Preparations For The New Racing Season.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 14

Preparations For The New Racing Season.

ENGLISH SPORTSMEN DISCUSS GRAND NATIONAL AND LINCOLN

(Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, January 2. The field for the Grand National Steeplechase will seemingly be without the smart nine-year-old Duke of Florence. who won the Grand Allies Chase at Manchester last year. At that time he was eagerly inquired after by rich American sportsmen who sought to have their colours carried in the National, but he became the property of Mr A. M’Alpine, who still owns him. It was this owner s brother who saw his colours carried so well at Aintree by Richmond 11., who will again be a live factor in the blue riband of the ’chase next March. Duke of Florence has been displaying fine form over hurdles, and the general assumption had been that after a course of minor jumping his attention would be turned to ’chasing. This, it will be remembered, was the procedure laid down for Easter Hero last year. The connections of Duke of Florence have announced that the horse will not be entered for the National, and that his future—at any rate for this season —will be vested in hurdling. Another prospective National entrant in Kilbuck has been catching the racegoers’ eye in Ireland. In this instance I make reference to a horse that won the Indian Grand National last year, and was then sent back to his native land (where he used to race as a two-year-old) for further fields to conquer. " Naturally, I have no very sound notions as to what success in a big Indian race really means, but at the same time. I am told that Kilbuck’s recent victory at Leopardstown was most impressive. Should Kilbuck come to England with the National in view. I imagine he will

go to the stable of Harvey Leader, who won the big race with Jack Horner not many years ago. There is a dearth of high-class ’chasers in England at present, and thus the limelight which rests on Kilbuck just now will be quite understandable to those who know what sort of horse it takes to win at Aintree. Easter Hero made his present season debut in a three miles ’chase at Wolverhampton and performed (with substantial odds laid on) with all his old fluency. It is clear that unless the handicapper puts a crushing burden on Mr J. H. Whitney’s horse he must be a popular favourite when the Liverpool race comes along. Weight, of course, is one of the snags of the National. What a good horse ought to get, and what he does get, are altogether different matters. F. B. Rees, who knows all there is to know about Aintree, reckons that no horse ought to be asked to carry more than 12st over the arduous Liverpool circuits. The situation where the Lincolnshire Handicap is concerned is still obscure. Six Wheeler and Square Rock are the horses which the bookmakers are trying to establish as early favourites, but I do not think the public will “ fall ” for this. While the big representation of French horses stands its ground, the difficulties of punters who are uninspired will be obvious and baffling, and I, for one, intend to leave the race alone until the right guidance is forthcoming. There is a hint—and it comes from a usually well-informed source—that Slipper will be the best of all the French horses. I shall be interested to follow up the clue, because it means a lot, I am sure.