GRAND NATIONAL WIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 130, 2 May 1940, Page 6

GRAND NATIONAL WIN.

SUCCESS OF BOCSKAR. The recent success of Bogskar in the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase was apparently not unexpected, as the cabled account states that he: was regarded as the best outsider. Bogskar i« a eeven-ycar-old gelding who did not race at two and three years, and had 6ix starts at .four years, running one third, in a hunt club steeplechase. The following season he ran seven times- unplaced. Last year he won the Windsor Brocas Steeples, two miles, on November 25, carrying 11.9, .by .an , easy five lengths, and on December 27 he won the "Windsor Cherry Croft Steeples, three miles, with . 11.7,... by .six lengths. Racing 'was suspended in England throughout the whole of January owing to the bad weather. and no particulars are available of his later performances, if any, before the Grand ■ National. He is owned and trained by Lord Stalbridge, and was ridden by Mervyn Jones, who is now a sergeant in the Royal Air Force. He won by four lengths, and last year’s second, Macmoflat, filled a similar position, the outsider, Gold Arrow, being third. Bogskar was bred in Ireland by Mr C. Roche, and is by Werwolf from Irish Spring by Irishman from Young April by Valiant from 1 Miss Fiora by Melton from Fiona by Amphion, and belongs to the branch of the No. 5 family founded by Royal Oak’s dam. He is the fourteenth seven-year-old horse to win the National since the race was first run over an allgrass course in 1885. Fifteen nine-year-olds have won during the. eame period; including last year’s winner, Workman, and over half of the contests have been won by horses of these two ages. Other seven-vear-old winners were Come Away (1891), Eremon (1907), Troytown (1920), Grcgalach (1929), Forbra (1932), ICollsbro Jack (1933) and Golden Miller (1934). Golden Miller carried 12.2, and his was the best performance of the seven-year-olds. Come Away won with 11<12, and there were four previous winners and two future winners in; the field. Troytown and Kellsbro’ Jack each carried 11.9. On the other hand, Bogskai’s time is stated to be only l-ssec outside of Golden Miller’s record time of 9.20 2-5, established in 1934. In the following year Reynoldstown ran the distance in 9.21, but subsequent tithes have been much slower. The success, of Bogskar makes the sixth victory in the Grand National.for the male lino of Marco since Prig won it in 1927. The last-mentioned was a son of Marco, while Gregalach, the 1929 winner, was by My Prince, a son of Mareovil. My Prince was also sire of Reynoldstown, winner in 1935 and 1936, and of Royal Mail, winner in 1937. Battleships, winner the following year, alec came from the West Australian line through imported Australian, tail male ancestor of Man o’ War, / • ’