THE HURDLERS' DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 36, 11 August 1936, Page 13

THE HURDLERS' DAY

RICCARTON RACES

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER CUP

Even more interest than usual will centre in the second day's programme of the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting on Thursday, for not only are there the usual leading events, the Grand National Hurdles, the Beaufort Steeplechase, and the Islington Handicap, but this year the champion race of the season for the amateur riders,,the Duke of Gloucester Cup, will be: staged on this day at Riccarton. The entries for the second day's racing -were excellent and it is quite possible. that the fields will average as high as they were today. As usual several fresh horses are expected to appear in Thursday's fields. i As a result of the incorporation of the Duke of Gloucester Cup' in this year's programme (the C.J.C. is staging the first contest for the prize in the South Island) a slight change has been necessary itvthe order of events for the second day. The Cup replaces the Sumner, (Hack) Handicap, 9 furlongs, and -will be the second race instead of the Woolston (Hack) Handicap, which will now be the fourth race. The previous fourth race, the Isling-. ton Handicap, will be run as seventh race, in place of the previous Sumner Handicap. The other events will be run in their usual order. GRAND NATIONAL HURDLES. The item of main importance is, of course, the Grand National Hurdles, the "second leg" of the big jumping double. Although the final acceptance for the Hurdles was a couple less numerically than last year, the quality of the field is probably the best for several years. It contains not only the winner of last year (Jolly Beggar), but also the winner of the Winter Hurdles at Trentham (Travelling Agent), and the winners of two of the three principal hurdling events at Ellerslie (Clarion Call ; as well as Jolly Beggar). The Great Northern winner (Prince of Orange) broke down at Ellerslie and could not be further prepared for the present winter. Today's racing might have given some valuable line on the Grand National Hurdles, the races concerned being mainly the Trial . Hurdles (in which The Smuggler, John Charles, and Haeretonu figured) and the Jumpers' /Flat (in which Jolly Beggar, Polydora, Clarion Call, Travelling Agent. Silk Sox, . Streamline, Journet. and Haeretonu ', were engaged): Royal Limond, another Hurdles acceptor, was to have run in the Grand National Steeples. The only two horses who had no first-day racing to disclose their prospects were Val Watch and Ruaform. . :

The Trial Hurdles-and the Jumpers' Flat, or, their corresponding races, only rarely have been won in the past by horses who have gone on to add the Grand National Hurdles. The last to win both the Trial and Grand National was Hounslow . three years ago, and-the last to win both the Jumpers' Flat and the Grand National was Nukumai in 1928. In 1916 Art won the two, hurdles, and in 1913 Morning also won'these-two events; but prior to, Nukumai one has to go back to Compass in 1909 to find a winner of the Jumpers' Flat, who has also won the Grand National two days later. : ■

It' has obviously happened much more frequently-that a horse who was beaten on-the first-day-has then come outvto score-in the National; but there have been" also quite ■ a number of horses who have won the National without racing onKtheV. first day, the last two National winners, Huritique and Jolly Beggar, being in this category, as well as such ■as Mangani U929); .Wharncliffe (1927), Hurakia (1915), Royal Arms (1914), Waterworks (1912), Continuance (1911), Paisano (1910), Shrapnel (1907), Medalius (1904); Tresham (-1902), Haydn (1901), and Record Reign (1900). Only seldom does a horse essay: the' Grand National "double, as Royal Limqhd may do this year, and the feat of winning bothraces has never yet been accomplished. The nearest to success'was the performance of Aurora Borealis six years ago, the mare winning the Steeple's and then beating everything except Carinthia in the Hurdles. • The Grand National Hurdles, from this brief summary of the history during the present century, is clearly a race quite apart from the first day's contests. "Whatever a horse has done on ;the first -day—won, lost, or not started—he is still a good Hurdles prospect if his form is otherwise up to standard, the one exception being any v horse who has raced in the Steeples. OUTSTANDING ON FORM. On winter form' the outstanding candidates for Thursday's race are Travelling Agent and Jolly Beggar. Both have been in winning form recently, and they are two great stayers. Generally it takes a real stayer to win the Grand National. The pair have not yet met, and because of the different conditions at EUerslie in June and at ' Trentham last month it is not possible to glean a true line on their relative ability through any of the horses they beat. With his stone concession in weight, however, and on the assumption'that he is certain to have benefited a lot from his Wellington racing, Travelling Agent may appeal to many as the likelier prospect. Generally the others have not the proved stamina of Travelling Agent and Jolly Beggar. The Smuggler is an exception, but one will require to nave been shown today that he is in better.frame than at Trentham to reckon him seriously against the pair mentioned. Streamline, Silk Sox, Ruaform, and Haeretonii are others who may not be found deficient in stamina, but there are doubts about Clarion Call, Val Watch, and Polydora, also Journet and John Charles. Clarion Call admittedly would have won the Great Northern had he not lost his rider at the last fence, but on that day he made" the most cJE his light weight and the going was on top of the ground,.- therefore. not making so searching a test on stamina. SOME OTHER ITEMS The Dukt of. Gloucester Cup will be a race- attracting a great deal of notice on Thursday, with presentation and speeches afterwards, but it is not a very enticing event for the ordinary investor.. With gentlemen riders aboard, horses do not always pull out their best efforts, and often it is the r.idor rather than the horse who is backed, in such; races. Among those who may take their place in this year's field are Ponty, Golden King, Signaller, Shy, Courtyard, Hunting Go Last Refrain, Santoft, Metal Bird, Tail Light, Acla, Latitude, Kedtop, and Acena; and the best of the recent form rs probablyJield.by Ponty, Signaller. Shy Last Refrain,. Sgntoit, and Tail Light. ■

The Beaufort. Steeplechase, about 2J miles, is the shortest of the three main cross-country events at the meeting and generally it does not produce such a quality contest as the other two events. _ However, with its thirty-two nominations, this year's race should not lack in numerical strength. All the eight acceptors for today's Grand National were among the entries, and some of these are almost certain to be starters. Additions to the field may include Dunmure, Battleground, Night Parade, Kaokaoroa, Nocturnus. and Money Mine. Last year this race saw a thrilling finish, with a dead heat hoisted between Makeup and Umtali. Umtali was again nominated for Thursday, but he has lately vanished from the news and has possibly been put out of commission. The winner of this event has generally come from among the nine-stone or just over the ten-stone division, but Makeup, Valpeen, and Erie all carried high imposts to success in their year ahe principal flat event on Thursday will be., the Islington Handicap, ij miles, which will see several of the .WJQter. Cua aspirants again, in -action

with additions in horses who did not race today, such possibly as Maine, Lady Graceful, Final Shot, Riptide, Last Refrain, and Golden Dart. Another race for the- open flat horses on Thursday will be the August Handicap, 7 furlongs, which will conclude the day's card and will be contested by various Winter Cup and Panama Handicap candidates, with possible additions in Greek Shepherd, Great Star, Southdown, Queen Dorothy, Kamal .Paslia, Argen.tic.-.and. -Carfex,