AT THE GRAND NATIONAL

Evening Star, Issue 13032, 17 August 1908, Page 7

AT THE GRAND NATIONAL

TUESDAY’S AND THURSDAY’S RACING, TBt Cun Owsr RepmtTKß.) Stormont, winner of the Grand National Hurdle Race, came South originally through the agency bf Stuart Waddell, who, being commissioned by Mr Tom Kett to buy a docent hurdler if he saw one, selected the Apremont—Atholine gelding. Mr Kett eventually sold Stormont to Mr Flaneur for £IOO, and the horse was then seriously schooled, with the result that he won the double at Wingatui in June, and has *ow captured the chief hurdle-racing prize An th© Dominion. He won the race by merit. The explanation of his success is that bo leaped superbly and very easily, whilst the fast, converted flat racers, such as Paritntu and Scotty, had to make an effort at every flight, and thus tired themselves out by the time they reached the foot of tho straight. If the race were run again Stormont would bo favorite. Jarvis rode probably the race of his life, and he deserves much credit, also for tho condition in which he brought Stormont to the ]x>st. AH the same, I fancy that further improvement is possible. In time Stormont can bo made more muscular. Holding that opinion, I reckon that if ho trains on be will one of these days put up even a better performance—one in which he trill be carrying a bit of weight. Scotty was a bit lamo when he pulled up after tho National Hurdles. In tho opinion of many who were at the meeting. Aorangi is a coming hurdler. Ghoorkn, on the other hand, is freely criticised in his new role. Ho is, at any rate, tho greenest of the green as yet. Stormont’s time is the .econd fastest yet made in the National Hurdles, phrapae! holds the record. Percy Johnston undertook, a big task in titling top-weight in tw > races in succession on tno second day. Re was up on I'aritutu in the National Hurdles, and had to drive this horse along, and then he almost at once weighed out for Kaitere in the Beaufort Steeplechase. Such a day’s work must make a stiff tax on a jockey's physique, especially after a spill on the first dayNevertheless, I do not suggest that it was Johnston’s fault that Kaiotere lost the Beaufort Steeplcchafc. My opinion, given lor what it is worth, is that Kiatere had a severe gruelling in the National, and time could not in tno Beaufort call up tnat bit of brilliancy that was required to finish with Gold Seal. This same Gold Seal is a rising star, and may develop into one of our really good steeplechasers. Though one of the outsiders in the Grand National, carrying Uss totalis a tor money than anything else in tire race bar Storm, he wa- a ,uiet tip amongst good judges, and I think he was backed pretty well away fain the course. It was a sterling penorinance on Gold Seal’s part to -win the B. uuort, because that race was a te«t of speed and Jen] ing as well, and a hnisn was necessary. At one stage of this race, as tho horses passed the stand. Gold Seal made a faulty jump, and bounced Rangl Tomoana out of the saddle on to the horse’s neck, but the lad effected a clever recovery, and thereafter neither horse nor rider made any mistake. The Beaufort was one of the prettiest steeplechases ever seen, for the horses were mostly in procession, and they all jumped well till Tilson came down at the last nbstacle. As they streamed over the doubles they looked like a glittering ribbon in motion.

One hardly knows what to say about turns. Ho won the Grand National Steeplechase on the point of staying, and then failed to live to the end of the mile shorter journey on the second day. Certainly he was put up 201b for his National win, but that did not prevent him from securing a good position towards the end of the Beaufort Steeplechase—iu fact, he began to look dangerous at the same spot in each ©vent—viz., between the five and . four-furlong posts. Thinking it all out, I decline to accept his form in the Beaufort as true. Why it was not true I cannot say. If there is any explanation, the public do not know of it. Nadador ran disappointingly on the second clay. Most of those who saw the Grand National, and watched the rapidity of the run she commenced from the sixfurlong mark, and noted how she wtfs catching the leaders up to the moment when a collision with Starlight brought her down, picked her as a really good thing for the Beaufort on the second day, but she never looked dangerous. As for the other chasers, Le Beau ran disappointingly on the’ second day after making a good show in the National, and on present form I would far sooner trust to that solid-looking customer Pilot, who, though only classed as a hunter, would probably have made a good show had his owner chosen to race him in open company. Albury also jumped well—nothing better —but he lacks speed for a finish. Janella is another good jumper, and I think we shall find Deerslayer improve, whilst they tell me that Pacific may win a leaping race before long. Four of the flat racers that showed firstclass condition were Penates, Motoa, Simplex, and Wailethc. Penates won the Winter Cnp by speeding up to Motoa at the finish, and on the second day he won the August Handicap by stalling off Motoa’s cballange. So that he beat Motoa both ways. All the same, it was Motoa’s astonishing run in the August Handicap that' most impressed the onlookers. The judge is reported to have said that in another two strides Penates would have been neither first nor second in this race—that Motoa would have been first and Simplex second. Perhaps the judge did not say this. If not, I say it for him. And in saying it I would add that it would have been no disgrace to Penates had he been so beaten. Motoa is a wonderful finisher. When he got clear and commenced his run he seemed to be essaying the impossible. Wailethe’s luck in the Islington Handicap was simply abominable. She and another got left many lengths, the mare last of the left two, and she never found an opening till well in the straight, when she dashed past the beaten horses and nearly caught Chief Lochiel on the post. The owner of Penates, by the way, remembered the pressmen after he had ’won the Winter Cup, and they drank his health. He is an old sport, newly come to light. Lnpulite, though as brilliant and as honest as ever, could not see it out either.the first or the second day. He was not so cherry ripe as some of the others, his preparation having been interfered with by nis illness. Heirloom pulled up lame on the second day.

THE CONCLUDING DAY. [Special to the Stas.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 15. Gloriously fine weather was experienced for the final clay’s racing; in fact, I am safe in saying that the weather conditions which have ruled this week have never been equalled at any winter fixture at Riccarton. The racing, too, was full of interest. The first event, the Ladies’ Bracelet, was won very easily, but the HeathcoteVHandicap was a good race, though Wailethe scored at the finish by a comfortable margin. She deserved her win, however, as but for the fact that she fared badly at the post she was certain to have won earlier in the meeting. Simplex, who finished second, ia a decent sort. The Styx Hack Hurdle Race was keenly contested. There ws nothing to choose be*tween Top Rose, Oasis, Parley Grove, and Qrosvenor at the last hurdle, and Top’Rose was all out at the finish to beat Oasis by a neck. The Sydenham Hurdles showed clearly that there was no fluke about the Grand National Hurdles. Stormont won to-day like a racehorse. At the same time he was a trifle lucky to beat Stronghold, who got a

bad run in the straight, and who is sure to' win a race over hurdles before long. The Lincoln Steeplechase lost some of its interest when Storm, Canton, and Slow Tom ran off at the first fence. The mishap, however, did not affect the result, as Audax won all the in ridiculously easy fashion. It made me wonder, in fact, how his opponents would have got on if he had been in the Grand National Steeplechase. , The North Island mare Vasa won the Redcliffs Hack Handicap very easily, C. Jenkins being accorded a very hearty reception on riding his first winner after receiving his license again. With Prim out of the way the Selwyn Handicap would have been a great race, but the Pilgrim’s Progess mare spoilt it by shooting away halfway down the straight and winning easily. The Hunters’ Plate candidates were a fairly good lot. Pallada won comfortably, but Dreamy Daniel might have done better with a more vigorous horseman. Details of the concluding events: LINCOLN STEEPLECHASE, 250 sovs. About 2^m. Hon. J. D. Ormond’s b g Audax, by Birkenhead—Temeraire, 5 yrs, 9,15 (Delaney) 1" S. Darragh’s b g Kiatere, aged, 12.9 (P. Johnson) 2 R. M'Mlkon’s b g Le Beau, aged, 10.5 (J. O’Connell) 3 Also started: Earns (11.7), Nadador (10.13), Slow Tom (10.13), Mooshen (9.0), Canton (9.0), Storm (9.0), Starlight (9.0). Won easily. Time, 4min 56fsec. REDCLIFFS HANDICAP, of 120 sovs. 7f. Mr Highden’s br m Vasa, 4 yrs, 10.6 (R. Hatch) 1 R. G. Harris s ch g Lone Star. 5 yrs, (F. Yarr) 2 F. Higgott’s br g Truthful, aged, 9.5... 3 Also started: Heleanthes (10.12), Rnapehn (9.15), Cavatina (9.0), Portland (9.0), Thyrsus (9,0). Won by two lengths. Time, Imin 30|ecc. SELWYN HANDICAP, of 150 sovs. 6f. Air 0. G. Dalgety’s b f Prim, by Pilgrim’s Progress—Nantes, 4 yrs, 9.3 1 Mr M‘Kay’s Lupulite, 11.5 2 Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Oxton, 10.11 ... 3 Time, Imin 16sec, HUNTERS’ PLATE HANDICAP, of 100 sovs. l^m, Pallada, 11.11 ... _ l Dreamy Daniel, 11.0 .„ „. 2 Ben Fortune, 11.0 ... ... 3