RACING KORAL TIPPED FOR 2ND NATIONAL WIN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31129, 4 August 1966, Page 4

RACING KORAL TIPPED FOR 2ND NATIONAL WIN

Linred Will Be Strong Challenger

Latest form would make the North Island jumpers appear to be so many understudies in the Grand National Steeplechase on Saturday.

Anticipation often falls short of reality, but the result of last week’s Homeby Steeplechase offered little else but the prospect of a South Island Grand National victory.

It also could be a triumph for youth. Koral and Lindre, the first two in the Homeby, are six-year-olds, and Game Call, a meritorious third last week, is the next youngest at seven.

A second victory for Kora! In the Grand National would round off a hat-trick In the race for the formidable Haz-lett-Hillis combination of owner and trainer, the leaders in their fields for the season Just ended. John O’Groats started the sequence two years ago and stable representation might have been left to him again last year only for his untimely death.

Four Wins Koral, now unbeaten in four starts over country at

I Rlccarton, started that I sequence in the Homeby ; Steeplechase last year. That was a smooth, effortE less win and the search for ! the Grand National favourite • ended there and then. Koral was subjected to a s form of hard labour to I achieve his second Homeby t win and this posed several t interesting questions, all of ■ which will be answered on Saturday.

Koral might not be the force he was a year earlier, even considering he is carrying bigger weights on his present campaign. Then, again, he could find improvement with his Homeby run, something hardly likely to be ruled out considering he had a blood disorder earlier in the winter. Not to be ruled out, either, is the possibility or the near certainty that Linred, Koral’s challenger last week, is a pretty good horse in his own right.

Experience Facts likely to make Koral outright favourite are that he is proved over the distance and will be ridden by W. J. Hillis, who has ridden In more Grand Nationals than any other rider in the race. The 17-year-old G. C. Mee will again ride Linred. It was a disappointing experience for him to Ijse his whip in his first ride over the course in the Homeby, but Linred’s second could have given him nothing but hope, even confidence, for a National victory. Understandably, Game Call’s rider, A Cowan, was pleased with the Gore jumper’s Homeby third as a Grand National trial. Left at the tail of the field after a near-fall on landing over Cutts’s, Game Call finished at a great rate. Excuses could not be made for those behind Game Call in the Homeby. John’s Mistake (fourth) was safe enough, but he might lack the speed usually required for a National. When tried last year he finished a distant fourth. Pulled Hard Henry might be the North Island’s best if he can be encouraged to settle early instead of pulling hard, as he did in the Homeby. Prince Robin lacks the class of Spring Fair, the last horse to carry off the WellingtonGrand National Steeplechases double, but he could hardly fail to improve on his

Homeby sixth, having contested that race on an interrupted preparation. Cinnaman, the mount of G. A. Walters, chased Koral home in the Homeby and Grand National last year. He started this year’s campaign well with a win at the Royal meeting at Ellerslie in May, but his more recent form has suggested some decline in his powers and some lack of confidence in his jumping. It will be surprising if No Offence can come back for a second Grand National win after a patchy record, one marred by unsoundness since his spectacular victory of 1963.

Wheroma and Erewhon, two more 11-year-olds, might also have to bow out to younger rivals. Brevity, the only mare in the field, managed thirds in the Wellington Steeplechase

and Great Northern Steeplechase and a second in the Hawke’s Bay Steeples, but

she was well beaten when she fell in the Riddiford Steeples last time out. With Koral and Linred in good shape after their Homeby runs, southerners must feel that the balance of power is tilted their way.