ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.

NZ Truth, Issue 579, 22 July 1916, Page 9

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.

"C.T." (Chrlstchurch)—Carbi/ie.

WHAT WEIGHT?

• The -withholding of the weights for the National Steeples and Hurdles till after the Wellington meeting was a move m the right direction, as it does away with the penalty system and also gives the handicapper the latest form to work upon. Horses can now have a run at Amberly, do their best and not incur a penalty. To lightly- weighted horses this is not of much importance, but it is a serious consideration to the heavilyweighted ones. It may be of interest to many to know the records of the Nationals. The New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase has been, run thirty-nine times, and on nine occasions only has it been won by horses carrying twelve stone or over. The weight-carrying record belongs to Canard, who m 18S6 carried 12.10, and, ridden by H. Lunn, scored. Alt Ellingham won on his own horse, Chemist, 12,7, three years later, and Jack Roe rode Levanter, 12.6, to victory m 1897, while the year previous George Hope scored on Muting, 12.4, and was runner-up to Levanter with nine pounds more on his back. Since 1897, no horse has won with twelve stone or over, but C. Morse's Te Aral carried 11.9 m 1910. Horses carrying eleven stone or over have won the race eleven times, while the ten atone and over division have won seventeen times, and only three times have lightweights won the big event. The Grand National Hurdles has been run twenty-five times, and the weightcarrying record belongs to Record Reign, 12JL2. • He had W. Clarke m the saddle. The next best performance was put up by Liberator, 12.6, who was steered by F. Holmes. Paisano, 12.1 (W. Young), was the only other horse to score with a big weight The race has been won six times by the eleven stone division, ten times by the ten stone division, and seven times by the nine stone lot.