THE NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONALS.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 39

THE NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONALS.

Considering that some of the horses entered for the three leading events were- bound to drop out, irrespective of weight, the acceptances declared last Friday may be regarded as satisfactory. In the Grand National Steeplechase there were 23 entered, and nine have gone out — viz., Dummy, Nor'-west, Torpina, Dingo, Sylvanus, Fireworks, Pipi, Pilot, and Gorse; in the Hurdles 15 survive and 15 have retired, the defections being Nor* -west, Black Dust, Ruamahunga, The Guard, Woodlander, Sundial, Derringcotte, Hotu, Haydn, Bonnie d'Eau, Cora Linn, Sylvanus, Taplow, Voltigeur, and Pilot ; and in the Winter Cup, of 34- "handicapped, 11 have gone out, these being Djin Djin, Ben Farley, Goldspur, Derringcotte, Scottish Minstrel, Bloomer,' Vandyke, Indian Shot, Ruby Twist, Sub Rosa, and Daphne. The reason for the withdrawal we know in some cases, apart from the question of weight. Dummy, for instance, got his leg poisoned ; Nor'-west has lost his form; Goldspur is not being trained for the full distance. Last year 14 forfeited for the Steeplechase, and 11 paid up. Mr Henrys has been far luckier with that race on this occasion, ,and, indeed, he has given us a problem whieli is not at all easy even now that the acceptances are before us. Plain Bill well deserves his 12.8, since he won at Wanganui with that weight when only a four-year-old, and a week or two ago he won easily at Wellington with 12.0. On the other hand, he has been unsound in his pins, hence off the tracks for pretty near two seasons, and, further, he has never tried the Riccarton course. Black Dust has won at Riccarton. He was winning the Beaufort Steeplechase a 3^ear ago up to the last fence, where he toppled over, and next day he won the Lincoln Steeplechase, carrying 10.12, and beating Blackberry 11.9 by six lengths. Blackberry in that race was trying to concede Black Dust 111b ; now Black Dust gives Blackberry 21b ; so Black Dust is penalised 131b. Both these horses fell at Wellington ; both, apparently, have become unreliable, yet both have won at Riccarton, and that counts for a great deal. Blackberry's win, of course, was the very race we are now considering, the Grand National, last year. He carried 10.6, and won by three iengths from Morag 11.1. Morag is now raised lib, and Blackberry 121b. This looks like fair business for Morag. He, however, is getting up in years, and a question in his case is whether he retains his speed. He did not show much pace at Wellington, where, with 11.0, he finished fourth. As to Roller, he is •a young horse with plenty of pace and energy, and he is raised only 71b on his Hawke's Bay weight. Last week I stated this rise as 171b. That was an error. Roller had a 71b penalty and carried 10.10, beating Blackberry 11.4- by a length. For that result Roller is raised half a stone, and as an improving horse I think that is not an unfair penalty. Whether Roller will fly the National obstacles we know not, but he is said to be a good jumper. Kauri Gum won the Napier Park Steeplechase with 9.13, and ran* second at Wellington with. 10.12. For this latter result he now receives 111b from Plain Bill. That is reasonable. Kanaka has been on the shelf, and ought to be left alone till the day. Doctor Bill made many friends by the form, he displayed in winning the July Steeplechase at Wellington. Tataramoa, Tallyho, and Straybird were in that field. Being a recent winner, he may have a show. The Guard was racing well in the Wellington Steeplechase with 10.6 up to the point of his mishap. Dundee has a very big allowance for being a novice at steeplechasing, and if he gets over the fence? — and this is quite possible — he will win easily." He is a horse that nobody should take liberties with. Of the remainder, Straybird, on his recent Gisborne form, is most deserving of respect. I like Plain Bill, Roller, Katiri Gum, and Dundee the best so far as my- judgment goes, but it is a very awkward vace to pick. As for the Hurdle Race, my fancies are Hauriri and Coßur de Lion, and for the Winter Cup, now that Scottish Minstrel has dropped out, I tako Record Reign, Strathnairn. Huku, and Suzannah, with a preference for Huku. There is a finsl acceptance for these events.