BRIGADIER BILL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20150, 19 May 1928, Page 4

BRIGADIER BILL

DUAL STEEPLES WINNER

Wanganui’s Cross-Country Event Won by Recruit to Chasing

xiie Wanganui Steeplechase contest is one that invariably attracts a great deal of interest, it being the second of the crosscountry events to be decided during the winter racing campaign and also having a decided bearing on the chances of candidates for the Great Northern jumping double. A review of the seven contestants for Thursday’s event, which was won convincingly by Brigadier Bill, is given below. (By “Kestrel.”)

It was not a large field that paraded for the Wanganui «teeplechaso on Thursday; in tact in these days of twenty or thirty starters for events ou the flat it may be termed a very small field. What would the club have thought of the situation had the number of starters been of the dimensions of the Grand National Steeplechase field at Aintree in March when 42 ’chasers lined up at the barrier? But the winning stake for England’s greatest steeplechase was a five-figure one, and Tipperary Tim, who also drew the stake attached to third and fourth places because there were only two to complete the course, credited his owner with the sum of £ll,OOO. Comparisons, of course, arc scarcely permissible, but it may be mentioned that the winner’s portion of the stake un Thursday was £405, and while the Wanganui Club is in the unfortunate position of being unable to increase the stake money offered, nominations must remain at or near the present level. But what Thursday’s field lacked in numbers it made up for in quality, for the seven starters arc about the best ’chasers in commission in the Dominion these days, always excepting, c,f course, horses of the calibre of Beau Cavalier and Wedding March, who could not be attracted <y the Wanganui programme when the big four-fig-ure stakes at the metropolitan gatherings furnish a temptation to owners and trainers to forego the risk of competing at smaller fix'arcs. Not- Difficult, but Tricky The Wanganui Steeplechase course is admittedly not a very difficult one, the fences being more tricky than stiff. In this way tho race differs from the Ellerslie cross-country events, where thej big hill to be negotiated each circuit furnishes a searching test of stamina, while at Riccarton the obstacles are stiffer and require jumping ability; rather than speed between the fences., 1 At Wanganui some of the obstacles are of the unusual variety and require care. For instance the hencoops, which have brought about the downfall of even experienced jumpers. Hence it is that an element ol luck often enters into the contest. There were experienced jumpers in Thursday’s event, for the majority of the starters had shown winning form over the ” country” in previous seasons. One exception was the topweight, Comical, who had, prior to the day. never been able to complete a steeplechase course. His first attempt over the big fences was when he contested the Wanganui Steeplechase last year. On that occasion he was allotted the impost if 11.12, the handicapper apparently deciding not to take any risk with such a good jumper. In spite of the fact that he was inexperienced at the bigger game the son of Merry Moment and Mint Queen was a firm first choice w r ith backers, but he crashed at the henepop near the six-furlong post. Never Got Round At the Auckland winter meeting a couple of weeks later Comical started in three of the steeplechase events, the Greenlane Steeples, the Great Northern Steeples and the Winter Steeplechase, but on each occasion 1. failed to complete the course. A sir r record was placed against Comical's name in connection with the Wellington Steeplechase last July, and that closed his racing last season.

During the present racing year Comical has started on three occasions. These were in the Egmont Steeplechase, the Adamson Steeplechase and last Thursday’s event. In the first-named event Comical lost his rider at the fourth obstacle, while on the second clay Taggart and ho parted company at tho post and rails. A change was enforced on Thursdayowing to Taggart breaking a collarbone when he fell at Hawera, and when the names of the riders were hoisted for the Steeplechase it was ascertained that an amateur, Mr R. Russell, would be tho pilot and many were curious as to whether the change of riders would find Comical successful in completing the course. Comical Completes the Course. The result was a triumph for the amateur. Letting his mount run along over the initial stages he found that Comical was anxious to take the lead so into the lead he went, piloting the

field for over a mile and a-quarter. Here ho was joined by Peter Maxwell and Brigadier Bill, and a little further on the latter took tho lead. It was at this stage that Comical commenced to swish his tail and give indications that ho was not relishing his task. His rider was not, however, allowing him to shirk his job and kept him going, affording him every assistance at the obstacles and giving quite a good display of horsemanship. His recovery after a blunder at the first of tho brush double in front of the stands was a neat piece of work and a rider with a shorter leather would have been tipped out of the saddle. Gameness of Comical Four furlongs from home there were three in front of Comical; Brigadier Bill being well in the lead and both Passin’ Through and Peter Maxwell heading tho Merry Moment gelding, and it appeared as if he could be counted out of the contest. He was not done yet, how r cver, and over the last quarter mile in put in a good run, being with Passin’ Through, Peter Maxwell and Tuki as they ran to the final obstacle. He finished on gamely, in the best race he has run for many a month, and when the winning post was reached he was only two lengths behind Passin’ Through, who was third, a couple of lengths in front of whom was Tuki. It was a great exhibition of gameness on the part of Comical and it would encourage one to expect him to win steeplechase honours before the season concludes. For the Great Northern Tuki was another that ran a sterling race and in finishing second the South Island representative gave promise of better things before long. He was ridden a patient race by F. Corlett, not being bustled by Comical’s pace over the initial stages, with the result that at the end he was able to assert himself and race Passin’ Through, Peter Maxwell and Comical home from the final obstacle. If any of the six Great Northern Steeplechase candidates who competed can be said to have impressed more than the winner it was Tuki. In the big Ellerslie event Tuki has 10.7, which is 51bs less than the impost he carried into second place on Saturday and twelve pounds below what ho will be called on to carry in the Grandstand Steeples this afternoon. That Tuki is not a stranger to the big hill at the Ellerslie course may be gathered from the fact that he contested the Great Northern Steeplechase twelve months ago, being unplaced with 10.3, while on the concluding day of tho meeting he led the field home in the Winter Steeplechase, carrying 9.11 and beating Kawini and Oinahu. Should the Quin Abbey gelding be successful in catching tho judge’s eye this afternoon he will not incur any penalty for the Ellerslie event. He is owned by the South Island sportsman, Mr J. hr. Samson, who has perhaps the largest string of horses of any owner in the Dominion. When Maunga Pulled Up. It was a pity that Maunga was out of the contest through some of his gear slipping for he threatened to repeat his win of last year. He would, however, have had to do better than he did twelve months ago, w’hcn he beat Bonny Rill by the narrow margin of a neck, for the winner on Thursday was a dozen lengths in front of Tuki and ran the distance in 6.9 2-5, which was only 1 3-ssec. behind the time recorded by Maunga last year. It Appears that the saddle slipped, thus allowing the lead bag that Griffiths had under him to become loose, and when the field had gone a mile the favourite had dropped back to second to last berth, with only Passin’ Through behind him. Jumping the brush going out of the straight Manuga’s pilot had a most uncomfortable time of it, sitting almost sideways on his mount, and how he managed to stay on when the favourite negotiated tho hencoop at the six furlong post is a mystery. When Maunga was pulled up a furlong further on his backers, who had invested tho sum of £616 on the son of Mountain Knight, lost all financial interest in the race and viewed the rest of the contest with mingled feelings. Perhaps they may be able to recoup their losses this afternoon, for Maunga figures in the Grandstand Steeples with 11.3 and will not lack friends. It is perhaps as well to recall at this stage the advice once given by a close student of racing to tho writer:—“lf the favourite gets beaten on the first day of the meeting be on him the next time out.” The proof of this has often been furnished, so often, in fact, that it is a wonder that more notice is not taken of the coincidence. A Newcomer to the Game Practically a newcomer to the crosscountry game was Brigadier Bill, w’ho will now take tho place that Ngata and Oinahu once held in Mr J. Bull’s string of ’chasers and hurdlers. Alt the Egmont Racing Club’s winter fixture last week the All Red-Te Hau gelding contested his first steeplechase. Through there being several falls in the race. Frisco Jack tossing out when in the lead six furlongs from home and Dick and Comical being early out of the

race, it was left for Brigadier Bill to win in easy style. There was therefore no chance for backers to get a good line on the prospects of the newcomer, for there were many conjectures as to whether he would have stood a severe test over the concluding stages. And so the Egmont Steeplechase went down to the credit of Brigadier Bill. In the Wanganui Steeplechase the “Brigadier” was better backed than any candidate with the exception of Maunga, but he paid a nice price.

He was steadied over the first mile of the journey, but it was seen that he was fencing perfectly and held his field well on the flat. Alan McDonald was the game, cutting off all the corners possible and taking the shortest way between the obstacles. It was rather a surprise to sec him take his mount to the front while there were still twelve furlongs to go, but the move was, as it proved, justified, for Brigadier Bill went well in the role of pilot, never giving his backers any reason for doubt. Safe Bar Accidents Entering on the final circuit the “Brigadier” was bowling along merrily three lengths ahead of Comical, and it appeared as if the race was safe in his keeping bar accidents. So it proved for he raced across the top some half-dozen lengths to the good and increased the advantage in the straight, finally passing the post some twelve lengths before the, second horse. It "was apparent that over fences of the calibre of the Wanganui steeplechase course there was nothing in the race to give the winner much trouble, and wherever the fences are not more difficult he is going to be hard to boat in future cross-country events. Of course it is almost unnecessary to state that Brigadier Bill will have his impost for the Great Northern Steeplechase reviewed by the handicapper, and it will be interesting to learn what sort of an impression has been made by the dual winner at his first two attempts at the game. This makes the third win in three starts that Mr Bull’s clever ’chaser has scored within a month. Passin’ Through Plods On A plodder of the real old steeplechase, type is Passin’ Through, who finished in third berth behind Brigadier Bill and Tuki, for though he, was well in the rear of a strung-out field before they had travelled much more than six furlongs he made up his leeway over the concluding stages to finish as stated. It w-as when Brigadier Bill made his forward move when half the journey had been covered that Passin’ Through commenced to pass some of the others, but with a mile to go he had taken up «. position about three lengths behind the leader. Crossing the last obstacle Passin’ Through was on terms with Peter Maxwell, Comical and Tuki, and the last-named had enough pace on tho flat to race the veteran home. With 9.13 in the Great Northern Steeplechase Passin’ Through must be, given a jumper’s chance, though his last success in a cross-country contest was in the Beaufort Steeplechase at the Grand National meeting at. Riccarton last August, on which occasion the Guianfortc-Iseult gelding carried _ 10.5 home in front of Zircon and Tuki, the •winning margin being five lengths. Passin’ Through is not done with yet. History May Be Repeated It is not the first time that Peter Maxwell has contested the Wanganui Steeplechase, for twelve months ago he w r as one of the field, finishing outside the placed horses, but he made amends by annexing the Grandstand Steeples on the second day of the fixture, scoring a victory that vias apparently not unexpected, for the Northerner was second choice on the totalizator and ran, as expected, a greatly improved race. In Thursday’s contest Peter Maxwell was never far away from the leader, and it was not until the final circuit was entered on that he dropped back into fourth place. When the field turned into the straight to pursue the leader home it was apparent that Brigadier Bill could not be caught and Peter Maxwell was not able to beat Comical’s final spurt, failing by two lengths to weigh in for fourth position. Out of the Picture When Frisco Jack contested the Egmont Steeplechase there were many who looked to the Sir Frisco gelding to give a lot of trouble before the race was over. It appeared as if he would, too, when the field ran down the back stretch the second time, for at that stage he was well in the lead. However, he was tiring and ho crashed at the post and rails six furlongs from home. It was confidently expected that Frisco Jack would adopt hi y usual 'tearaway tactics on Thursday, but his supporters reckoned without Comical, and the pace set by the top-weight contributed to Frisco Jack’s undoing. Frisco Jack clouted a couple of his fences and this took a lot of the ‘ f pep ’ ’ out of him, and in consequence it was not surprising to find him soon toiling in the rear. With a mile and a-half covered there was a big gap between Frisco Jack and his nearest opponent, and the further they went the further back he dropped. Finally, when tho winner passed the post Frisco Jack was negotiating the penultimate obstacle, two furlongs away, and he came home on his own. With such good performances to his credit early in the season over Hunt Club courses it appeared as if Frisco Jack would not fail to win high honours during the winter racing campaign, but such will not be the case if his display* are no better than the one provided on Thursday. Whether he will improve as the season goes on is hard to say, but the opinion is expressed that it will be a long time before Frisco Jack is returned a winner among the class that opposed him in the Wanganui Steeplechase. Summed up, it may be stated that the best horse on the day won the big cross-country event, while if the favourite had stood up there might have been a better contest for second place but the winner would have been Brigadier Bill. The popularity of his victory was evidenced by the applause that commenced when it was seen that he was safely over the final obstacle and continued until ho had returned to the birdcage.