THE GRAND’S DOUBLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 165, 18 July 1946, Page 6

THE GRAND’S DOUBLE

WON TWO MAIN FLAT RACES AT NEW PLYMOUTH The Grand performed at New Plymouth last Saturday the unusual feat of winning the two principal events at the meeting, taking the major honours in the James Paul Handicap (nine furlongs) and the Charles Lepper Handicap (seven furlongs). A week earlier he had dead-heated with Victory Dawn for second place, behind Whackie, in the Stratford Handicap (six furlongs).

In his first success last Saturday The Grand was ridden by an apprentice, J. Eaton, for whom a 61b allowance was claimed, reducing his impost to 7.1, but in lire Lepper Handicap, in which his original handilap of 8.4 was increased to 8.9 by a 51b penalty for his earlier win. The leading jockey, N. B. Holland, was in the saddle on this occasion, and in spite of Ihe fact that Whackie showed his usual brilliant speed to lead into the straight, The Grand had his measure in lhe final stages to win handily.

An aged gelding by Wheriko (sire of the dual hurdles winner Gold Claim), The Grand is from Gold Nymph, a mare by Lack ham from Gold Necklace. by Gold Reef from Sea Spray, by Torpedo from Nymph, by Ingomar from Wood Nymph, by Musket from Sylvia. He is owned and trained by Mr. G. S. Walton at Otaki. The Grand had started in 22 races this season before he registered his double last Saturday, and now has four wins, three seconds and three thirds to his credit lor the year.

The Grand has rather a unique record in some respects. Last spring he was still a maiden till he won the second division of the Trial Hack Handicap at the Wanganui September meeting. At the Trentham meeting in January he won the Kaitoke Hack Handicap (one mile), with W. J. Broughton in the saddle, retur a big dividend. That success, worth £385, automatically put him out of hack company. He is a horse of moods and has often raced accordingly, but now that he has come into his own he may go on with his winning sequence.