Fancied For Tomorrow's Steeples

Chronicle (Levin), 6 August 1948, Page 6

Fancied For Tomorrow's Steeples

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WELLINGTON, August 6. The 1948-49 racing season will open tomorrow with the first days of the Grand National meeting at Riccarton and th'e combinedv.Hawjke's Bay and Dannevirke "Hunt" ifixture at 'Hastings. Disappcuntment is felt getierally at the S'mall ditnension of the Grand National Steeplechase field, but with four of the Dominion's best stayers engaged, interest. will be sustained. A feature of the race will be Brookby Song's- attempt to win the triple erown, he having already won the Gr^at- Northern and Wellington Steeplechases. If' he succeeds' his na/fie- will go down among the few great steeplechasers bred in the' country to achieve- this outstandirig record. -

Brookby Song's -chances of Teaching the highest pinnacle in steepleqhasing in New Zealand is without. question. He is a warm favourite and even with 12.7 will give a magnificent account of himself, barring accidents. The Trentham trainer, Joe Bromby, holds a strong string to his main Winter Cup prospect Howe in Distinction. The pair will not be brackete'd. Both hold distinct prospects. If Brookby Song should fail t'd achieve his mission, the two likely to beat him are Master Meruit or Arabian.. Night. Both are grand stayers, particularly so might this be said of- Arabian Night, who was finishing on from the back in great style to get fourth in the Homeby Steeplechase last week at the Christchurch Hunt meeting. Thq distance-was too short for him, but it showed that he was in great form for his Grand National mission. Master Meruit, great steeplechaser' that he is, has not achieved much since when beaten into secon'd place in the .July Steeplechase at Trentham by Arabian Night. He does not look in the same condition and might feel lack of work in the past few weeks. However, it is well .to remember he races well on little preparation. " Eleanor Star is the best stayer of the rest of the field.' The Winter Cup, which should provide a very interesting race, is very open and might result in a surprise. Howe is a pronounceti favourite. Being a good weightcarrier and a bulldog finisher he' is expected to go one. jbetter than last year when beaten in a close finish by Soneri. His stablemate Distinction, >is also coming into favour after last week's good finishing effort in. the Brabazon Handicap. Broie's Trentham efforts will remembered. Although beaten comfortably by Cowper in the Whyte Han'dicap Broie's finishing effort from a bad earl'y position was most noticeable and was a good Winter Cup guide. Other prospects are Da Vinci, who seems to be returning to his best form, Desert Girl, unlucky in the running of the Brabazon Handicap, Royal Tan, who is now well forward, Super Flight, who had a rocky passage in the Brabazon Han'dicap, Revolte, who can be expected to be prominent, and Riverview, whose success last week was no fluke. Likely favourites for the main events arer — Paparua Handicap: Special Fiight and Wild Note. Grand National Steeples: Brookby

Song and Master '/Meruit. Winter Cup: ,Howe and Broie, Prospect^ for both' meetings are: