BILLY BOY AND KENNELS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1933, Page 4

BILLY BOY AND KENNELS

The mentality of a thoroughbred is probably very much .less'complex than the old ■stories would like toliavc one believe, still it is undoubted that a.horse possesses at least the rudiments of a memory. Hilly Boy took a veal dislike^to' the towering green first fence, .of the Kennels double at liiccarton last yeiir, . and his refusal to jump it yesterday, the. first' time he has seen it since would vindicate that he has not forgotten it—or, at least, a big green thing with a. wide'ditch"-in front of it. It will be remembered1 how, after-win-ning the '..Wellington Steeplechase' twelve months ago, Billy Bpyvwcntulown to take his final .schooling" lessons for the Grand National at Kicclirtojn, but, to the surprise of everybody, including his trainer and his rider, would have nothing whatever to do with the Kennels. So persisted t was his refusal to jump the first fence that lie went right out of favour for.the National, ami on the day he was only a moderate fourth selection on the machine. It will be remembered, too, how in the race he made no ado whatever about the fence, jumping, it cleanly and without hesitation both times round, and actually winning ground on the loaders the final timel.' It is also a recorded fact how he then came on and won at a really good price. .'He-came out again in the Lincoln Steeples on tlio last day, and the -first time round he jumped the Kennels, as well as the rest. The second time round he ngnin jumped the first of the Kennels; but hi.-? new rider (YV. Kennie) was working too anxiously on him, and be tipped out at the second of the double—but not through any balking. Whatever Billy Boy vaguely thinks about that Kennels he apparently does, not remember it when the race is on.' There must be something foreboding about it for him,, perhaps a weak line of association back- to something that has happened' in his past, but the chain is so weak that the exhilaration of a race with colours up is sufficient to suppr.ess.it. ,