THE GRAND NATIONAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 11 August 1937, Page 14

THE GRAND NATIONAL.

BIG RACE TO NOCTURNUS. CATALOGUE’S WINTER CUP. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 10. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s Grand National meeting opened to-day, the weather being fino and tho attondance tho best for years. Tho track tvas good and tho totalisator investments amounted to £65,035 10s (win £26,532, place £38,503 10s). as compared with £53,307 last year.

Results: — TRIAL HURDLES, of £3OO. One

mile and three-quarters. 6-6 SOLWIT, 10.2 (Stove) „ - \ 5-4 THE SURGEON, 9.2 (Langford) ... 2 1-1 REDOLENT, 10.10 (Murfitt) 3 Also started: 3-3 Golden Lap 10.12, 7-7 Monastic 10.5, 2-2 Sunny Comet 10.2, 10-9 Primak 9.0 fell, 8-8 Joy Boa 9.0, 4-5 Fireguard car. 9.61 fell, 9-10 Double Shot 9.0. A length each way. Monastic was fourth. Time, 3.21 1-5 Tho favourite. Redolent, endeavoured to win all tho way. He gave a great exhibition over his fences and this at the mile post brought down Primak, who endeavoured to go with him. Fireguard /ell over Primak. Solwit was always fairly handy to Redolent, with Sunny Comet and The Surgeon most prominent of a well strung out lield. Solwit and Sunny Comet went up to Redolent on the home turn and Solwit had headed Redolent coming to the last fence, where Sunny Comet tried to run off, The Surgeon following his example. Both just got inside the wing, but Solwit had jumped clear into the lead and ran on for a decisive win. Redolent stopped badly over the last bit sind was beaten for second by Tho Surgeon, with Monastic well up fourth, then Sunny Comot and Golden Lap. PAPARUA HANDICAP, of £3OO. Six

furlongs. 1- ALMA, 8.6 (Didham) 1 2- BAY DUKE, 9.0 (A. E. Ellis) ... 2 6-6 GREEK GOLD, 8.4 (Atkins) 3

Also started : 4-4 Pakanui 9.3, 9-8 Knockhn 9.2, 10-10 Matoru 8.10, 3-3 Rebel Chief car. 8.7, 5-5 Araboa 8.5, 14-13 Cel'ne Abbas 8.3,' 7-9 Bunfight 8.0, 13-12 Metal Bird car B.IJ, 8-7 Pelmet 8.0, 12-14 Top Rank car. B.lb A length; half alength. Araboa was fourth. Time, 1.14 2-5. Pelmet, Pakanui, Alma, Bay Duke and Top Rank all began well and led a bunched field to tho course proper, except Knockfin, who had refused to go off on terms. As they came to the false rail there were half a dozen prospects, Alma and Bay Duke being challenged by Top Rank, Rebel Chief and Pakanui. The challengers soon weakened, however, and Alma ran on well to win handily from Bay Duke, with Greek Gold coming strongly into third place. Then came Araboa, Golden Dart. Rebel Chief, Top Rank and Pakanui.

JUMPERS’ FLAT HANDICAP, of £3OO. One mile and a half.

6-4 JOLLY BEGGAR, 10.8 (R. Beale) 1 9- LAST LINK, 9.13 (W. Shand) ... 2 2-2 COTTINGIIAM, 10.1 (D. O’Connor) 3 Also started: 7-7 Mount Val 10.12, 4-5 Collision 10.6, 1-1 Clarion Call 10.5, 5-3 Blue Tiger 9.13, 3-5 Journet 9.4, 11-10 Giggleswiek 9.4, 10-11 Master Musk 9.3, 89 High Quality 9.0. Heads between ail the placed horses. Collision was fourth. Time, 2.44 1-5. The race produced one of the most exciting finishes ever seen at Riccarton, five horses going under the wire in lino and Jolly Beggar getting his winning strido in right on the post. Clarion Call began best, but Journet went to the front and led irom a fairly well-bunched field, Collision, Cottingham, Jolly Beggar, Clarion .Call, Last Link, and Mount Val all being prominent, with Blue Tiger tailing off. Journet began to drift down tho back gradually and pushed Clarion Call back. Collision and Cottingham made tho pace over tho last six furlongs, closely attended into th 6 straight by Last Link, Jolly Beggar, and Mount Val. Collision hung on gamely, but broke down in the last Hundred yards, Gottingliam, Jolly Beggar, Last Link, and finally Blue Tiger all joining in the issue. Theru were noses or heads between Jolly Beggar, Last Link, Cottingham, Collision, and Blue Tiger in that order, with' a gap of two or three lengths to Master Musk, High Quality, and Clarion Call. CASHMERE PLATE, of £250. Six furlongs. 5-7 GREAT PAL, 8.11 (R, J. Mackie) 1 2-2 COCKSURE, 8.0 (L. J. Ellis) ... 2 10- SCREAMER. 8*

Also started: 9-9 Aggravate 8 11, 8-6 Drinkup 8.11, 13-14 LustraD Mishna 8.11, 20-18 Nuipai 8.11, 12-14 Phalanx 8.11, 12-12 Pol Roger 8.11, 19-17 Rosanna 8.11, 15-13 The Wrecker 8.11, 16-16 Twilight Song car. 8.12 b 17-19 Elegy 8.0, 3-3 Happy Night 8.0, 18-20 Kindly 8.0, 14-11 Love Affair 8.0, 6-5 Moonraker 8.0, 1-1 Rockingham 8.0, 4-4 Settlement cal-. 8 A length; half a head. Mishna was fourth. Time, 1.15 4-5. Rockingham, the favourite, was well placed out of the stretch on to the coupe proper, but from tho fake rail home faded right out. The race was won practically all the way by Great Pal, in fact tho first three home were always in front. Screamer tackled Great Pal first, but made little impression, and then Cocksure made his run. Cocksure headed Screamer, but GroatPal ran on well to score handily. Mishna was a moderate fourth with a strung-out field headed by Pol Roger, Aggravate, and Moonraker.

NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE, of £1275; second £250, third £125. Three miles and a half. 4- Hon. G. R. Hunter’s bile g NOCTURNUS (Night Raid—Victory Lass), aged, 9.12 (F. E. Baker) ... 1 6-6 Mr M. Hanley’s eh m SHILLELAGH WOOD (Wood end—Direct HIT), aged, 9.0 (V. Langford) ... 2 2-3 Mr R. J. Soxton’s ch g IRISH COMET (Day Comet—Rape of the Lock), aged, 10.7 (J. F. Fergus) ... o Also started: 1-5 Royal Uimond, 3-1 Burglar 9.10 (broke down), 8-9 Forest Glow car 9.8 (fell), 9-8 Pahu 9.5 (ran off), 5- Brigadoro 9.3 (fell), 7-7 Cock o’ tho North 9.0 (lost rider). Eighty yards; a furlong. Royal Limond was fourth. Time, 7.5 1-5. The Grand National Steeplechase was a chapter of accidents. In the final stages only two horses were in the race, but Irish Comet, who fell at the second last fence, was remounted for third money, and Royal Limond, who had run off and baulked, was persevered with by his trainer to complete tho course for a barren fourth placing. Up to a point it was an interesting race, with Cock o’ the North making tho pace from Shillelagh Wood, Brigadoro and Noctumus, tho rear being brought up by Royal Limond, Irish Comet and Pahu. Brigadore was not jumping with confidence, but tho first out was Royal Limond, who ran off at tho post and rails, while Pahu ran off at the kennels double and Forest Glow fell at the top. Thus, with a round to go Cock o’ tho North was still showing the way to Brigadore, Shillelagh Wood, and Nocturnus, with Burglar further back in front of Irish Comet. Brigadore fell at the second of the stand double, and Cock o’ the North got too close into the next, Cutts’s, and tossed his rider. This left Shillelagh Wood just clear of Nocturnus and Burglar, with Irish Comet moving up. Burglar broke down at tho mile pest when going well, 'leaving only the other three in the running, though O’Connor, on Royal Limond, was still striving a long way back. Nocturnus took charge over the kennels double, and was well clear of Shillelagh Wood and Irish Comet at the second to last fence, where Irish Comet fell. Nocturnus jumped tho lasj;. cleanly and ran home an unchallenged winner, Shillelagh Wood, Irish Comet (remounted) and Royal Limond completing the course at intervals. . ENFIELD STEEPLECHASE, of £3OO. About two miles. 3-3 SUNWARD, 9.2 (R. Register) ... 1 2-2 ARCTIC STAR. 10.2 (N. C. Trillo) 2 1-1 KELLY THE CROW 9.10 (R. Beulo) 3 Also started: 5-5 Lyeidas 9.1, 4-4 Nightwind 9.0. A length and a-half; 20 lengths. Lycidas was fourth. Time, 3.55 2-5,

Kelly the Crow was the favourite, but he was well boaten after having every chance. Sunward took him on early and, despite making jumping errors, had Kelly tho Crow beaten coming to the last fence, where Arctic Star had become dangerous. Arctic Star challenged strongly on the flat, but Sunward was too good for him. WINTER CUP, of £7OO. One mile. 9- Mr E. L. Barnes’s b g CATALOGUE (Lord Quex —Catalini), aged, 8.13. (W. J. Broughton) ... 1 3-3 Mr M. O’Brien’s b g DICTATE (Chief Ruler—Kirima), 4yrs, 8.2 (B. H. Morris) 2 7-7 Mr P. T. Hogan’s b in QUEEN OF SONG (Songbird—Differential), 6 yrs., 9.6 (J. W. Jennings) 3 Also started: 2-2 Concertpitch 9.12, 1-1 Trench Fight 9.7, 6-5 Ponty 9.6, 5-6 Silver Streak 9.5, 17-17 Arctic King 9.5, 12-11 Davolo 9.2 11-13 Grey Honour 9.0, 15-14 Big Dock 8.13, 13-12 Queen Dorothy 8.7, 20-20 Sweet Agnes 8.2, 4-4 Shy car. 8.1, 10- Epris car. 8.2, 18-16 Swordstick 8.0, 16-15 Old Surrey 8.0, 19-19 Monipere 8.0, 14-18 Sir Nigel 8.0. 8-8 Sovereign Lady 8.1. Two lengths each way. Old Surrey was fourth. Time, 1.42. Catalogue won all tho way, never being in danger of defeat. Ho was especially superior over the concluding stages when the challenges wore boing thrown out, for he was left alone in front far too soon for an average horse. He drew No. 5 and began best with Grey Honour (No. 8), this pair carrying on from a big bunch which included Big Doolc, Trench Fight, Old Surrey, Silver Streak, Concertpitch, and Dictate. The leading pair carried the field along at a solid pace, and on the turn there was little change except that Dictate improved his position, and Silver Streak was hard pressed to hold his place and went back. Queen of Song was beginning to move forward. Grey Honour retired at tho false rail, leaving Catalogue well clear, and at this stage he was running along freely with his ears pricked. Dictate threw out a strorfg challongo from the distance but never looked liko getting to the leader, though he wus in turn decisively second. Queen of Song just headed a big bunch of horses for third place, Old Surrey being fourth.then came Trench Fight, Ponty, _ Big Doolc, Queen and Concertpitch. Tho race was a triumph for Mrs M. McDonald, for not only did Catalogue win so well, but the stable’s second string, Old Surrey, finished fourth. AVONHEAD HANDICAP, of £275. Seven furlongs.

14-14 MYRIAM 8.12 (S. Wilson) ... 1 6-4 MIRACLE. 8.11 (A. E. Ellis) ... 2 1-2 PALMYRA, 8.13 (11. Goldfinch) ... 3 Also started: 17-20 Mary Pratt 9.11, 2119 Rose of Tralee 9.5, 7-8 Rebel Mate 9.4, 22-21 Owlsgleam 9.4, 4-5 Petersham 9.1, 33 Miltie 9.0, 11-12 Yola Dale 8.5 and Liane 8.4, bracketed, 18-17 Silver Slipper 8.4 and Maroha 8.4, bracketed, 8-9 Jed Forest 8.1 and Gold Boy 8.0, bracketed, 15-16 Le Toquot 8.0, 16-15 Scrap and Day Dress 8.0, bracketed, 23-23 Emmeline Girl 8.0 and Bonnie Agnes 8.0, bracketed. 18-18 The Sandwich Man 8.0, 2-1 Sir Hugh 8.10, 9-7 Waitaka 8.12. A head; a length. Petersham was fourth. Time, 1.30. With a host of hacks, it was not surprising that the event was won by a big outsider, Myriam, handy all the way, stalling off a strong challenge by Miracle. Myriam was always well placed and had tho race won a furlong from home, but Miracle came from a good way back. Ihe favourite, Palmyra, ran well and looked very dangerous inside the distance, but just weakened at the end. Sir Hugh was never sighted, and outside the placed horses the best efforts came from Petersham, Miltie, Waitaka, and Lo Toquet. Mittio was prominent early, but lost her place in the middle stages.