SPORTING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15834, 3 June 1919, Page 9

SPORTING.

AUCKLAND R.C. MEETING. SECOND DAY. MASTER. LUPIN WINS THE STEEPLECHASE. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 3. The second day’s racing of the Auskiand Racing Club’s winter meeting is being held in glorious weather, and there is a very large attendance. Results:— Hunt Club Steeplechase—No Surrender 1. Heathen Boy 2, Gray Star 3. All started. Won by 200 yards. Time, G3O. Ranfurly Welter—Pierrot 1, General Stephen 2, Rang! Aroha 3. All started. Won by three-quarters of a length. Time, 1.45. Remuera Hurdles—Thrace 1, Ditto 2, Art 3. Scratched: Euripos, Munster, and Garryowen. Won by three lengths. Time, 2.49 3-5. GREAT NORTHERN STEEPLECHASE. 3* miles. MASTER LUPIN, 10.10 1 WAIMAI, 12.7 2 TENACIOUS, 10.3 .... 3 All started. Won by three lengths. Time, 7.53 3-5. DUNEDIN R.C. MEETING. FIRST DAY. (Per United Press Association.) DUNEDIN, June 3. The weather is fine for the winter races, and the attendance is large. Results : Trial Hurdles.—Tip Up 1, San Sebastian 2, Calma 3. Scratched: Hard Shot. Won by half a length. Time, 1.36 1-5. Kimbolton fell at the latt hurdle. Birthday Handicap—Tin Soldier 1, Elens 2, Samiel 3. . Scratched: Rorke’s Drift and War Dance. Won by half a length. Time, 2.42 2-5. Brighton Handicap.—Cannie Jack 1, Glenshine 2, Mirza 3. Scratched: Admiral Talbot. Won by a head. Time, 1.46 1-5. Otago Steeplechase.—Palladio 1, Yaecnlar 2, Silverspire 3. All started. Won by a length- Time, 6.21 3-5. LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL. INTERESTING DETAILS OF LAST RACE. By “ACHILLES.” The last English mail to hand brought details "of the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, run at Aintree on the 25th March. A RECORD CROWD. There was brilliant sunshine interspersed with a few flakes of snow to welcome what was probably the largest concourse of people that ever witnessed the Grand National. As early as 9 in the morning the crowds poured down to Aintree by rail and road, and by noon the railway accommodation was quite unequal to the traffic. In the early betting Poethlyn was a firm favourite. He was the biggest and looked the most likely horse, SNOW DELAYS THE START. Just as the horses came out to parade snow brftan to fall, and as they were lining up to start a terrifio snowstorm and cyclone swept over the ground 1 . In less than a minute it was impossible to see across the ground, and the horses were ordered back to the paddock, where the jockeys dismounted and took shelter. The storm abated as quickly as it came, and ten minutes later the sun was shining again, though the ground was white. good start was made, and the 23 runners were sent off. Pollen, Earguo and Poethlyn led over the first feqee, where they were joined by Loch Allen. No hocse fell till the fifth fence, Beecher’s Brook, when Charlbury came down, and it may be said here that there were few falls, and not for many years have so many horses completed the course. Rubbish.in, who was pulled up at the last oj>eii ditch, died shortly afterwards. W. Payne, who rode the horse, believes liis moun't hurt himaelf at Valentine Brook. A POPULAR VICTORY. Poethlyn was never out of the first four or five horses, and, though Ballyfceggan was once leading for a few lengths, it was only on sufferance. It may be said without a trace of exaggeration that Poethlyn led the whole way and won as he pleased by eight lengths. Ho was by no means distressed at the finish, and looked as if he could go round again. It was a most popular victory, and the shouts of delight began when the horse was two fences from home, and continued all down the straight. Three cheers were given at the weighing enclosure for Piggott, who rode a cool, masterly race, and three cheers more were given for Poethlyn, a worthy exemplar of Jerry M. "Had Poethlyn not won it is quite likely that Pollen would have done so. And thus the seven guinea horse won the Grand National. THE ROMANCE OF POETHLYN. There is quite a romance attaching to the history of Poethlyn, the winner of the Liverpool Grand National. The horse was bred by Major Peel, the husband of the present owner, but was such an ugly duckling as a foal that he was sent to Wrexham Market and there disposed of for seven guineas. Subsequently he passed into the possession of a Shrewsbury publican, and Goswell, who then trained Major Peel’s horses, saw him, and advised Major Peel that he would make a useful steeplechaser. The Major and Mrs Peel accordingly went and saw the horse, then a two-year-old, and the lady bought him lor 50 guineas, being quite unaware that he was the horse her husband had bred and cot rid of as useless. Pothelyn ran in several races at four years of age, but failed in all. At five he wen three of the six races in which he competed, and when Goswell joined the Army in 1916 he was sent into Escort's charge at Lewes. In 1917 Poethlyn won two good steeplechases, while last winter he won four, including the substitute “National” at Gatwick and the Lancashire Handicap Steeplechase at Manchester. In all he has run in 26 steeplechases, and has come to grief only twice—once as a five-year-old and once as a six. He has not known defeat for two years, and has now rivalled the great feat of those brilliant jumpers Cloister, Manifesto, and Jerry M. by winning the Grand National with 12st. 71b. on his back. Cynic, the winner of the Great Northern Hurdles, is one of the most fashionably-bred horses racing in New Zealand to-day. Cjmic’s pedigree is fairly studded wifi names of illustrious performers, the leading lines of l.ia breeding being as follows:—Sire: Henry the First, by Melton (sou of Master Kildare), from Simeua, by St. Simou (sou of Galopu) from Flying