JUST LIKE SITTING IN AN ARMCHAIR

Chronicle (Levin), 5 August 1947, Page 7

JUST LIKE SITTING IN AN ARMCHAIR

After riding three mi'les and a half over 21 jumps, Surpeen 's jockey, M. ; Ritchie, * wliom his, fellow-riders congratulated as "M'erv, " achieved a' inasterpieee of understatemcnt when he . deelared that "it was just like sitling in an armchair" (states the Star-Sun j. vVlien a doubling • eyebrow was raised \ •iniong Ihe- audience, Ritchie altered it to, "Well, it was just like sitting in a , rockiug-cliair. " His horse just took ; the lead from the start; he said, kept : it, needed 110 urgiug, just sailed oyer . every obstacle, and, came in a wiimer. : on its ovvn nierit. Assuredly, it was : not as easy as that, but that is all the ; jockey niade of it. ... - Even before h,e won the Grand National, Mr. Cuinpbell disclosed, he had won a minor victory in persuading Mrs. Campbell Js parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. Mclntosh, of Southbrook, to go to the races for the . first time in their lives, as far as he knew, to see Surpeen run. Mr. Campbell , and Surpeen had been staying at Ihe .. Mclntosh far'in, famous years ago for its breed of draught horses, bflt . never for' racehorses. Quartered 'in the 'old stables there, Surpeen may have setised a' challenge in the red' fihd blue certifiea.fccs' with whicli the Walis are covered, records of prize-winAbrS at the- A. an'd 1'. shows. All Surpeeh's training for thc Grand National was ' done at the Mclntosh farm, exeeptq that last Tliursday Mr. Canipbell walked him- to Riccarton for a trial ovqr ;thessteeplechase course : and walked him/home again, ._ ■