POLITICAL SKIT

Mt Benger Mail, 5 October 1938, Page 3

POLITICAL SKIT

“THE NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE’’ (The following amusing skit on recent political broadcasts is taken from, the correspondence columns of the Dominion). Sir, —Kindly permit me space in your paper to comment on the running of the two big horses in the preliminary gallop on Thursday and Friday nights. The running of Progress, with Mick in the saddle, on Thursday night, did not inspire one with confidence for his chances in the big event. The breeding of this horse, Paper Money—National Credit should have been sufficient to make his trainer, Walter Nash, hesitate before entering him for a race where the hurdles are so great. Progress ran well on the fiat and over the first two jumps, but at the third fence (high taxation) he was very hesitant. At the fourth (compulsory unionism), he ran off the track.

The next two fences (taxing the 16-year-olds, and the guaranteed price) proved rather difficult, hitting both very hard, and nearly coming to grief, However, he recovered, but again at the seventh (taxing the old age pensioners), he ran off. Here Mick had some difficulty in getting his mount back on the course, only to find at the last fence .bones to the newlyweds) he baulked completely, unseating his rider. I am firmly of opinion that before this horse meets with success, his trainer will need all the tools from the Order-in-Council chest to renovate the hurdles, making them easier to negotiate. The gallop by “Individual Efforts,’’with Adam up, on Friday evening, must have been very encouraging to trainers Holland and Kyle. This horse is bred on the right line, Freedom Sound Finance, and his running was true to type. He took every fence in his stride, finishing very strongly, and received a great ovation on returning to the cage. His reception was .somewhat surprising, more particularly as “Old Socialism,’’ with Tim Armstrong up, has been a hot favourite in the city for some time. Miy advice to trainers Holland and Kyle is to go along quietly, keep to a clean, dry track, and they are assured of success. —I am, etc. After the Hundred Quid. Featherston, September 26.