"HILL" 'AT ELLERSLIE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1934, Page 8

"HILL" 'AT ELLERSLIE

ONLY IN STEEPLES COURSE

Despite the fame of the Elleiblic couise there are many spoitsmen at this end of tho Xoith Island who ha.\e not witnessed lacing theie jn the winter, and hence it is not leally suipnsing that there should be doubt in the minds o£ 6ome about the natuie of the cucuits o^er which the huidleis and 'chasers will tia\el this coming weekend A dispute has even had to be settled during the past couple of dajs about whethci the huidleis go oiei'the "hill" m their 2%-niile Great Northern tup. It may be stated at once that the "hjll" is included only in the steeplechase circuit, the hurdlers keeping to the course^propei. The Great Northern Hurdles is run over 2%' miles and ten flights of hurdles—not the bash-and-flatten type ;that is rather too generally prevalent, but solid fences nearly as hard to jump as the country, and fences too that must be cleared and not risked. A mistake over the hurdles at Ellerslie usually spells the end of a horse's chance, even if he should not actually fall, for one bang is sufficient to take the heart out of even the toughest jumping thoroughbred. ' ' . The course at Ellerslie is the reverse w;ay round, and: it ■is nine furlongs in circumference, a long near oval, 'with the wideiend the. sweeping turn to the straight, which is just over two furlongs in; length. ; The Great Northern Hurdles starts-near the top of the straight, and the twp:furlong, run to the post and two complete'circuits afterwards makes up the full: hurdles' journey." : . The steeplechase course,, except for just over two furlongs''along the back each time,' rand the:<fmaT run home down the straight; ;is entirely ■ 'distinct-• from the course. proper, on' which the hurdles is contested.■ ■.-.'.•■• •''■.... ..■■■■' ■ . • .-.':.■■ .The Great Northern^ Steeplechase, 3% miles, starts at the entrance to. the: back stretch, near the Eeven-ifurlongs (or two-' mile) post on the course proper. '."'/Theinitial obstacle (a brush)iis a furlong away; and the second (another brush) less-than a furlong further on., "A short run then: leads off the course proper to the' ascent of ;the' hill. . On top- of- the hill there is'-an'undulating stretch 'of about a- furlong,''with two •pPst-and-rail fences to be ct'o'ssed,"separated; by' half a-furlong. An-other-run of"<about:a furlong and a half take&the-hprses^dbwntbe hill to a stone w;all, >and;. then,- foll'pwv.-a sod track, the w;ater;,ijump brush double (secondi-time)/.another stone wall, andr-a brush wattle 'fence, ;; This;series of, jumps is ,;across the .inside 6f ..the,:course, -and .the: bfusli"■•.••Hrat;t■le:^c6pplet'es;.■t^e..'icifc'^'i;t;■i. Twoj complete circuits (roughly, about'-il furlpncs-'each); a; thirct::time oyet the hilland. thejliom'e,;run . "down" tliel '■' straight make the full .course. "."';■ : ■ ■■'*■', ' ■'•■•■ .In all there are twenty-five obstacles; to be crossed, and a further; publication' of their nature, as follows/ may be of in--terest:—' ■ '" " "-.:•'■■—r^ ~~ -■--,— Firsts jump i. Brush-, fence, .3ft;. loin.; , : ? Second >jupiipr;Brush^h.urdle,^3ft-101n.. vv Third jump:« PoStran(J-'riilt';fencc;-3ft Sin,' with ; <.'-.liedgo'-itft: Clnvat'back :(topof MM): ■■,■■■■ : Fourth'; jump: ■Postr-and-rail fence, 3ft Bin. wltii. ■<.-"•' -llva'hedge 4ft:S4inVatback, (alsoat;top'.;of: ' ■r-.hnoV'.'- ■'*■-"- • '■--■:■ "?'-■ • "■':■' "■■'■ -'• '•■-.■■' '■■:■:;--.v-.:v.----;Fifth liumpa Stohe< Vfa}l, wlth.turf. on top, 3ft ';.'-.i'lOlniCbottorii-of hPDiVsv ■■'■;■ :>; - ~„ Sixth jump: Sod bank,5 3fffin, with live hedge ,'i'-';fon'.'takcroiri'side.:>.:!.>->,:^,::j! 'i ,„„■■■ %;M--i "Soyeritlt jump :'Water jump>' 10ft'wide, -with '•'■■•' live hedgeMft liigh.in:front. . . ' v.-.r: .Eighth"Jump? ■Stone.•:wall/-3ft.-Sin1,: with';iturf -*- ,-.: Qn. tOJ)'.'>; i • ..- '.;'■''.^ ■'{£ ;'-•'■'■.'■ ' ■>• -'■ '-"..- 5^~5;' VsJ»''SKlntlisiuinpiJißrush ,■ Tuittle' fence", 3ft lOin'^with" V;¥ Uye'^edgc 4ft:-Cta atijack. ''-.•'.•■ v^.'1;*-?''"'? •Tcnthiiio flftbehtW jump>:..Same":a*'lsrst-to-js-.-^'»!itn.^^*ii-^'>.:';.V 5vS; ,*5-'s- ■ m-'p '•■■- "Sixteenth'■>jumpr First of double, brush: fence, ii,3neHHa. :>h:-: -n- >;-'--.;5 ■'..; $&.'.■■ ■■ ■• SoTcntcraithSjump: Second of doublej'poßt-and-|i rail> 3ft Tin, .wifh hedge on take-ofT side> EighteentH Jt6'.sfwentiffourtlil jumps:ijSame.'.as Jr. eighth to "fourteenth. ■■}. ' , v . '•'/'■■" .Tvrant3-flfth-jump':ißriish hurdle, 3ft Sin, in ;j:.: ■straight: ab.oul;-r;.ono furlong and'f;a half •»;.-■ from'winnjnß post.,' .•■>•• ■;.-<£..? ■.■.--'j-j. 'The^descriptiori'of these fences does not' point to vtheir; bei.tig. as severeya test as; tliPse^at iEjccartpn', butvone'-has'to-reV member th&'hill;/.three times over, which* must take a:lot oiit,of a. horse,: especially with./those two; foreboding post-and^rails' at?the- tdp. ■.His because :pf• ,this,;bit;,'bf' mountaineering to-be accomplished'";that■ a -.horse not overlarge;- such as Dick .was;arid more-LrccentlyjAivrora Borealis,: Mas? •ter^liu;IGope/hand;'^allaJnar,tl';'has;an:-en-.:1Gope/hand;'^allaJnar,t l ';'has;an:-en-.: .hanccd chance'.a^'^j.re^U^'^ijSra'Keup 'w'afe dtl^cr horse:^h^ is^npt:b]irer)sUffi«ied'witt size. '-. It:'-'-fev^;i?.^?rft^''':-P^V"''P6verthe'ies's that,, fsuch ■ r';^oMeß-Vcan: '--Jtop^'-b,oldlyva'jii^ cleanly-. Big horses-have won over' the Ellerslie country, but, all else being- equal) they are better favoured when a shorter distance cuts/out "one of the hill crpss-'y}ss^J~7:'-t-"' "" ". ''.::.';!. *: