Nine from North in Grand National Steeples field

Press, 2 August 1977, Page 22

Nine from North in Grand National Steeples field

A prediction that there might be as many as 15 runners in this year’s Grand National Steeplechase was very close to the mark. When acceptances closed yesterday 14 of the country’s top ’chasers were left in the field for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s $15,500 feature race for jumpers at Riccarton next Saturday.

As usual there will be a strong contingent from the north seeking National honours. North Island trainers will saddle nine runners and all but Oh Brother are weighted above the 57 kilogram minimum.

Notable among them is Chumson, the winner of five of his last six races over country this winter, including the Hawke’s Bay and (Wellington Steeplechases. The brilliant ’chaser, from Awapuni, will carry topweight of 64.5 kg, one kilogram more than the Ma-tangi-trained Sharzan, one of the casualties in last year’s National. Glandovey- will be a strong second string for Awapuni stables. This stablemate of last year’s winner, Thun, marked up his third consecutive second when he chased Trell home in last Saturday’s Homeby Steeples. Glandovey comes in with :60.5kg, one kilogram more than Matamata’s Ben Lander, the winner of three of his last four starts over country — his sequence came to an end with a third at Te Awamutu last Saturday — and the Pukekohetrained Little Rebel. The top-rated southern jumper is Washdyke’s Terex, la respectable fourth after ( pacemaking in last Saturday’s Homeby. He has 58.5 kg, the same as the Mar-ton-trained Trocar and Cambridge’s Purdo, minor placegetters at Riccarton and Te Awamutu respectively last week-end. and one kilogram less than the Matamata- ; trained Kaufmann, the run- ' ner-up to Ascona in the Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie in June. The Grand National (Steeplechase will be the first (leg of the T.A.B. concession (double. The second leg of this double will be the Winter Cup which has attracted a field of 18.

; Although the Washdyketrained Scotch William, last ! Saturday’s Brabazon Handii cap winner, and the Winga-tui-trained Candyboy, a fast-finishing third in the same race, will probably be regarded as the south’s brightest hopes none will have stronger backing in this $13,000 event than Inky’s Gold and Ragham, two talented metric-milers among the nine northerners in the field. There will be a treble for course patrons only on the Trial Hurdles, the Cashmere Plate and the Sydenham Hurdles and an on-course concession double on the Avonhead and Paparua Handicaps. There will be quinella betting on all races. Acceptances for Grand National Steeplechase Day are:—

11 am— TRIAL HURDLES $2200; 3000 m. Celsius 116) .. 64.5 Lauron <l4> .. 62.0 Macauley (3) .. .. 61.5 Dark River (6) .. .. 61.0 Peter Rose 14) .. .. 59.5 Commonwealth <9l .. .. 59.0 Greek Prince <ll .. .. 59.0 Anthracite (15) .. .. 58.0 Gate Man (5) •. . ■ 58.0’ Arrochar (13) .. .. 57.5 Sudden Change (2) .. .. 57.5 Bally Lucky (8) .. .. 57.0 Caramea Lad (7) .. .. 57.0 Fond Sir (10) .. .. 57.0 Greenhide Bill (11) .. 57.0 Lead The Way (12) .. ■■ 57.0 11.40 a.m.— ENFIELD STEEPLECHASE $2500; 4000 m. Cheeky Fella (6) .. 62.0 Editor (1) 60.5 Lebanon (7) 59.5

Paulborough (4) .. 58.0 Young Command (2) .. 58.0 Easter Hero (5) 57.5 Bengazee (8) .. .. 57.0 > Sassafras (3) 57.0 ) j 12.20 p.m.— } CASHMERE PLATE ) $1800; three-y ear-olds; 1400 m. I Dual (13) .. .. 58.0 Greek Magic 'l2j .. 57.0 • Catastrophe (It .. .. 56.5 Celbray (4) 56.0 LT Cossack 18) .. .. 53.5 Jaws (5) .. .. 52.0 ( Major McCann (11) .. .. 515 > Allamond (9> .. 51.0 i Colonel Proctor (10) .. 51.0 Da’.wood (3) .. .. 51.0 Dimity Gae (7,» .. .. 51.0 Rpddie Readv (6) .. .. 51.0 Taurus (2) 51.0 1 p.m.— SYDENHAM HURDLES L $3350; 3200 m. Royal Mail (9) .. .. 67.0 Koiro Scott (2) .. 64.0 Show Beau (6) .. .. 63.0 Charge- (1) .. .. 62.5 Sheikle <4i 62.0 Ripbang (3) .; .. 61.5 Captain General (8) .. .. 61.0 Grogan (7) .. .. 60.5 Blazing Peak (5) .. .. 57.3 1.50 p.m— NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE $15,300; about 5600 m. Chumson (13) .. 64.5 Sharzan (7) 63.0 Glandovey (1) .. .. 60.5 Ben Lander (12) .. .. 59.5 Little Rebel (10) .. .. 59.5 Kaufmann (2) .. .. 59.0 Purdo (11) 58.3 Terex (6> 58.5 Trocar (14) 58.5 Blason (8) .. .. 58.0 Bronze Boy (9> .. .. 58.0 Brobon (3) .. .. 57.5 Oh Brother (4) .. .. 57.0 Trell <5) 57.0 2.30 p.m— AKAROA HANDICAP $1700; about 1400 m. Leopard (3) 57.0 Moutere Gold (9) .. • 55.5 Rockford (19) .. •• 55.5 Fulbak <6l .. ■ ■ 55.0 i Gold Horizon (13) .. .. 55.0 i Bacchus H2) .. .. 54.5! Regal Jester (20) .. .. 54.5 Sokani (18) .. . • 54.5 ! Sparrowhawk (8) .. .. 54.5 Chasland (17) 54.0 I Jan's Lady (a) . • • • 54.0 Khurasan (4) 54.0

Our Jet <10) 54.0 Selector (1) .. .. 54.0 Allez Rouge (14) .. .. 53.5 Bacharaeh (2) .. 53.5 Phileas Fogg (ID .. 53.5 Questo Tempo ,15) 53.5 Balloted out in order of reentry: Najeeb (16) / . 53.01 Town and Country (7) .. 53.0' 3.15 p.m— WINTER CUP $13,000; about 1600 m. | Inky’s Gold (3) 59.5 Ragham (14) 35.0 Gotta Go (9) 53.5 Caruba (5) 52.5 Candyboy (7) .. .. 52.0 Flash Affair (17) .. .. 52.0 Charlson <6l 51.5 Battle Joy (10) .. .. 51.0 Alwick ill) 50.0 Antinuos fl2> .. .. 30.0 Azenui (4) .. .. 50.0 Beau Chevalier (1) .. .. 50.0 Diamond Pal (15) .. .. 50.0 Divine Cloud (8) . .. 50.0 Heckle’s Choice (16) ■■ 50.0 Robanna (2) 50.0 Run True 'l3> .. .. 50.0 Scotch William (18) .. 50.0 3.55 p.m— AVONHEAD HANDICAP $l7OO. 1600 m. Persian Bard (13) . 57.0 Arapeta (14) 56.0 Mt Aorang! (1) .. .. 65.5 Flash It >l2l 54.5 Red Demon >8) .. .. 54.5 Tantallon (6) $4.5 Jolt (9) 54.0 Peak Mellay <2) .. . • 53.5 Jet Ahead (3) 53.0 Melaka <4> .. .. 53.0 Stoney Topaz <10) .. .. 52.0 Flight Master (7) .. .. 51.5 Motaway (5> ... .. .. 51.5 Bactrim (11) 51.0 4.35 p.m—

PAPARUA HANDICAP $3025, 1400 m.

Royal Dell (3) 56.5 Eros (13) 53.0 Country View (1) .. 52.0 Bucenhall (16) ■ ■ • • 51.5 Alfee (9) 51.0 Antinous (8) 51.0 Arcello (14> .. 51.0 Augustine (10) .. . • 51.0 Bennelong (6) •. 51.0 Cockatoo >18) SLO Fleetwood Mac (12) •• 51.0 Lazy Loot (4) 51.0 Mace (17) .. 51.0 Rocky Leigh (11) .. ■■ 51.0 Rosearna (15) . • •• 51.01 Slade (2) 51.0 Stvilsh Sovereign (7) . 51.0 Zebak (5) 51.0