SPORTING

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6669, 24 July 1928, Page 5

SPORTING

The Grand Nationals, There wore no surprise defections ca Friday night when the first acceptance was made for the Grand National Steeplechase and the Grand National Hurdles. In- the former event the horses retire at acceptance were Comical, Brigadier 'Bill, Ranui and Captain Sarto, Glendowio having been scratched -for all engagements on Wednesday last. Although there were a •lot of defections from the hurdles, none of- the ‘‘expected to run” division failed to'come up to tho mark.These that failed to survive the first payment were Comical, Perlo do Leon, Aberfeldy, Mia Bella, Kaikahu, ‘ rcria, Beaumont, Bonatic, Nucleus, Tintoretto, Star Shell and Bracman. The Steeples.

At first glance it would appear that Beau Cavalier with 12.5 has his full deserts in the Grand National Steeplechase, This is Gibs more than he had -;to carry in the Wellington Steeples, 51bs more than in tho Winter Steeples (Ellerslic) and 31bs more than in the Great Northern Steeples, in all of which he failed, although in the Trenthani:cvcnt ho was in a sound.position when he fell. It is hard -to explain why he is-burdened with a heavier impost at Biccarton, for he certainly has not earned it over the country this year. His clear-cut victory'on the concludin'* day at Trcnthani in tho Winter Hurdles, however, following his GN.. Hurdles victory and his fiat double at the To Kuiti fixture reveal that he is right at the top of his form—and Mr. Hcnrys has taken no chances with him. Twice in ■ the last seven years twelvc-stoncrs have won —Coalition (12.7) in 1921 and Oaldeigh ,(12.0) in 1923. And ' the son of Chesterfield . lumped 11.7 to victory early this sea- : ; son in the event. On the day ho is likely to go out favourite in spite of his’; weight. ■Pamplona (10.12) showed up in the limelight at the Dunedin winter meeting, having won tho Wingatui Steeplechase. Unfortunately he went amiss after tho event, but apparently has inado good recovery. At his host Pamplona is a 'first-class 'chaser, but unsoundness has prevented him from making a rcaLhamo for himself. \ . Tula (iQ'.9) won the evjnt in 1925 ■nith 9.4 and finished second in the last Great Northern Steeples to Glendowie with 10.7. Ho fell in the Wellington Steeplechase, when going well. Weighted at 10.5 he ran second to Kawini in the July Steeplechase and with *10.9 at Biccarton should give a good account of, himself. Pouri (also 10.9),' winner of tb£ -Wellington Steeplechase with 9.9, was ducky to win that event, and'but for poor judgment by Bean Cavalier ’s rider, ho might have been beaten into second place. Still, with Beau Cavalier out of the way, ho had little difficulty in disposing of his remaining opponents, and with 10.9 at Biccarton he must be given a chance. He is not yet a proficient jumper, arid whether or not ho will get over the stiff Eiccarton -country successfully is a moot point. He meets Beau Cavalier on Gibs worse terms and Tuki on 141bs worse terms than at Wellington. H tion, for ho was third in the Great Northern Steeples ; with that weight. The Day Comet gelding is a genuine stayer. Although his fencing was reported not first-class at Ellerslic with schooling since ho should be able to give a better display, next month at Biccarton, in spite of tho difficult nature; of the southern country. . The Babb’s connections wero confident that the Cronstadt gcl(”ig would have run a; big race in the Wellington Steeplechase had he faced the starter, but ho injured a muscle a few days before tho race and was not taken north with other members of R_. C. Keeper’s team. Apparently his injury was not serious, and if he takes ifis place ho should keep the pace solid. He has the same impost as Wiltshire and, Dubious. The latter won at his last start at the Dunedin meeting and was 'third In his previous essay. These ate his only two efforts this winter, but littlo has been reported lately how he is training on. . Of the remainder perhaps most interest will cehtrc on Maunga (9.12),

Greenstone (9.11) and Matu 9.1. The ; former is excellently handicapped—hut he falls so. often that one cannot pin much faith in' him. It was reported that, ho had hurt himself at Trentham, hut later information contradicts that he was 'much injured. His acceptance 'i? proof that he got off all right. Greenstone is a southerner who has to prove himself in : big company, but he is a fine jumper.; He has built up a reputation, and down south watchers are confident he will give a good account over the Bicoarton fences. Matu is an improving ’chaser, and his performances at ? Trcntham stamp him best of the true lightweights. Kamehameha, Frisco Jack and Passin’ Through comprise the 8-stonc division. The favoured division for the big country event at the present appears to bp: ;r "Beau. Cavalier, Pouri, Tuki Wiltshire The Hurdles. Fourteen are still left in at the first acceptance to contest the Grand National Hurdles, to be run on the second day of the fixture. This is one more than in the Steeples, but in both event's it is possible some of the lesser lights' will drop out at the final payment. The Aucklander, Mia Bella, was the only : notable defection at Friday ' night’s acceptance. The withdrawals of Comical, Aberfoldy, Bonatie and Perlo do Leon were expected. . Nnkumai’ (11.11), is left in at top' impost* 21bs less than he was burdened I with in the Winter Hurdles at Trentham when he finished sixth after being last seven furldncs from Some. Ho

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may not be the hurdler he' was last year, but as this was his first big effort 1 over the sticks this winter, it is possible he will show up better at Riccarton. He gave splendid performances in the Whyte, Memorial and Parliamentary Handicaps at the meeting earlier, illustrating that he has the pace on most of the other jumpers, but wants more schooling. \ A month may make a big improvement. Beau Cavalier’s brilliant victory in the Winter Hurdles augurs well for his Biccarton chance, and with 11.6 ho has hot been treated harshly.. He is already a good favourite for next month’s race, and whether or not he misses the National Steeplechase, he is bound to start one of the favourites for the hurdle race. 1 , Bed Fuchsia (11.5) meets Beau Cavalier on 171bs better terms than in tho Winter Hurdled, but even such an advantage may not enable him to reverse positions, so easily did Beau Cavalier defeat him.

Gaze (10.3) was suffering from a recurrence of an old trouble when ho contested the Winter Hurdles, and his third,- in the circumstances, was a very creditable performance. CHo did not display the dash he revealed when he won the Trentham Hurdles on the opening day of the Wellington carnival, but battled on gamely over the concluding stages. He only needs, however, to give evidence ho is sound, in his prerace gallops .to be in good demand at the weight. It is likely he will have an outing in the Jumpers’ Flat on tho first day to sharpen him up, and the public will no doubt form a final opinion on his showing in this try-out. . Brigadier Bill forfeited his engagements in the steeplechase in preference to this event, and with only 9.13 to carry he may bo a possibility. Pourir (9.13) at the beginning of the season was one of the most promising hurdlers in the country but ho seems better at the bigger fences now. Still he is at the top of his form and must be given a chance. Peneus (9.10) will find tho distance too far, but if started/ he will be bracketed With Bed Fuchsia, and the pair will be well supported on the machine. Maunga (9.1) is not a class hurdler and in this event his chances; can bo heavily discounted in- spite of his ‘baby weight’. , Scion (9.0) jwinncn.of an Auckland Gup and a New Zealand Cup, is an imi proving hurdler, and with the minimum he will; heed to be onjy a shade of *his former self to have a big chance. He has a first, two seconds and two thiids in eight starts over the sticks this winter, and his win was at his last essay.;; But‘ho has yet .to meet top class, Of the others on the 9-stone mark. Panorama, Kilburn and Patuki have displayed form recently, while Heather Lad, a novice, showed winning f6rm at Waimate last Thursday. It is, however, a far cry frbm hack hurdles to the biggest event.in the country. He is a speedy performer on the flat and apparently a natural juniper. ; Kilburn in the Winter Hurdles at Tscntham had just begun her run when .AhprfeMy fell, and being just 'behind him' .she also came to grief. She always sticks tq the rear of a field, moving up over the- last lap, and this is tho course she chose at Trentham, 'but her tug effort was frustrated through no fault of her own. A daughter of Boniform she is a natural stayer and under her light impost may go a long way in the race next month. Patuki, a genuine stayer, and winner of good flat races, was given a chance in the Winter Hurdles after his victory in tho High-Weight Handicap on the second day at Trentham, but he did not sjiow up at any stage of the race. Still, he is susceptible)to a great deal of improvement. The fourteenth horso in the race is Craigniore, who has a recent win to his credit. , ’ , > Public fancy at present seems directed towards: , Beau Cavalier, Bed Fuchsia. Kilburn, Nukumai.