THE GRAND NATIONALS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 36, 11 August 1934, Page 23

THE GRAND NATIONALS

EFFECT OF ACCEPTANCE

ISSUES STILL VERY OPEN

Splendid acceptances have been received for all'events on the opening day of the C'.J.C. Grand National Meeting' next Tuesday, and the issues in the big treble, the Steeples and Winter Cup on Tuesday and the Hurdles on Thursday, are not one whit the easier to solve than they were at the first payment. The way of the t:arly selector has not been cleared to any appreciable extent, but there will be some consolation for them as a group in that few have been deprived of at least a runners' chance.

The excellent fiolds that have remained in the jumping events should supply an answer to those who are wont to question the plaue that racing in the Dominion'holds at present. In the Grand National Steeples the field is eleven strong, and its strength is qualitative as well as quantitative. In the recent Victorian Grand National Steeples, the biggest jumping item on the Australian calendar, there were only ten acceptors last month, and in today's Australian Steeples at Caulfleld there were only six. Similarly the .Grand National Hurdles acceptance of 10 compares more than favourably with the Victorian Grand National final payment of nine and last week's Australian Hurdles payment of twelve. The card of 27 for the Winter Cup must also make a satisfactory comparison with the best open races in Australia. THE STEEPLECHASE. Nothing has occurred since the first jiayment to cause any material change of opinion about the relative chances of horses in Tuesday's Grand National Steeplechase. The issue may bo reduced to four of the tunners—Billy Boy, Thurina and Callamart, and Valpeen, iv that order. / Billy Boy is what the haudicapper has declared him to be—the best steeplechaser in tho land. One could not fail to have been impressed with ' his Wellington Steeplechase win at Trentham last month, and he was an improved horse in appearance a week after that race. He is just ihe type of effortless jumper required tor a journey such as the National. He .takes the minimum out of himself at the fences, and he is still a fresh horse when the rest are tiring. He certainly looks to have a really first-class chance of repeating his Trentham-Riccarton double of two years Thurina and Callamart may be rated together. Probably the keen southern support for Thurina will make him the actual favourite in the race, but .Billy Boy, at only lib worse terms on the higher marks than at Trentham, will have the preference over him with many astute judges. This assessment between the pair may be made without consideration of the reports of Thurina's soreness, lor Thurina in the past has regularly produced his best despite the multiplicity ot such canards. Callamart's great hand lies in his stamina, one of the most necessary attributes in a National horse. Callamart won the two big steeples at Ellershe iifteeu months ago, and he showed improving form again iv the hurdle events he contested at Trentham last month. The allocation of the ride on him to tho stable's first jockey C. Thomson, instead of on Riotous, might also indicate tlio stable's preference, though it is of courso possible that trainer L. Knapp, who owns Riotous, felt duty bound to resign J. hornson to his patron. • Valpeen would liot be highly considered on his Wellington Steeplechase running, but his Auckland form • was better than 1 hat/ He has done good work since jtoing south and he may well prove a ditlcient horse over the Riccarton country from what he was at Trentham. Ho is a sate jumper possessed of fair pace and plenty of stamina, and one could not ask ipr more in a National horse. The rest of the field do not appeal particularly against those already mentioned. Riotous should be a good second leg for Callamart's stable, but the long distance is against a 'chaser who is so keen as he is. Qmnopal, Valves, and Peterette have •jumpers' chances, but Membo, TJmtali, and Barrington will require to improve on anything they have yet shown. THE WINTER CUP. • The most completely baffling puzzle among the big events is the Winter Cup. There are twenty-seven acceptors and nearly as many prospects. Within the relatively compressed margin .of weights from top to bottom it is hardly reasonable to look for a handicapper's tip, though there nevertheless does appear to be one or two. Weights, except in a few instances, <ma.y therefore be left out of consideration and attention concentrated on form and quality. In the category of performance and class four horses seem to stand out. They iive Vintage, Curie, Autopay, and Polyilora. The winner may be contained within this short enumeration. Autopay and Polydora have had no recent racing, but tioth are liable to be near their best first time up. Reports of setbacks may show some doubt on Polydora, but she is not nil easy horse to pass by, for she was a truly brilliant mare last spring. Vintage is a stable companion to Thurina, and it may be accepted that he has done all that has been required from him. Until last Saturday he had been in the money at every start, and at his last race prior to his spell he won the Dunedin Cup from Ventrac, whom he now is set to meet at 111b worse terms, though at lib better than last Saturday's terms. Last week he met interference in the running of the Brabazon, but he was then finishing on again in the bunch behind-the placed horses at the post. The race Should have done him a world of good, "and with L. G. Morris now in his saddle he should prove a much more redoubtable contender for the honours. On ■his past form he is a near champion, and on that he is here judged. Curie is solidity itself, and, although he was definitely just not quite good enough under his Trentham impost, a small improvement would win most mile races for him in the Dominion. In him one has to gamble simply on this slight improvement. ' ... Autopay is attractively handicapped, ■ but he is hardly co much so as to bo reaarded as a hatidieapper's tip. He has been improving every week lately, and* his indomitable determination will carry him a long ivay, if not right to the end, in next Tuesday's miler. Success for him would not totally surprise those who have been noting his day-to-day progress. If be races well he will leave almost immediately for Australia. Perhaps one horse who could be termed the handicappcr's tip is Some Shamble. He reappeared after a spell to rim art excellent fifth in last Saturday's race, and at his start prior to that ho ran second to Davolo over nine furlongs at Amberley in April, than conceding 221b to his victor. Now the difference is 101b the other way, and if Davolo has a chance imxt Tuesday what a chance Some Shamble nnist have. The only gamble is whether Ihe only trace last week has brought him back to concert pitch. In the Brabazon Davolo certainly cdneeded him 16lb and beat him home, but one was n fit horse in form and the other patently required a race. The rest of the field has been dealt with seriatim previously. In the next group might be placed Davolo, Bay Tree, Ventrac. Great Star, and Giggleswick. Few would care to deny any of them a royal chance. A further group must include Southdown, Water .Power, Prince Val, Palermo, Limbohm, Haulbowline, and Passion Fruit. Some may wish to go oven further and search for an outsiderTiger Gain and Lady Spy are a pair who may be offered to them. THE HURDLES ISSUE. AH the information in the payments for the Grand National Hurdles has been more or less negative. The early favourites btill remain in tlie vace and only some of the rubbish has been removed out of the way. For this race tlie result* df Tuesday's Trial Hurdles and Jumpers' Vlat may have 'somothins to tell. But not about Rnsouli, who will not be slopped nut. till Thursday.

T?asouli> Trnntham fonri must keep him in -lli'! post ot prt'-race ftivtmritcw. His.

'performances: last month were brilliant efforts, and he is still nicely placed in tho weights, for he is a big horse whom the lift to 10.4 should not materially incommode. Trentham form nevertheless has a habit of breaking down at Riccarton. and this offers out a hope for those seeking- out something to beat Rasouli. 'Two such horses who have lately been performing with great attraction are Inviotns and Royal Lineage, and they may reach their peak next week. Both are capable jumpers and there is nothing to suggest that they may not stay the National distauce.' Invictus's exhibition at tlio Manawatu Sleeting a. fortnight ugo was particularly pleasing, and those who know him best set great confidence in him.

Palm is another who has been in firm deriiand since his second to Rasouli at Trentham at 171b worse than nest week's terms, but one remembers that he has repeatedly just not been quite good enough. Arcade, last week's winner of the Longbeach Hurdles, has a vastly augmented following, but he will need to be just as vastly improved to lead home the National field. Among others who are finding present favour are the Henry 61 Navarre-Blacksmith bracket, Cargen, Constant *Sun; Esteem, Huntique, and Transact. '