JUMPING ALONE NO GOOD

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 13

JUMPING ALONE NO GOOD

SOLID PREPARATION IS NEEDED FAST PACE (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) It is- becoming more and more ! "... evident that nowadays regular racing preparations are required if horses are to win races like the Great Northern jumping events. EITHER that or continual preparation "P over the right country, m addition 1 to fast work. i It is no good, for instance, risking the jumping ability alone of a horse to win- a, raice like the big Ellerslie cross-country-: event. ' That fact was clearly instanced regarding the failure of a prominent • ante-post' candidate for the last Great •Northern .'Steeples. i The horse was fully expected by . his connections to win, and was a tryer every inch. Yet he never 1 really impressed his supporters as a likely winner, though he certainly cleared the country safely. Evidently the horse referred to was not as fit inside as his outwarcj appearance led most' people to believe, and after his failure there were many who broadcasted that long races could not be won on scanty preparations. It has to be admitted that there Is a lot m the contention. They race from flag-fall these days, and to survive the test of three times oyer the Ellerslie hill and cover almost four miles on the trip, it requires a horse tuned right up to win. It is true that some horses m the past have won the Great Northern Steeples without schooling over the right country, but those horses have had a full share of immediate racing to fit them for the big task. lii future, those aspiring to win a Great Northern had better allot their candidates plenty of racing and schooling, rather than risk all to a horse's jumping ability. - ■ ■ The days of miracles are probably • over- —at least so far as expecting to win on a comparatively easy preparation is concerned.