A BRIEF ROMANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1931, Page 6

A BRIEF ROMANCE

STEEPLECHASE VICTORY. OWNER’S TURN OF FORTUNE. ' ■ Melbourne, August 13. There is a romantic story attaching to 1 the surprising victory of Accelera-. tion in the Australian Steeplechase. This horse is owned by Mrs. F. P. Chapman, of Adelaide, and has been in Melbourne for some months. He was tried in brush steeplechases and steeplechasers’ flat races without success, and when his name appeared as a final acceptor for the Australian Steeplechase people asked .“What for?” It is now revealed that when they accepted with Acceleration Mr. and. Mrs. Chapman were at the end of their resources, and they might mot have been able to start their horse if a Melbourne business man had not come to their assistance and financed them. That he was a plucky speculator is shown by the fact that he invested a large sum of money .bn Acceleration, and also laid Mr. and Mrs., Chapman a considerable sum to nothing. On the day before the race the ride on Acceleration was. going begging, and eventually W. J. Howson, who was successful on Cockcrow in the. Grand National Hurdle Race, was induced toaccept the mount. How Acceleration led practically all the way to score with the greatest ease from the well-sup-ported Ancient Mariner is' now history. It was a wildly exciting day for the Chapmans, for success meant a small fortune to them, and failure would have meant a return to Adelaide jeinptyhanded.' Until iabout a week previous to the Australian Steeplechase Acceleration was trained by Mrs. Chapman, but J. Tie, the Caulfield trainer, had charge of hi niton Saturday. However, mofet of the credit for preparing Acceleration for his big task goes to Mrs. Chapman. Another unusual feature is that ’Acceleration is a- stallion. Stallions who have won important crosss-country races in the past 40 years can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In addition to the romantic side the Australian Steeplechase also' had its tragedy. Of the 14 starters only seven survived the ordeal of running three and a half miles over 24 fences. Kentle fell less than half a mile from home when going fairly well and broke a shoulder. He was subsequently destroyed,. Kentle'was a good performer and four years ago he was successful in the Brisbane Cup. Coming to Melbourne he won the Grand National Hurdle Race in the colours of Mr. L. K. S. Mackinnon, chairman of the Victoria- Racing Club. Olina, who: was going well, broke down in the.race and it was.ascertained that he had broken a bone in his stifle. He also was destroyed.