A G.N. RETROSPECT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 906, 18 July 1907, Page 5

A G.N. RETROSPECT.

If Kiatere succeeds in the Grand National Steeples under his allotted burden of 13.3 he will achieve a weight-carrying record for the race since the “ cross-country Derby” was established in 1876. The highest weight successfully carried is the 12.10 which Canard won under in 1886. A notable fact that prior to the distance being reduced in 1890 to three miles and a-half, 12st or over was carried to victory on six occasions, whilst since then the burden mentioned above has been carried by a winner on three occasions only. No horse has ever carried 13st into a place, but Mutiny ran second with 12.13 to Levanter, who carried 12.6, and Norton was second with 12.12 to Waterbury. Ahua was sent out favourite with 12.10 in 1891, and finished fifth, and a somewhat similar compliment was paid to Moifaa when he went out a good second favourite with 13.6 on his back. Moifaa holds the record of essaying the greatest task ever attempted over the Riccarton country, and this occurred when he carried 13.13 in the Lincoln Steeples, won by Roller. Both in the National Steeples and Lincoln, Moifaa was running a great horse, but unfortunately ran off in both races. In those days Watt, his rider, walked about 8.0, and the amount of dead weight between him and his mount would not tend to strengthen his grip of the pigskin. In the big steeples he lost both irons before Moifaa ran off, when going really well, and the big son of Natator also appeared to be going as well as anything in the race when he ran off in the Lincoln. There was not a little merit in The Guard’s form when he ran second to his stable companion Gobo with 12.2, and he was running like a winner when he came down the following year with 13.2 up. Kiatere has a field below him in the handicap which will probably make him feel the full weight of his burden, and time alone will solve the question as to whether he can achieve success where so many others have failed under big weights.