THE GRAND NATIONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25299, 9 August 1943, Page 4

THE GRAND NATIONAL

ANGLO-FRENCH WINS STEEPLES WINTER CUP TO BASHFUL LADY (OJR.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug.-8. The Grand National meeting was opened under rather unfavourable conditions. Heavy drizzling rain set in overnight and continued up to the approach of mid-day, when it stopped, but rain fell again late in the afternoon. The going was a bit sloppy at the opening of the card, but impioved, and then became bad again The time put up in the Winter Cup is the slowest recorded since Cherry Blossom won in Imin 48see in 1916. Anglo-French won the Grand National Steeplechase after being nicely placed all the way. It is doubtful if anything could have beaten him even if all the field had completed the journey without mishap. Anini broke down before completing the first round, and Hyderabad fell at the brush at the top of the straight. Erination fell at the sod wall following the Kennels double and broke his back, and this left Anglo-French looking a sure winner bar mishap. Bashful Lady won the Winter Cup "under punishment to which she responded gamely. Enfield Steeples True Range made 'mistakes in his Jumping in the Enfield Steeples and lost ground at some of the fences, but stayed on best. Safelight and Donadea made most of tlie running, but Donadea ran off at the second last fence and left Safeligh* in charge from True Range. Safelight sprawled on landing over the last fence, when following True Range, who came on to win by eight lengths from La Boca, who beat Wexford Bridge by 12 lengths. Hanover was four lengths away fourth. Ageratum fell at the brush at the top of the straight, and Mybel at the first of the ■tand double. Cashmere Plate Big Top put up a strong finish to beat Desert Strife in the Cashmere Plate, and he won going away. Desert Strife, Great Legend, Salary, Paper Lily, In Chancery, and Starlee formed the leading bunch coming to the straight. In the final furlong Big Top cut down the leaders and won from Desert Strife and Paper Lily, and then came Royal Review, Great Legend, Prize Ring, Salary and Bonnie Chela. ■ Trial Hurdles Treasurer failed to stay in the Trial Hurdles. Midgard led along the back from Treasurer, Heidelberg and Borak, with Forte and'Maggiore next. Moderate and Knight Commander were moving up coming round the top, and at the last hurdle Moderate, Borak, and Midgard were in charge from Heidelberg and Knight Commander. Moderate stayed on to beat Borak by a length and a-halt. with Knight Commander four lengths away. The others were stopping. Paparua Handicap Fur Coat, Royal Flight, Sham Boy, and Burberry were the leaders to the straight -in the Paparua Handicap, but they all stopped in the run home, and Pouiatau, Foxhaven, and Platform fought out a good finish. They went past the post with heads between them, Foxhaven getting the verdict from Platform and Poutatau, and then came Symbol, Black Robe, and Invulnerable. Platform had to make up ground and would probably have won over a longer distance. The Steeplechase

Anglo-French was assisting with the pace over the first round in the Grand National Steeplchase, with Hyderabad and Dozie Boy, with the rest of the field handy bar Valens, who had tailed off Anglo-French and Hyderabad led over Cutts’s fence, and were joined by Erination going into the back. Anini was pulled up after crossing the kennels double, and Hyderabad went out at the brush near the top of .the straight. Erination went on from. Anglo-French, with Noko and Dozie Boy well clear of Chat and Gay Boa. Erination fell at the sod waff foliowing the kennels double, and AngloFrench came along to win by 10 lengths from Noko, who beat Dozie Boy by a neck. Gay Boa and Chat were next. * Auctor stopped at the kennels double and Benevolent broke down. The pace was solid all the way. although the time recorded is the slowest since Aurora Borealis won in 7min 24sec in 1930. Sydenham Hurdles Nightcalm was always one of the leaders in the Sydenham Hurdles and beat Rockery by a head in a hard fight- , ing finish. Black Musk, the early leader, was four lengths away, and then came Talenta, Colibri. Colonel Rouge, and Rich Blood. Khurja fell at the last hurdle after being handy to the leaders up to that S a§G The Winter Cup Dark Olga and Fiddler's Green were last away in the Winter Cup, and, after holding up the field, Foxbrae got out first, and with Paladeo, Bashful Lady, and Lenardo led to the far turn, where Donnybrook Fair joined the leaders. . Foxbrae led into the straight from Paladeo. Boloyna, Bashful Lady, and Lenardo. At the distance Bashful Lady took charge and stayed on to wjn by a length from Donnybrook Fair,-; who BeaU Bolojfna by two lengths, then qame : Lenardo,_Kevin. Dark Olga, and Fiddler’s Green. Avonhead Handicap Foxleap won the Avonhead Handicap in good style, staying on well to draw up to beat Great March by half a length. Tring was three lengths away, with Park Light and Sovereign Lad next. Hunting Charm and Great March set the pace to the straight, -where the former petered ° U The totalisator handled £101,965 10s, compared with £82,693 last year. The following are the results:— ENFIELD STEEPLECHASE, Of £350. About two miles and a-half. 1/I—True Range, 9.12 (T. Beyle) .. 1 3/3—La Boca, 10.7 (P. J. Boyle) .. .. 2 10/10— Wexford Bridge, 10.0 (Hollands) 3 Scratched: Minton, Gay Hussar. Four lengths, five lengths. Hanover was fourth. Time, smin 31 4-ssec. CASHMERE PLATE, Of £350. Six furlongs. 7/6—Big Top, 8.0 (Stokes) 1 8/B— Desert Strike, 8.0 (Markwick) .. 2 16/15— Paper Lily, 8.0 (Thistoll) .. .. 3 Scratched: Denary. Two lengths, one length. Royal Review was fourth. Time. Imin 17 4-ssec. TRIAL HURDLES. Of £350. About one mile and threequarters. 1/I—Moderate, 9.5 (Redstone) .. .. 1 2/2—Borak, 9.11 (Brady) 2 11/10— Knight Commander, 9.2 (Register) 3 Scratched: Colonel Bogey, Taxpayer, Spanish Main. A length and a-half, four lengths. Midgard was fourth. Time, 3min 28sec. PAPARUA HANDICAP, Of £4OO. Six furlongs. 13/12—Foxhaven, 8.0 (Cluttsrbuck) .. 1 8/9—Platform, 8.9 (Anderson) .. .. 2 1/1 —Poutatau, 9.1 (Wilson) 3 All started. A head, a head. Symbol Was fourth. Time, Imin 16 2-ssec.

GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE, Of £ISOO. Three miles and a-half. 1/I—Anglo-French, 9.7 (Beale) .. .. 1 1/I—Noko, 11.7 (T. J. Boyle) 2 7/6—Dozie Boy, 10.4 (Brady) 3 The first and second horses were bracketed. All started. Ten lengths, a neck. Gay Boa was fourth. Time, 7min 19sec SYDENHAM HURDLES, Of £6OO. Two miles. 11/11—Nightcalm, 9.1 (Register) .. .. 1 12/12—Rockery, car. 9.2 (Johnstone) .. 2 5/6—Black Musk, 10.2 (Brown) .. 3 Scratched Native Chief, Heidelberg, Colonel Bogey. A short head, three lengths. Talenta was fourth. Time, 3min 54sec. WINTER CUP, Of £IOOO. One mile. 3/4—Bashful Lady, 9.6 (Mackie) .. .. 1 8/7—Donnybrook Fair, 8.0 (Wilson) .. 2 6/B—Boloyna, 9.7 (Didharn) 3 Scratched: Kronos, Hearth, Royal Writ. A length and a-half, two lengths. Lenardo was fourth. Time, Imin 46 3-ssec. AVONHEAD HANDICAP, Of £350. One mile. 1/1 —Foxleap, 8.9 (Ensor) 1 8/B—Great March, 8.0 (Markwick) .. .. 2 5/3—Tring, 9.0 (Mackie) .. ..« .. - 3 Scratched: Omoana. Half a length, three lengths. Park Light was fourth. Time, Imin 47sec.