RACING King Minos Brilliant In National Hurdles Win

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32059, 6 August 1969, Page 4

RACING King Minos Brilliant In National Hurdles Win

King Minos, a fourth generation descendant of a mare bought for 150gns, brilliantly won the Grand National Hurdles yesterday for his Te Puke breeder, Mr N. Grafas.

The 76>year-old Mr Grafas won the 1963 Grand National Hurdles with Cretan, another member of this family, and now he has high hopes of bringing King Minos back to Riccarton next year for a tilt at the Grand National Steeplechase.

King Minos was skilfully ridden by G. R. Bell, who nursed the Woodfield gelding for one run, which quickly carried him past Montini, Sentry and Foxonewa and away to a wide winning margin of eight lengths. Sentry beat the hot favourite, Foxonewa, by a length and a half for second.

One of Mr Grafas’s first ventures in the thoroughbred breeding industry in New Zealand was the -purchase of Exaggeration for 150gns at a dispersal of the late Mr T. Impey’s stock. From Exaggeration he bred Greek Queen (by Foxbridge). Greek Queen left Greek Silver to Nizami, and this mare Siueed Cretan as well as g Minos’s dam, Gipsy Princess, which is by Summertime.

Gipey Princess was highly strung and at one time she was in danger of being placed on the schooling list Mr Grofas retired her after she won three races, one of them as a hurdler at Rotorua. Mr Grafas, who was born

in Crete, came to New Zealand in 1913 with ideas of working in the Waihi go»dfields. There was a strike in the goldfields on his arrival, so he tried his hand as a fisherman for a time.

Some years later he bought a cinema in Te Puke, and the decline in popularity of films since the arrival of television has given him more opportunities to prepare his own horses. His horses do most of their work on the beach. Lucky Substitute

King Minos was a chance ride for G. R. Bell, aged 21, who is on his first visit to Riccarton. Bell secured the ride on the Grand National Hurdles winner aftor H. N. Rauhihi was suspended for two riding days on the first day of the meeting. The first time Bell had ridden King Minos over a hurdle was on Monday when he schooled the Woodfield gelding over two flights at Riccarton.

Bell, who.is stable rider for the Mattmata trainer, N. Crawford, said be felt confident of victory half a mile out

H I knew then that 1 was going better than Foxonewa, Sentry and Montini,” he said after the race.

P. Wilson, rider of the runner-up, Sentry, said he could find no excuses for the Te Awamutu gelding. ] “I knew some way from 1 home that he would not beat the winner,” Wilson said, i “But I’m pleased Gary Bell has ridden a big winner like King Minos. He's as game as ■Ned Kelly, and this couldn’t ' have happened to a better I rider.” Patchy Jumping Foxonewa’s partowner and rider, Mr R. Autridge, said that the strain of a fast-run race was’ worrying the big Fox Myth gelding some way from home. This was reflected in the favourite’s patchy jumping. “He kept putting in that odd bad one, and I knew early in the run home that King Minos for one was going too well for us,” said Mr Autridee.

Montini, a weakening fourth, had pulled too hard for his own good, commented his rider, D. J. Finlay. “In such a small field I found it impossible to settle him down —there was too much daylight about, and he pulled

very hard. It was a good run, though, considering he is still a hack hurdler.” Dashed Clear San Leonardo was last momentarily when the field cleared the stalls in the Grand National Hurdles, but he sprinted forward quickly and was in front going to the first fence.

San Leonardo, going freely, had widened his lead to at least a dozen lengths after half a mile. Foxonewa and Trossacb led the chase across the top the first time, then in close order came Segundo, Montini, Sentry and King Minos.

Foxonewa dropped back a length or two after hitting the fence at the top of the straight, and by the stand hurdle he was fourth, 10 lengths from San Leonardo and a couple of lengths behind Trossach and Montini. Trossach hit hard at the

fence near the nine furlongs and stopped to a walk before the fence near tbe mile, About that point San Leo. nardo was also beginning to feel the pinch as Foxonewa and Montini joined him in front. At length intervals behind the co-leaders then came King Minos, Sentry and Segundo. Closing Fast Montini and Foxonewa cartied on together in front down the back and round the home turn, but Sentry had joined them as they ran to the three and King Minos was also closing fast. Montini was beaten soon after straightening for the run home, and King Minos ran past Foxonewa to a eiear lead before the last flight. From that point it was King Minos all the way. He won by eight lengths from Sentry which outstayed Foxonewa by a length and a half. Montini battled on for fourth two lengths back. San Leonardo was fifth in a long gap, and Trossach continued on to complete the course, but a furlong away. Segundo fell at the last flight.