TWO LIVES!

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 741, 14 August 1929, Page 12

TWO LIVES!

7 WILTSHIRE S ESCAPES IN FINALLY WON ON THE BIT \\‘ilzsliire scul‘x‘d u magnificent “in in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase at Ricearton yesterday. [elogranhs our Christchurch represen— I'lLliVC. A Hot Pace \\'llll :1. mile to girl 1110 riders ni‘ King‘s Guunl. Fubriunu. and Hutu so: an iniensc page. and before ihc liennels double was vouched the last time it uppmu‘ed as if ilmy were going to make it lizu'dvfor the favouritu. But \Viltshire was not lacking. Apm‘uuching the sod wall. Syme gave the favourite his hand, and unwinding :1 phenomenal burst of speed. which amazed Ki)(~‘ spectators. he quickly gained :L break of 10 lengihs on his rivals. and that was the end oi‘ the Naiiunal.» Swinging into the straight. “’iltsliire held :1 good lead fi‘onl )latu and Fabri—ano‘ and once over the lust fence he came on to win on the bit. It was a great victory. The withdrawal of Lord Immild caused backers to plump for ‘ViltS-hil‘f'. On last year's running he looked at certainty with Loni I:;an'lid out of the Wit}: and he

was backed down to a short-priced t favourite. 1’ How They Raced IE The field went. away to a; good break. i and passing the stand double the first ‘5 time “‘iltshire had I-hzirge from King's ( Guard, Mutu, Fubriano, Rangi Sarto. ‘i and Kawini. with Maungu last. Rac- !1 ing to Cutts‘s. “'ilts‘uirc faltered, and it nearly came to grief. King’s Guard ‘1 then went to the front. and he led i over the first of the kennels from s. \Viltshire- and Fabriuno. At the top a of the straight XVilts-hire was in w charge. and passing the stand. with a i round to go, he was showing the Way II to King’s Guard, Fabriano. )lutinga.:l Matu, and Kawini, with Rangi Sarto |( last. '1 Shot Into the Lead ‘3 \Viltshire led ever Cutts's from King‘s i Guard and )launga. but at the sodl wall the latter came to grief. At thev kennels double King‘s Guard had again ‘l' taken charge from Fabriano, \Viltshire. l and Matu. but at the sod wall W'iltshire 1 shot to the front. and quickly opened ' .up a. break of ten lengths from Fabri- 1 ’ano and Matt]. 1 VV‘iltshire led over the lust fence from Matu. Fabriano. King’s Guard. and Kawini. but over the closing stages W'iltshire was eased to win by six lengths from Matti. with Fubriano three lengths further back third. Rangi Sarto wax fourth, and liing’s Guard ‘and Kawini next. ‘ A Thrilling Ride l After the race. jockey R. Syme said: l—-"\Viltshire had a. couple of lives on lthe journey. At Cutts‘s the first time x 1 thought he was. going to go. but he made a good recovery. After that I let him have his head a little. and he. jumped much better. and with a round to go he was galloping so evenly I that I knew he would win with a stand 1 up. At the top wall, near the five fur‘longs, I let him go. and in a flash he l .. 1

lguined a big break on the rest. Oncel iin the straight I let him bowl along lilgain freely. and after crossing the liust fence I eased him to win on the llu’t. It was a, great victory. but “'iltZshire did not jump nearly so well as éhe did last year." 1 Lord Ranald Might Have Won? é ‘.H ow Lord Rariuld would have shaped :with \Viltshire is purely a matter of conjecture. but it is firmly believed that he would have made a great race with the “'aikato horse. He had. Elieaten King's Guard and Fabrianu in} ithe Homeby Steeplechase. winning; in a. common canter. and as he had 21“). or: his back in the National. it is rea—isonuble to assume that he would have ltalgen a power of beating. And the "very fact that Fabriano. whom he llwa: most decisively in the Horneby jSteeplechase. was capable of running a. great nice into third place in the ’National. is a strong contention that Lord Ranald would have tested “'iltshire to the utmost had he started. 5 Crio-tb—op g _ Were Not Satisfied The handicapping of Sir Hoseberry for a steepieohasc in Adelaide brought H. letter of protest recently from his joint owners. They complained that a {rise of lSlb for winning a stake of SIBO was. inequitable. The letter ‘ouncluded: "An old horse like Sir 110$‘*1)vl‘l‘)'. who is nearing the end of :his cum-r3l" deserves :xornr-thinx better ~than the treatment meted out to him." ‘ He was scratched for the rune in quesl‘tion.