MASTER MERUIT IMPRESSES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 6

MASTER MERUIT IMPRESSES

RACING

FIELD OUTCLASSED AT HASTINGS Last year’s Grand National winner, Master Meruit, outclassed the moderate field opposed to him in the Hawke s Bay Steeplechase at Hastings on Saturday. noS? of them being able to make any impression on the Gls V° t I ?Vh 2 X he jumper. Northern reports state that h e is in beautiful order at this stage of his Grand National preparation, and that ne will be a fit horse when he comes to Riccarton for the Grand National. He is to run'in the June Steeplechase at Hastings next week, the conditions of the race stipulating a maximum weight Of Master Meruit carried 11-9 on Saturday, and even with the prospects of slightly stronger opposition, he should again be the hardest horse in the field to beat. Red Glare,'which has been a consistent performer tltis sesaon, receives 61b from Master Meruit on this occasion. In the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase he was handicapped at only 11b below Master Merjnt. but did not accept. On both this season s and last season's performances Master Meruit would still appear to have the best of the weights. Fences Not Difficult The inglorious display given by the steeplechasers at Ashburton on Saturday emphasised the present dearth of capable jumpers. Although the track was cutting out after the frost thawed, and the surface became greasy, capable jumpers would have mastered that difficulty and the fences would have presented no problems to them. The fences are good fences, but are not difficult, as can be judged from their measurements. The three brush fences* in the back straight afe 4ft 6in high, with padded timber and corner posts 3ft high. The board fences are 3ft 6in high with padded tops and the three brush fences in the straight are 4ft 6in high, with the timber 3ft 6in high. The going on the steeplechase course in the back straight' was quite good, and falls thpre could not be attributed to the state of the going. At the approaches to the fences off the course proper, broom had been laid- several days previously to keep the frost off the ground and ensure a good footing for the takeoff. It was significant that when Spanish Main, the most experienced jumper in the field, was in front, the remainder of the field jumped reasonably well, and had he not fallen the chances are that the race would- never have been the memorable contest it was.

Big Game’s Progeny Win The first of the progeny of Big Game, which was raced on lease from the National Stud by the Kling, have appeared on the racecourse 'in England this season, and already they have been successful. One of them, a big chestnut colt called Murrayfield, which is also raced by His Majesty’ on lease from the National Stud, won the Warminster Stakes at Salisbury on May 31. Another colt named Combat also won at the meeting, after having previously been successful at Bath. The dam of Murrayfield is Caretta by Phalaris or Solario from Daumont by Diligence from Tilly whim. Caretta is the dam of Shere Ali, which cost 11,000 guineas as a yearling. Combat is the second foal of the Oaks winner. Commotion by Mieuxce from Riot by Colorado from Lady Juror by Son-in-Law. Big Game is the property of the nation, and he is one of the few high-class Stallions to which a small breeder has a chance of sending a mare. On the turf Big Game was only once defeated, in the Derby, and he was easily the most brilliant son of the great undefeated Bahram. A Slender Lead

After Saturday’s racing, N. B. Holland had his lead in the jockey’s premiership reduced to one. Holland, who has 48 winning rides to his credit this season, failed to ride a winner at Waipa. G. F. Hughes and W. J. Broughton are now equal for second place with 47 each. Hughes had a very successful day at Waipa, riding three winners, While Broughton rode two winners at Hawke’s Bay. <W. J. Mudford and the Riccarton apprentice, K. Nuttall, are next on the list with 32 wins each. Steeplechaser’s Double

The nine-year-old Oration gelding Etaro was a class above the rest in the Andrew Hay Memorial Steeplechase at the Waipa meeting, andxwon easily. Produced later in the day, he completed a double when he won the W., G. Park Steeplechase, giving another good performance. It is not often these days that a steeplechaser is saddled up twice in the one day, but from reports it would seem that Etarp’s first race did not take much out of him.