ROYAL LIMOND FOR HUNTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 50, 27 August 1938, Page 22

ROYAL LIMOND FOR HUNTS

Although many overtures were mad to purchase Royal Limond at th Grand National Meeting, his ownei Mr. A. Syme, did not feel disposed t sell this disappointing jumper, and h was given away for use as a hack. I present intentions are adhered to h will not be seen out again at totalise tor meetings, and his future will b confined to point-to-point steeplechases Bred by Mr. G. M. Currie, at th Koatanui Stud, Royal Limond is b; Limond from Royal Exchange, and a a yearling Mr. J. M. Samson paid 40 guineas for him. He had one start a a two-year-old. The following seasoi he was placed several times, also a four years, prior to scoring his first wii in a highweight at Riverton. At fiv years he won two similar events a the Dunedin Summer Meeting, and oi the same course, in June, he won th Otago Hurdles, his first jumping race He was unplaced in his only start as ; six-year-old, after which he was pui chased by Mr. A. Syme, of Chrisi church, at a modest price. His firs return for his new owner was third i] the Sydenham Hurdles, at the Gram National Meeting, and his only wii that season was in the June Hurdles at Wingatui. At eight years he was again placet in the Sydenham Hurdles. In th autumn that season his trainer, Di O'Connor, started to educate him ove country, and he competed as a steeple chaser at Riverton, being second ii the Great Western, followed by a wij in the Riverton Steeplechase. On j trip to the North Island, he was placet four times before he reached Elierslie where he won the Great Northern am ran third in the Winter Steeplechase In the following autumn he was bad at Riverton, to run third in the Grea Western and win on the other twi days. On a trip to Auckland, he wa third in the Great Northern Hurdles returning south to be third in th' Otago Steeplechase. Two years ago hi won the Grand National Steeplechase in the hands of R. Beale, but he earne< no further distinction until a yea later, when he was third in the Beau fort. It was unfortunate that, though s good jumper, Royal Limond had ac quired the habit of running off. A change, of quarters was decided on, anc after his last spell he was sent tc Awapuni, where he had Alan McDon aid as his pilot in his work, as wel as in his races. Gradually, however, i became apparent that he had taken c dislike to racing, as shown by his tendency to shirk' fences, and after he had run off in the Grand Nationa: last week, at the brush at the top oJ the straight, his retirement was d& sided on. In spite of many disappointments in the later portion of his career, Mr. A Syme had a full measure of success with Royal Limond. He is fond oi jumpers and probably he will be on the look-out for something to take the olace of his old favourite.