KING SEES GRAND NATIONAL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1571, 2 June 1920, Page 12

KING SEES GRAND NATIONAL.

The King saw Troytown’s victory in the Grand National at Aintree. Troytown got an ovation which would have done honour to a Royal winner. Cheers again and again renewed, skirroos, tumultuous rushes to greet the Irishman, a great press round the unsaddling enclosure, and a final burst of rejoicing when the “All right” was called, which must have been heard in Southport.

Royal congratulations supplemented the plaudits of the crowd. Major Gerrard, the owner of Troytown, and his wife were sent for bv the King, who received them at the entrance to Lord Derby’s private stand and warmly felicitated them on the victory. Except for Mrs. Gerrard there would have been no victory, for Major Gerrard had been in the habit of selling the produce of the dam to the same man, and Troytown would have gone with the others only that Mrs. Gerrard said to the major, “You have sold enough. I will keep this one and train him.”

Mr. Jack Anthony, a relative of the trainer, Algy Anthony, who rode the horse, was also called up, and the King asked him about the state of the going, whether it was really bad, and how Troytown behaved.