THE LIVERPOOL NATIONAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 50

THE LIVERPOOL NATIONAL.

The 27 runners for the Grand National gave paddock critics plenty of work, and it is almost impossible in the space at my disposal to afford even an impression of what I saw (says the Special Commissioner of the London Sportsman) and thought. To look at, Moifaa was better than last year; he seemed hard and clean, but more sub- • stantial than he was then, for though his neck struck most people as light to-day, it had apparently wasted into nothing last year, when he was deemed the scarecrow of the paddock. He carried a good bloom today, which he certainly did not last year, and altogether he looked worthy to be the royal champion. The massive Kirkland is also of antipodean descent, though only on the side of his sire, Kirkham, who was sent over to run for the Derby. Kirkland is just the cut of a 15st hunter, but he has proved himself to be something more than that. He also proved himself to be my one safe etand-by in my selection for the first three. The long-tailed Seahorse II was weM liked, and made a good show in the race, *but nothing pleased me better than the lengthy, game-looking Timothy Titus, who ran a great race until he fell at Valentine's the second time found. Ranunculus is a hardy sort of beast, all muscle, and the wiry little Detail never looked fitter or better. Phil May had evidently don© a very searching preparation, and he would probably have been in the first three but \ for an unfortunate blunder two fences from home. Dearslayer is too narrow and split up ever to win a Grand National, unless I am very much mistaken, and the long, straight-backed Matthew seems to have gone all to the bad. Longthorpe is a fine strong horee, still improving, and there is much to like about Ascetic's Silver, who, however, soon came to grief. One would not class Napper Tandy as anything more than useful, but he was trained to the hour, and it may be noticed that both Sir Charles Nugent'© horses got to the finish. Kiora seemed a bit more substantial than of yore, but he disappointed his new owner, Mr j Paweon, by an early fall. Hercules II ia a, lengthy, powerful horse of a Tare stamp, and as it turned out, he would have carried i Dollery better than did Moifaa. Buckaway 11, I confess, I never saw -or thought

of until h© finished third, but his sire, Benitthorpe. by Isonomy out of JEtudston-e, wa3 Sir Tatton's finest yearling some nine years ago. Kirkland. the winner, may lack speed, but ho can jump and stay, and, added to thi=, he has immense staying power, and was clean wound up. It was an exciting race throughout, and just before they came on to the racecourse the second time Ranunculus looked all over a winner, while until he fell Timothy Titus possessed an immense chance. Kirkland, however, took no risks. He bored on inexorably, and the stout blood of his grandsire, Yattendon, stood him in good stead. From the last fence he won quite easily, amid great applause, for he had almost as many backers as had Moifaa. Only eight finished out of th 6 27, and this is a sufficient proof of the severity of the pace. The time, 9min 48 4-ssec, is not a record, but I question if they did not make the first round in record time, and it is that which led to so much grief. Moifaa lives to fight another day, and he is young enough to figure in several more Grand Nationals.