Thun fit, fast, strong, clever enough to win National

Press, 6 August 1976, Page 1 (Supplement)

Thun fit, fast, strong, clever enough to win National

The approach to the Grand National Steeplechase renders most pre-race calculations dependent upon whether the horse of your fancy can be sound, fit, fast, brave, clever, and lucky on the first Saturday of August. Thun has the inbuilt qualities to meet all the demands of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s great race, and if he has luck as well he could preserve his unbeaten crosscountry record in the big one at Riccarton tomorrow.

Thun had the speed to win at two years, then to go

By

J. J. Boyle

on and perform successfully in open flat handicaps. And he has since employed his stamina and speed rewarding!/ against New Zealand’s top hurdlers . He ran out of luck when brought down in the Grand National Hurdles last year but his skilful Awapuni trainer, Eric Temperton, will gladly settle for the richest prize ever offered in a New Zealand steeplechase as compensation tomorrow. An eight-year-old by Fondu, son of the late Sir Stanley Goosman’s talented' Balloch horse Tauloeh, Thun was embarked on his crosscountry career as recently as July 24, when he won the Manawatu Hunt Cup. Last Saturday he won the Christchurch Hunt’s Homeby with some authority. As was t"> be expected of the charge; of one of New Zealand’s; most distinguished jumping mentors, Thun jumped at all; times competently and with I gathering confidence; and he had the turn of foot to shake off the attentions of the best of his rivals. Thun has 61kg. the weight also carried to victors bv the Temperton-trained Mess 1 Time in the National three years ago. He is skg below Idunn>>. which will be attempting to close a long gap in the records of Wellington Steeples winners in tb< National. CHANGED SITUATION | The last to win :' ■ 11 ing t o n-Grand N e <>nal double in one vear wa* Isprtng Fair, in 195 b

The Wellington Steeplechase is now a race of a different character. Trentham’s figure-eight course now makes entirely different demands on the ’chasers and often places the old brand of stayer at a disadvantage. In such a situation quite heavy demands are going to be placed on Idunno’s versatility tomorrow, and the 10-year-old from Te Kuiti will be a worthy winner indeed if he can meet the demands of a more orthodox test and give weight all round. Hawke’s Bay Steeples winners have come out of the Grand National with better records than the Trentham stars in the last 20 years, l.inred and Robert Earl both won the Hawke’s Bay-National double. Sir Stanley will be attempting to lengthen the list this year. Sir Stanley was never a real contender when Idunno .pplied the pressure in the Wellington Steeples, but Ric- | carton might “fit” the veteran better, I Sharzan, Thornhill, and IBlason, the closest to Thun I in the Homeby last week, could not find the speed at I the end of 4000 m to trouble the Awapuni gelding, but ■each of them should come out of the longer race to- . morrow with credit. I Mason, it is felt, w ill have found enough improvement (from his Homeby run to fly the flag bravely for the i south. MATANGI PAIR The powerful Robinson stable from Matangi, which captured the 1955 National with Treasure Ring, and last ivears with Fumbler. will probably put froth Sharzan and ( obble O into the field Leo Robinson describes his Sharzan as “just a useful He also part-owner of

Cobble O, which like Fumbler goes info the National w'ith a winning background from minor jumping races. Like last year’s Grand National winner, Cobble O has carried off the Christchurch Hunt’s Westenra Cup in his first test over Riccarton.

From his place on the minimum Cobble O might be in no way inferior to Sharazan, which has 5.5 kg more. Thornhill’s jumping at his first try over Riccarton was reassuring, and he is also at a place in the weights to give those in the lop part of the handicap plenty to do in the final pinch. A victory for Ballymore would come as a surprise after his distant fifth in the Homeby.

He showed dogged staying qualities for a third in the Great Northern, but he might have to bow out here for want of a turn of speed.