Meeting in Timaru gave birth to National

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 11

Meeting in Timaru gave birth to National

A New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Club was formed at a meeting, attended mainly by South Canterbury enthusiasts, in Timaru in 1874.

That club conducted the New Zealand Grand National Steeples until it was taken over by the Canterbury Jockey Club in 1888.

One of the rules of the New Zealand Grand National J Steeplechase Club provided I that no meeting should be, held at the same place in two successive years. The second Grand National, in May. 1876. was run close to the Riccarton racecourse. and was won by Royalty. The obstacles included a ditch, bank, fences, post and rails, and a water jump 15ft wide. The 1877 race was run over a natural course in Captain Cain’s paddocks in Timaru. Fakir was the winner. In 1878 it was Christchurch’s turn again, and Mousetrap was the winner. At Oamaru In 1879 the scene switched to Oamaru, and there P. Butler’s Agent scored his first of three wins in the race. Agent carried 12.7 when he won his second National, in Christchurch, in 1880. The 1881 race was run at Timaru over part of the present Washdyke course and was won by one of the early steeplechasing giants.

i This was Clarence. He wasi lithe only horse to get round! without a mistake over the' Jtough Timaru course. And! 1 1 what a weight-carrier! He (carried 12.2 in the Grand’ National. Later he won the: Hawke’s Bay Steeples twice, ■ with 12.12 and 13.2. '] “Classy Clarence," is how some of the old-time writers f

described the horse that won| ! the Grand National for Mr J. | . H. Lunn and the Hawke s L Bay Steeples twice for Mr J. Pilbrow. > The 1882 race, won by| , i Katerfelto, was run in | Christchurch. It was back to t Washdyke in 1883, Kos- ■ ciusko’s year, and in 1884 : Riccarton saw The Agent in ! his third victory, achieved . under 12.6.

When Moody won in 1885 the race was again run at Riccarton this being an interruption to the arrange-

ment of racing alternately in North and South Canterbury. A few months earlier the New Zealand Grand National

Steeplechase Club had decided that one venue would be more desirable, and its members agreed unanimously that Christchurch should be it. At the annual meeting in 1885 the club decided to change the meeting from May until the third or fourth week in July. It was not until 1891 that an August date was selected, an arrangement that has continued to this day. Name changed By then the Canterbury Jockey Club had succeeded the steeplechase club in staging the race. The C.J.C. took over in 1888, and witn the change in the controlling body came a change in the name of the race — from the New Zealand Grand National Handicap to the N.Z. Grand National Steeplechase Handicap. The distance of the first national was described as about three miles, but there were a number of contests at four miles. This continued until 1891 when it was changed to about three miles and a half. The last to win at three miles and a half was Enceeoh. The age of the metrics was ushered in last year, ; when Mess Time won over the unfamiliar 5600 metres.