TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 13

TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

Wanganui nominations are not due til] the end of the month.

There are 21 fences to be negotiated in the Grand National Steeplechase on Tuesday. *

Though H.H. the Aga Khan is having a very lean season in England, his son, Prince Aly Khan, was eighth on the winning owners' list after the Ascot Meeting had been concluded.

Yours Truly's going sore on the eve of the Grand National Meeting is bad luck for his connections, as in |iirnself he was otherwise a very fit horse.

No horse under seven years has ever won the Grand National Hurdles, but there have been twelve of this age who have succeeded. At the other end of the scale, two 12-year-olds, Sir Solo. and Gladful, have been successful.

It was intended to race Airam at the Grand National Meeting, but owing to her preparation having been hampered by heavy.tracks in the north, the trip has been abandoned.

Hunting Bee, who was trained for a time at Trentham prior to her sale at the dispersal of the late Mr. W. Higgins's horses last month, has been recording best figures of the morning over short courses at Ellerslie recently.

The mare Asset, by Paper Money from Lucinda, has arrived from the South Island, and will be mated With Safari, who is now located at T. P. Grimmond's stud at Otahuhu.

The English horseman Sam Heapy continues to put the other World'sveteran jockeys in the shade. Fiftyseven years of age, he continues riding in Belgium, and recently increased his total of wins to 3100.

'M. Caddy has been engaged to ride Nightcalm in the Winter Cup. A. E. Ellis, who piloted him in his success last Saturday, will be on Dictate next week. A. Jenkins, who rode Slayer in the Homeby Steeplechase, will again have the mount in the Grand National.

L. J. Ellis, who has been attending track work at Riccarton this week as an onlooker, is recovering gradually from his eye trouble but is unable to say yet how soon he will be able to resume riding, though there seems no chance of his being in the saddle next week. So far as Australian spring engagements are concerned, it is too early to offer definite opinions.