Thun fit to end ‘drought’ for favourites

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 19

Thun fit to end ‘drought’ for favourites

If, in some unfathomable way, Thun has any inkling of the 11-year gap since a favourite won a Grand National Steeplechase he did not show' it yesterday.

I He did strong work over jtwo rounds on an inside | grass at Riccarton yesterday. jThen he threw in an “extra,” dancing off the crossing on to the course proper. roughly in the direction of Hazlett’s, the fifth fence he will jump in today’s $15,500 race.

“He’s fresh." That, was the cryptic comment of 'Eric Temperton. a former jumping rider who since he took up training has added a formidable list of successes in cross-country and hurdle races, with a Melbourne Cup thrown in for good measure.

The connections of the El-lerslie-trained Baliymore are not on the list of those who have had fading hopes of victory since the arrival of steady rain on Thursday and yesterday morning.

“He’s a horse that will get every yard of the trip better than most on a heavy track,” Gary Ritchie said ,; es terday.

“He’s got a stayer’s chance in this ground. After all he ran third in the Northern this year, and there’s no Loch Linnhe to beat this time,” he said. Gary Ritchie trains Ballymore in partnership with his father Mervyn, who won the 1947 Grand National on Surpeen.

The junior partner does not remember anything of his father’s victory. “I was in the maternity home with my mother that day,” he said yesterday. Eight-year-olds have won three of the last four Grand Nationals, and Thun. Ballymore, and Sharzan should I fly the'flag bravely for those lof that age today. [ The youngest in the field, iat seven years, are Cobble O [and the Southland grey, Kilmore.

I Cobble O goes into the ] race with wins at his last two starts. Like Sharzan he is from the Robinson stable at Matangi, and with his pull of 12.5 kg in the weights he might not be the weaker representative at the end of 5600 m. Cobble O was taken out of the Enfield Steeples field on Thursday, but his stablemate Scenic Reserve remained in the field for that race yesterday. -

Scenic Reserve is unbeaten in two starts over country, but disappointed in two of his gallops this week.

[A blood count taken on jThursday did not show there was anything wrong with 'the five-year-old.