Careen will not oppose them this time. She will attempt to win the second leg, the August Handicap, under top weight of 9-6.