EXPERIENCE IN THE NATIONAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 6

EXPERIENCE IN THE NATIONAL

BOMBARD, A BIG FAVOURITE, HAS HAD VERY LITTLE The Victorian Grand National Hurdle race is being decided at Flemington this afternoon, and the cable man yesterday recorded the interesting fact that there were 22 acceptors, with New Zealand not represented. An interesting resume of the requirements for such a race, with a review of some of the prominent candidates, has been written by a Melbourne journalist, and as it may be of interest at this period of the season, the article is reproduced. Experience has helped many hurdlers to victory against faster and better jumpers. That advantage may be not pronounced over short journeys, but when it comes to a solidly run race over three miles, the new jumper shows that his lack of knowledge means a difference between victory and defeat. NOT FOR GREEN HORSES Results of the Grand National Hurdle indicate that such a race is not for the newcomer to the jumping sphere. Old timers —experienced horses —have had matters all their own way in recent years, and it seems like tempting fate that punters should have the comparatively inexperienced Bombard favourite this year. DARING PRECEDENCE That, of course, is not to say that Bombard cannot overcome that difficulty. His brilliance and apparent natural ability for the jumping game are undoubted and will probably counterbalance the fact that he has had only three races over hurdles. History does not always repeat itself, and at some time or other some horse must come along to prove that a horse with only little racing expei'ience over hurdles can win a Grand National. But in selecting Bombard at this stage as the most likely winner of that event, punters are distinctly going against what appears an unbroken rule for years. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Last year Sparkling Mozelle rose from the mediocre rank to a comparative champion, because she was perhaps the most seasoned runner in the National. She had raced over jumps throughout the country districts of Victoria for years. She had city experience over the smaller jumps, and, to prove her versatility, was placed in Melbourne over brush steeples. Before that, previous winners in Fildin, Jackstaff, Berrinbo and Fiscom were all well before the public as hurdlers before they capped their fame by a win in Australia’s most important jumping event. FAVOURITE’S HARD TASK

Bombard’s task, therefore, is hard, and strict followers of rules will no doubt reckon his jumping lessons have been insufficient for such a gruelling race. But Bombard is perhaps one of the best flat horses that ever ran in a National, and, added to that, he has few equals when it comes to clearing his hurdles. He has had only three efforts over hurdles, stretching over 12 months, and he has won two of those races. GOOD EFFORT Bombard’s first effort said little for his possibilities as a hurdler. He showed no idea of clearing the obstacles but the next run saw a different Bombard. He won brilliantly at Moonee Valley, and then, to clinch his reputation as a jumper, easily beat a first-class field at Flemington recently. Bombard, for all his having run only three times over jumps, shows none of the characteristics of a comparative beginner. He clears his jumps in brilliant style, and the fact that he will lose no ground on that score throughout a very fast-run three miles will mean a big advantage for him. His great pace and staying powers will thus be conserved to the utmost. GROSVENOR’S PROSPECTS On the score of experience, Grosvenor has his chance, for there will be no more seasoned horse in the race. From a very mediocre jumper he has developed into a high-class performer, who has a chance in any company. Grosvenor has not the brilliancy of Bombard on the flat, nor, perhaps, that horse’s fast jumping powers, but he is nevertheless a first-class jumper whom others will find it hard to gain on in that regard. His nine runs have taught him everything there is to learn about hurdling, and that he has more than average pace for a hurdler will mean that he can take any position his rider likes at practically any stage of the race.

The racegoer who asserts that experience counts for nothing has no right to be a racegoer, but this National may prove that the assertion of a racegoer that only a horse of the utmost experience can win an important hurdle race is not always correct. WINTER HURDLES LIKELY CANDIDATES THE WELLINGTON VIEWPOINT The Winter Hurdles, to be run on the third day of the Wellington meeting, contains some good hurdlers, and the race is going to be very open. Ngata and Nukumai head the list, and neither is as good as he used to be, but they are always liable to bob up. Nothing reads better than Wedding March, winner of the Great Northern Hurdles, and another who should go well is Kawini, for it is almost certain that he will be able to show an improvement on his running at the winter meeting in Auckland. Royal Form has gone up in the weights a bit and that might bring him back to some of the good ones, but he won very easily on the final day at Auckland and was open to improvement. MAY TANGLE BETTORS One who will serve to complicate matters is Perle de Leon. New to hurdling, he has won at his last two starts, but has not beaten anything really good. Now that he is among the cracks, punters will be in a quandary to know if he can hold up his end in this class or if he will finish well down the running. It is too big a problem to express a very decided opinion on, but most likely he will be beaten. Maunga looks to have a better chance unless the ground is against him, as he is a good stayer at this business and was running on nicely at the end of his Wanganui and Auckland engugemets. HAVE CHANCES •Black Cruiser is just coming to his best and should be in the money during the meeting, if not on this race then in the Trentham Hurdles. Gaze will have to improve out of recognition to have a chance, and the same may be said of Highway. Koauau and Brigadier Bill are likely to find the journey too far, but Sottana will not be beaten by the distance. Just now, it looks like Black Cruiser, Wedding March, Kawini and Nukumai being in the picture toward the finish, sums up our Wellington correspondent.