STURDY NOVICE AS STEEPLECHASER

Southland Times, Issue 23512, 19 May 1938, Page 10

STURDY NOVICE AS STEEPLECHASER

BALLYBRIT A STUD-BOOK JUMPER By SIR MODRED To many onlookers at the Southland Racing Club’s winter meeting on Saturday, lovers of the jumpers and followers of the Birchwood Hunt, the principal event of the afternoon’s sport was the Ritchie Memorial Steeplechase (2m.), a race named to perpetuate the memory of one of the best supporters of the turf and followers of hunting and cross-country competition Southland has ever known. Last week’s contest was one of the best seen on the course as with one exception the field of six jumped splendidly and galloped fast between the obstacles, and there was a thrilling struggle in the straight when Burwood tired, enabling the capably handled Ballybrit to get up on the rails and score by a length, with Gay Boa handy and staying on. A very gratifying feature of the race was that the three placed performers were all South-land-bred, Stud Book entrants, and youthful contestants as steeplechasers go, ranking in age from five to six years. The winner (Ballybrit) ranks as a half-brother to the generous mare Shillelagh Wood, by Woodend (imp.) who finished second to Nocturnus in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase of August last. Ballybrit and Shillelagh Wood race in the colours of the veteran sportsman, Mr M. Hanley, of Otautau, who bred last week’s winner, but Mr C. Gardner, another supporter of the jumping game, owned the mare Direct Hit when she foaled Shillelagh Wood. Ballybrit, foaled in 1931, is by Southland’s crack sire of jumpers and flat racers, Balboa (son of Varco, imp., from a Birkenhead maternal line) from Direct Hit (bred by Mr J. Grigg), by Fleetham (imp., and son of Picton from a St. Simon strain) from Lucky Shot, by Calibre (son of Light Artillery, by Trenton, by Musket) from Tapuwai, by Seaton Delaval (imp., and sire of stayers) from Waitemata, by Eiridspord (imp.) from Aorere, by Chester (great sire of stayers in Australia) from Kaipara, by Goldsbrough (a noted sire) from Maritana, by New Warrior from Mermaid by Fisherman from Sweetheart (imp.). The Mermaid mentioned is not to be confused with the noted New Zealand taproot mare of similar name. In his appearances in public Ballybrit has shown that he has satisfactory galloping prowess, and, backed by a stayer’s pedigree and jumping ability, he should go far as a steeplechaser. While the three placed horses were Southland-bred it may also be pointed out that they were owned hy Southlanders well known as staunch supporters of cross-country racing whose representatives were trained at different centres of the southern province.