MEMORABLE RACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 12

MEMORABLE RACE

GREAT STEEPLECHASE VALPEEN'S SECOND WIN

FATE OF THE FAVOURITE DEATH AFTER, PASSING POST Living up to its reputation as one of the most important racing events of the year, tho Great Northern Steeplechase thrilled a crowd of 14,000 at Ellerslie yesterday, on the occasion of the second day of the Auckland Pacing Club's Winter Meeting. It was packed with incident, and contested by nine proved jumpers. Throughout the race of nearly four miles, over 25 obstacles and three times over the hill, the winner was concealed, until the 10-year-old Valpeen forged ahead over tho last stages to victory. Great Northern Steeplechases have been held in Auckland since 1885. The stake on this occasion was £ISOO, of which £IOOO went to the winner, Valpeen, which was sixth favourite, and returned his backers an attractive dividend. He won over the last half-mile, four lengths separating him from Bryce Street at the post, with another four aud a-half lengths to the third horse, Erination. Fed on Milk Diet It was Valpeen's second Great Northern Steeplechase victory, and in his five years of racing he has earned about £6OOO in stakes for his owner, Mr. George Campbell, who trains tho horse on his farm at Okoroiro. A milk diet is one of Valpcen's training features—and one which he relishes. Milk is mixed with a mash food. After the race, Mr. Campbell said he had been confident that Valpeen would win. "He has done everything I have asked of him, and I am proud of him," Mr. Campbell added. Introduced ib racing as a five-year-old, Valpeen established a record in 1933 by covering six miles in an afternoon and winning the Greenmount Hunters' Steeplechase and the Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie. Then came his first big win in the Great Northern Steeplechase four years ago. He was fourth the following year, while last year he ran second to the outsider, Irish Comet. Other important victories include two Grand National Steeplechases and the Wellington Steeplechase. Tragic Finish to Race

It was also the second time the rider of Valpeen, F. It. Foster, had piloted a winner in the Great Northern Steeplechase. He won the race in 1929 on Uralla. After an apprenticeship of four years, Foster was licensed in 1925, and seven years ago won the Easter Handicap on Hunting Cry, and the Great Northern Guineas on Karapcti. After a spell of three years, Foster had his first ride at Easter, and has only ridden Valpeen on four occasions. He said his mount was always full of running, jumped well, except at the last fence, when he did not rise at all, and seemed a winner on the hill the last time round.

A tragic occurrence marred the finish of the steeplechase, when the favourite, Huskie, after a plucky race into fourth place, collapsed and died about 50 yards beyond the winning post. Huskie's rider, .T. Mulr, said he felt he was riding a winner until he detected something was amiss with his mount, racing down the hill toward the straight, where the horse seemed to recover momentarily. The jockey did not think the horse would survive beyond the last fence, but it went through the gap created by Valpeen. When Huskie collapsed it was found that his tongue had slipped over the top of the bit and caused the horse to choke himself to death.