Grand National hard to pick

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32678, 6 August 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

Grand National hard to pick

By

J.J. Boyle

When a Grand National Steeplechase draws near, a racing writer feels fnr those harawned Rwgby CQITCfih pendents agonising over the oatcone of a twosided contest. Like the writer on aa Irish newspaper who made this most careful prediction*. “Both Old Crescent or Highfield are capable of winning, or losing, by a goodly mar-

gin." He proved at least half right, since Highfield won 2M He would be a brave soul who would predict a win by a goodly margin for any run-| ner in tomorrow's Grand Na-| tional. AU going well, .there should be at least nine run-] nets and the search for the) winner will demand accurate] appreciation of the ability of a horse to run three and a half mßes at about 3# miles an hour and jump 21 towering brushes flawlessly or at least safely.

Unexpected ' A composite of the stamina and reliability of Robert Earl and the dash and skill of Koral would be ideal material. But the appeal of Riccarton’s most spectacular race of the year lies in the unexpected Robert Eon was almost crippled by a bad leap at the second fence m the 1867 National and a year later Koral went out of the race

because he jumped too well, —almost on to the beck of one of his rivals. Robert Earl, with an advantage of 151 b, beat Koral by three lengths and a half in the 1969 Grand National but neither was in the same tremendous form last year

•nd finished out of the This year both have come back as good as ever, and they started the present Riccartoa carnival on a high note with a great tussle in the Homeby Steeples last week. Koral won, but it was la near thing. Koral has been rated slightly inferior to Robert Eart on the score of stamina in coming into the Grand Nation 21b better in relation to Robert Eart than he did in the Homeby. It has brought Koral into his sixth Grand National with 10-4, !M> more than he triumphed with in 1965 Well weighted On that rating the horse that has won 22 jumping races in the Hazlett colours is a daunting rival for anything below him in the weights, as well as for Robert Eart. which will be spottine him «b In Koral’s case an equally important factor will be h«

ability to settle and run J along in relaxed style in the t opening mile. He will be rid-1 den by bis trainer, W. J. Hil- j lis, so will be in skilful hands 1 but Robert Earl will ba! equally well served by G. A. I Walters. | Reversible might present j the greatest danger to Rob-I ert Earl and Koral from the 1 tail of the handicap. There was much to admire I about his run for third in the Homeby. He was having his first experience over Ric.carton fences, lost ground at vital stages when in dose

quarters at some fences and slipped about on the run round the pylon going to the last fence. Reversible's . half-brother. Solitude, found Cutis’s more than he could manage in two tilts at the Grand National, one of than after a Wellington Steeples victory. Confidence The Woodville trainer, I. Bradbury, who has prepared both horses, has good reason for confidence in Reversible’s ability to bring respectability to the family record on the course. Berwen’s Hotneby Steeplechase fourth was achieved under some difficulties and the Wingatui chestnut should iump well and get every yard of the trip With he is too close to Koral to satisfy the students of weights, but the dunging fortunes of jumping races often make nonsense of the most careful calculations.