THE RICCARTON COUNTRY

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1946, Page 7

THE RICCARTON COUNTRY

The Riccarton steeplecliase course is the stifl'est country in New Zealand. but the course generallv prosides good, sound going. The approacli to Cutts's fence and round the back to the homej tuni consists of tussock land turf.j whicli can stand a lot of wet weather. In tlie straight tlie going can beconiet soft in bad weather, but under ordinary I coiulitions the course is ideal for a cross-country race, with fences sufliciently formidable to test the c-apa-j bilitv ot' any horse with pretensions to I Grand Nationai form. j Lt requires a well-scasoned horse to ncgotiate the fences and stay out the jouruey, and also a capable horseman to act as pilot over the three aiql a half miles. The Engiisli Grand Nationai fences do not exceed five feet, but tliere are several of them, and they have to be jumped twice. The following are the mcasuronients of the Riccarton fences: — (1) Carriage ])addock (brush), 4ft. oin.j (2) and (3) stand double (brush;, eaeli 4ft. (5in.; (4) Cutts's (brush), 5 i't. ; (5) sod wall (ditch 3ft. Oin.), 3ft. Tio.; ((i) post and rails (ditch 3ft. 6in.), 31't. (jin.; (7) and (S) kennels double (brush), iirst fence (ditch 3ft. 9in.), 4ft. l(iin., second fence 4ft. (iim; (9) sod wall (ditch 3ft. 3in.), 3ft. Sin.; (10) top of straight (brush), 4ft. lOin. The iirst fence is jumped three times and the others twice, niaking 21 jumps in all.