NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20922, 11 July 1931, Page 9

NOTES BY PHAETON.

VICTORIAN GRAND NATIONAL. LEADING STEEPLECHASE; TO-DAY'S BIG RACE. 1 ' The V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, which is set down for decision at Flemington to-day, will mark the 51st contest that has eventuated since the race was instituted in 1881. The initial contest saw a great performance registered by Sussex,, a six-year-old son of Grandmaster, who carried 13.1 to victory. The performance registered by liedle'ap in the race of 1892, when he romped home in front of a large field under the steadier of 13.3, is held to be the greatest feat registered in a, cross-country event in Australia. Redleap, who was by Dante, was undoubtedly a marvellous fencer, arid .his pace' was such that it is claimed he might have won a. Melbourne Cup had ho been trained for flat racing. Mosstrooper, who won the race last year wider 11.10, heads the list for to-day's race with 12.7, and. indications point to his starting a warm favourite. Rakwool (11.7) is the one popularly selected to trouble the top weight, and a recent victory under 12.5 serves to give him a good credential for to-day's race. The enly horses that have won the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase carrying over 12.0 since 1896 are Dungan 12.9, Floater 12.7, Bribery 12.11, and Mountain God 12.7. Viowing t.ho situation in an optimistic spirit in 1929, the committee of the Victoria, Racing Club raised the stake for the Grand National Steeplechase to £SOOO, and that was also the value of last year's race. However, the acuto financial crisis that has arisen necessitated a revision of the prizemoney, and though the stake' for to-day s race lias been reduced to £3OOO, it still retains the position as the most valuable event of its class in the southern hemisphere. STEEPLECHASE FIASCOS. SOME OLD-TIME HISTORY. The fiasco that marked the Woodlands Steeplechase, run at the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's Winter Meeting, when every one of the seven contestants either fell, baulked, or ran off, serves to revive recollections of sensational happenings in crosscountry events in the Dominion.

The Autumn Steeplechase run at Ellerslie in 1880 saw the whole of the contestants stuck up at a fence at the top of the hill about where the A.R.C. secretary's house now stands. After much persuasion Baron, '.who was ridden by J. Munn, negotiated the obstacle; some minutes later Sportsman, ridden by G. Wilson, followed; and at an interval Grey Momus, on whom E. J. Rae had the mount, also got' over. The troublesome fence had to be negotiated again in the second round, and Baron and Sportsman again baulked.

It seemed at one time as though the race would have to be called off, but eventually Baron scrambled over the obstacle, and he completed the course' several minutes in advance of Sportsman, the only other horse to finish. The Autumn Steeplechase at Ellerslio in 1881 saw three of the four starters baulk at the post-and-rail fence at the top of the hill, and, as only one hotso (Chandler) had completed the course .half an hour after the start, it seemed as though, there would be no second horse for the judge to declare for. J. J. Russell, who had the mount on Billy-go-by-'em, was determined to get his horse over, and after a flat face had been run the hurdle in the straight, which was the concluding obstaele in tho steeplechase, was reerected so as to allow Billy-go-by-'em to secure second money C£100) for his owner. A sporting action truly, but the rules now in force would not allow of like action. The Tally-ho Steeplechase, ari event at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting in ISS9, brought out two contestants—lrish King, ridden by R. Kingon, and Orangeman-, ridden by E. J. Rae. Both liorses refused at a post-and-rail fence, and, after the riders had tried for over half an hour to get their respective mounts to negotiate, the obstacle, without success, the stewards interfered. They ordered the horses back 'to the saddling Paddock and granted the respective owners £'2s each. The totalisiitor investments were returned without reduction. ■ 1 The Southland Steeplechase, run at Invercargill in 1928, saw the whole of the eight contestants out' of action at one period, and there was a further sensational incident in" connection with the race in that the winner, Silverspire, was ridden in by a different rider to the ono who was weighed out. J. T. Humphries, who had the mount on Silverspire, was so badly injured when- his horse fell that he could not' rise,; and I. Tilson, being hoisted into the saddle, steered Silverspire past the winning-post.

RACING THE TWO-YEAR-OLD.

LONG DISTANCES IN OLD DAYS

At one period in Australia two-year-olds wero tested over longer distances than they are n6w, and to find a youngster in a mile and a-quarter race run in the early autumn was not unknown. When two years old, the Auckland-bred Medallion won over the distance named at Flemington, and. there were' other winners over 10 furlongs there. In the present day mile races for two-year-olds toward the end of the season are promoted in Australia, but for 'the most '. part the youngsters are confined to races the distances of which range from fivo to aeven furlongs. STUD ITEMS. lIIGIILY-BRED HURDLER. It is often remarked that many horses engaged in jumping events in the present day boast pedigrees that would entitle them to bo included in classic events. Cockcrow, who led the field home in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race at Flemington last Saturday, is highly bred, tracing to Bend Or on the sire's side and to St. Simon on the dam's side, while he has a strain of Musket through Trenton. The leading lines in tho pedigree of Cockcrow read as follows : Sire: Crovvdennis, by Tredeunis. son of Kendal and grandson,of Bend Or, from Crowden, by Bushey Park, son of Hampton. Dam: Appolino, by Charlemagne 11., son of St. Simon and grandson of Galopin, from Artemis, by Halit Brion. sou of St. Simon.

Cockcrow figured among the yearlings sent, up to auction in New, South Wales in the • autumn of 1927, and he was purchased by tho Melbourne sportsman Mr. W. Leonard tor 325 guineas. YOUNG SIRE'S FINE RECORD. Pharos, siro of Cameronian, winner of this year's Two Thousand Guineas and Derby, is still owned by his breeder, Lord Derby, but is located in France As |J haros has a full list for the 1932 season in France, he cannot perform stud duty in England until 1933. . 'J3li« form - displayed by' Cameronian' means a very great deal for Pharos in tho shape of patronage, and he is sure to he included among" the stallions standing at a high fee in England. . FULL BROTHERS AS SIRES. Sion (by Valais—Gal tee Queen), who was sold for 4100 guineas as a yearling, but who failed to realise the high hopes entertained, was quitted at auction in Sydney recently for 1050 guineas, and on tho same day he was resold privately at an advance of 200 guineas to "a Sydney breeder. Vaals, a full-brother to Sion, who was'purchased last year by a breeder in the north of Auckland, was relegated to the stud last season. It will bo interesting to note which of these two brothers scores best as a sire. THE CARBINE STRAIN. Tho French-bred filly Brulette, winner of this year's Oaks Stakes in England, has a strain of Carbine on the dam's side, her 'dam, Seaweed, being a daughter of Spearmint, soa of Carbine.