RACING

Evening Star, Issue 24915, 13 July 1943, Page 5

RACING

[By Si. Claju.] . The nominal ions for tins year's Grand National Steeplechase totalled 22 (as against 27 last year), for the Winter Cup 49 (48), and for Ihe Grand National Hurdles 29 (27). Hearth, .who has been nominated for the Winter Cup, has not had a race since last March, when sire ran unplaced it Trentham. C. T. Wilson, who has been first horseman for the Clifford stable during the past three or four seasons, has joined Mrs J. Campbell's stable in the North Island. Prince Shad was lame after knuckling oyer in a gallop at Trentham, and he may require a spell, which is likely to leave him short of wprk for the Winter Cup. Iu 'the allocation of dates for next season the Auckland and Avondale Clubs, racing at Ellerslie, have received 11 days, Wellington seven,' Canterbury six, and the Dunedin Jockey Club five. It is reported that Spanish Lad, who is engaged ,in, the Winter Cup and is now at Ricearton with the other members of F. W. Ellis's team, has been, sold by Mr H. Mason. Horses engaged in this year's Winter Cup that took part in last year's race are Bashful . Lady , (winner), , Boloyna, Compere (fourth), Iceland Spar, Minority, Palfrey (fifth), arid St. Cloud.' Renascor, the winner of last year's Grand National Hurdles, is the only one of last year's field engaged in this year's race. Kaniii Te Piii won the Sydenham Hurdles on., the first, day, but was withdrawn from the National Hurdles.

.Considering the fields he -has so far beaten, Amorlad appears to have received his full share of weight. 8.11, in the Melbourne Cup. He raced badly at Trentham in the AVhyte Handicap, and made no impression oh the leaders in the final stages. Dozie Boy, Erutsition. Gay Boa, Master Lackham, Slayer, and Valens, who are ongaged iu this year's Grand National, took part in last year's race, and Chat was a starter the year before, but fell. Others engaged in this year's National who have been, over the country are Golden Glow, Hyderabad, arid Yalantua. Brination, .who .will be 14 years old when the Grand National is run next month, is the veteran of the field. Gay Boa and Dozie Boy will be 12, Golden Glow and Valeris 11, Bow Street, Chat, Half and Half, Matainiat, Slayer, and, jalentua 10, Anini, Auctor, and Master Lackham 9, Hyderabad, Spendthrift, and The .Cardinal 8, Benevolent, 7, Abbey Lu, .Anglo-French, and Noko 6, arid Red Glare 5 years old. The three.big, cross-country races run this winter, Te Rapa, Grea,t. Northern, and Wellington. Steeplechases, have, been won by riiares, Chat, the first two and Anini the other. They are the only mares engaged in this.year.'s Grand National Steeplechase. The last time this race was won by a mare was in 1930, when,Aurora scored. Lenardo ran hirriself put of hack class at the Wellington, ineeting, and has been engaged, in the. Winter. Cup- If he is as good on top of the ground as he is in the mud he wilMiave, to he considered. By St. Boswells', his dam, Moiia Lisa, is by Calptain Busby.'from Phrosa, by, Limond from Cowl. The last-named mare was also the dam ot Rational,' Veil, The Morilc, Curtain, Habit, The Masquera'tiej, and.other good ones. ..Platform raced through liis 'two' and three-year-old. seasons .without getting, into the money, and won his first race last season, a division trial handicap at Invercargill in the spring. This season he has won four races',, been second once, and third one? his stake winnings booing £1,497. His darn,' Faifform, by Boniform from Satisfaire, also threw gOt>d winners in .Some Form, Rin Tin Tin, and Ch'armaihe to Some Boy 11., Fairwood to Woe-Mend, Tauramai to Paladin, and Fasaform to Balboa.

The field' of 22 engaged in the Grand! National Steeplechase this year is not a good one, and it is doubtful if the handicapper will be able lb start his handicap anywhere near the 12.0 mark. \ Last year Fo'xiana headed the list at 11.13, with Slayer 11.6 next. There is no Foxiana in this year's field, and Slayer in the five races he has run this year has performed badly. Noko, Chat, Anini, and Abbey Lu stand out as the best performers this season, and of these, only Noko has carried a good horse's weight to win. < As usual, the nominations include a fair percentage of horses that have no qualification for such an important race, including Matainiat, who has vet to finish in a place after several years racing. Handicaps are due next Friday. " I know that there are many people, who consider that during a period of war there should be no horse racing at all, said the president of the Racing Conference in hi* annual address to delegates. " They are, of course, entitled to their opinions, but it is recognised all over the world that particularly in periods of stress and strain it is necessary for people in every walk of hfo to 'have some relaxation. That horse racing is the most popular form of relaxation with a very large number of the public is proved by the increased attendance at all meetings While racing is restricted to Saturdays' and public holidays it is not, m my opinion interfering with the war effort in any way, and it is giving many workers in war industries that relaxation that is needed. I do not think that the racing fraternity needs any further justification than to mention that in England, despite the bombing raids and the pressure, ot war at close quarters, racing is still being carried on and under the patronage of His Majesty the' King, whose horses won fhe substitute Two Thousand Guineas and Oaks during the past season. With such an example we here can do no less than carry I on." .. ■