Chumson should add to his fine record

Press, 26 August 1977, Page 19

Chumson should add to his fine record

Special Correspondent ,1 Auckland [ Chumson has achieved al-[ ready these last three months sufficient to be rated ' one of the best steeplecha- I sers produced in New Zea- .' land and he has a chance in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup at/ Ellerslie tomorrow to round . off his year with another ( rich jumping prize. Chumson's stake earnings •' in seven steeplechases since , the end of May are a re-; markable $32,375, the result . of six wins. He has won for his owners, as well, five ■ trophies valued collectively i at $2lOO. And if he is sue-j cessful again tomorrow he ’ will gather a further $6500! and another trophy, this' time worth $2OO. Except for the Great/ Northern in which he did ( not start, Chumson has to his credit this year each of. l the big steeplechases — Wellington, Manawatu.r Bay and Grand

National. The only blemish on his record is the spill 1 which he took in the I Homeby Steeplechase at Riccarton. j Just turned six years old. so young still as jumpers go. Chumson started his run of successes at Rotorua on May 28 with an easy win in the Lakelands Steeplechase. On the second day of the Auckland winter meeting, when they run the Great Northern, he won the Ta maki Steeplechase. The; Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay. Wellington and Grand National Steeples followed. With such a record Chumson could be regarded as a bit lucky getting in the Hunt Cup with no more than 69kg. Hi There carried the same weight in 1967 and 'won by twelve lengths. Almost a no-hoper on the .flat, Chumson has shown [himself well able to ntam I tain the strongest steeple chasing pace. His lumping is

nearly always thoroughly tradesmanlike and to win the Grand National as easily as he did, by 10 lengths, he had to be a real stayer. Ascona, with 61kg, Little' Rebel (60.5 kg and Town [ Clerk (69kg) seem too close to Chumson to provide him [with much opposition. A better prospect might be Lucanus a seven year-old gelding with experience al-, ready of the Ellerslie country and sound recent form. Last time Lucanus won by 20 leng'hs in a steeplechase at Matamata on August 12. It was a margin that flattered him. as Turoa fell when alongside at the last jump Lucanus would probably have won in any case. [ As well as jumping safely .he made much of the running so his performance was altogether meritorious. COURSE WINNER j He was a winner during the Great Northern meetuu.

over 4150 m and gives the impression of being able to manage well enough the ■ 4900rn he is required to go tomorrow. Lord Grey is a last-start winner. Ragamuffin Man and Supple Jack are others which have been racing well sc the field is strong, in . keeping with such a handI some stake. Equally interesting are the. races of th" double, the Jellicoe Handicap and the Admiralty Handicap. The Jelltcoe, over 1600 m. .'is full of possibilities. Inky's Gold and Wanbin I are among those in the top part of the field and the, likely light-weights include Indian Ruler. Pherostan. Korbel, and Satin Doll. Indian Ruler won over 1600 m at the Great Northern meeting. His form thenl [suffered a lapse but it recov[ered when he Finished fourth last time over 2200 m at El' on Auau»l 17«