Top N.Z. jumper injures jaw in Grand National fall

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 28

Top N.Z. jumper injures jaw in Grand National fall

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney The well-performed New Zealand jumper, Jean Rapier, has a swollen jaw after his fall in the Grand National Hurdles at Flemington on Saturday and is in doubt for his other main target, the Grand National Steeplechase, next week. His trainer, Graeme Rogerson, said yesterday that the Rapier II gelding had been ahead of the eventual winner, Zama Lad, when he fell at the second to last fence, and could have won barring the accident. “Well have to have a look at the jaw later and see how he is before deciding about the steeples,” he said. “He also had a bit of

difficulty adjusting to the little hurdles.” The winner of the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie on June 4 by a consummate 12 lengths, Jean Rapier had previously shown his fitness with a solid second over 2600 m on the flat at Moonee Valley the previous Saturday. The race proved a disappointment for another top New Zealand hope, Airmond, which, as expected, found the heavy track not to his liking. The 10-year-old, which won the race twice in the last three years, went out topweight with 69kg, and the combination proved too much for him after leading for a good part of the journey. Airmond had to carry 9kg

more than he carried to victory in 1980, and 3kg more than last year’s win. On Saturday, he gave away 2.5 kg to the equal favourite, Junior’s Boy, which finished second.

The winner, the Zamazaan gelding, Zama Lad, cleared out with the 4800 m feature, outjumping and outstaying his seven rivals with ease.

He was six lengths off the lead at the turn and went past Jean Rapier when the New Zealander fell, before setting out after Junior’s Boy and beating him by two lengths and a half. The local gelding, Deschanel, was third, with another local, Fairway Mist, fourth, while Airmond was followed home by the Ran-

gong gelding, Lord Marcellus. Another New Zealandbred, the Silver Knight gelding, Rouge Knight, was pulled up.

The New Zealand contingent had another lean time in the other marathon jumping race, the Crisp Steeplechase, when Mr Hickey could manage only a fourth, and the New Zealand jockey, Stephen Jenkins, parted company with Headford, racing in Australia as Headford Town. The 3900 m race was won by the Imperialist gelding, Diwali, which cruised to a 16-length victory. Mr Hickey showed plenty of pace until 400 m out, then weakened to come home 25 lengths from the winner.