Wet training for Grand National

Press, 17 March 1982, Page 36

Wet training for Grand National

NZPA staff correspondent

Very wet early spring conditions are upsetting the Grand National Steeplechase preparations for two of the New Zealand-bred hopefuls, Royal Stuart and Royal Mail. The stablemates were scheduled to have their final races before the April 3 Aintree Classic at Cheltenham this week but trainer Stan Mellor said earlier this week that heavy rain on Sunday and Monday meant that "both were doubtful starters.

Royal Mail is the least affected by the lack of racing.

. The 12-year-old gelding. Which finished third in the 1981 Grand National, showed his . readiness for Aintree, with a win over 5200 metres at Doncaster on March 1.

That performance shortened Royal Mail to 10 to one second favourite for the Grand National with British bookmakers. The chances of Royal Stuart, which fell at the twentieth jump while well-positioned in last year’s Grand National, appear more seriously threatened by the wet conditions.

The Bally Royal — Shamayra gelding picked up a virus in Sweden last June

and did not come up well in the (northern) autumn.

“The.conditions make it a real problem. He's looking well and I'm very pleased with his condition. But we don't know for sure whether he’s over the virus problem yet because he hasn’t really been asked the question," he said. New Zealand amateur jockey Dennis Gray, who will ride Royal Stuart in the Grand National, arrived in England on Sunday. The third of the New Zealandbred trio in this year's classic is Megan’s Boy.

The former New Zealand Grand ' National winner turned in a disappointing performance at Haydock earlier this month when he had to be pulled up in the Greenall Whitley Handicap. The horse could not handle the gluey footing and his jockey. Colin Tinkler, who had never ridden Megan’s Boy before, pulled him up believing he was about to break down. However, his trainer Ted Carter reported nothing wrong with Megan’s Bov after the race.