THE STEEPLECHASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 961, 2 May 1930, Page 12

THE STEEPLECHASE

Although it is not run until the second day, the biggest attraction at the Great Northern meeting is alAvays the Great Northern Steeplechase, a race which sportsmen from all parts of the Dominion come to see. while there is generally a leavening of Australian visitors, for this is the slack period across the Tasman.

As anticipated, Wiltshire heads the list in the big cross-country race, and in being let in Avith 11.11, he is not badly treated. He is a brilliant juniper, a very different horse from when he first took on the large .fences, Avhen he was of the tearaway type. Now he has settled like a veteran, and that explains his last tAvo Grand National successes. Recent racing has sharpened him up, and as the race is nearly five weeks off he has time to get the additional long work to bring him to concert pitch. A Likely One Elysianor has now developed into such a fine jumper that he Avill have to be taken into consideration. He is on the same mark as Red Fuchsia, and at that the latter appears to have the worst of it, fpr he is given 61b more than he had last year, when he fell half-way through the piece. Subsequently Red Fuchsia \voij a hack events at Marton, most of the opposition falling, and his next appearance

was when , he finished an indifferent third over the Ellerslie course last week. Although given his full share of weight, Red Fuchsia is one that is going to be included in the early selections. Wedding March has not done anything of account for some time. Tie is a fine jumper over all sorts of fences. However the stable also has Roman Abbey in, and the elect of this pair will be in the boom. Kawini Kawini’s form over the obstacles has not been very encouraging of lute, but he finished second in a highweight at Pukekohe a couple of months ago, and that suggested that at last he has acquired some pace. He cannot be ruled out. KaAvini won the Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie on the last day of last year’s Great Northern meeting. Elicit is a natural jumper, hailing from the same stable as Red Fuchsia. It is more that probable that Elicit will be the stable elect in the big Hurdles and Red Fuchsia in the Steopelchase, unless something intervenes in the interim to necessitate an alteration of early plans. Elicit is such a brilliant jumper that l:e is one of those that can be considoied as possibilities for both jumping events here. Mangani is another good fencer ' of whom better things should be expected this season. It will be remembered that he had a 20 lengths’ lead in the Winter Steeplechase 12 months ago, when he tipped out at the second to last fence. He is nicely treated. Pouri has had a couple of races in

the past three months, and he promises tc» be ready next month. He is a good fencer and that is in his favour. Twelve months ago Pouri was considered to have rosy prospects in the big jumping double, but he went wrong, and was not raced again until the hurdle race at Te Aroha, Avhich he Avon. Star Comet is a possibility who has come into the boom consequent upon’ his good form at Ellerslie last week, when he Avon both hurdle events, defeating - a class field in the Brighton Hurdles. Taranaki Hope Probably the best of the Taranaki team of three will be Omeo, who won last week in his first attempt over the Ellerslie country, after giving a finished display when schooled the preceding week. Omeo is a brilliant jumper endoAved with more than the pace of the average jumper, and sucl* being the case he will be in demand with the early birds. Then there is that versatile performer Pompeius, winner of steeplechases an subsequently first home in several flat races, including the Rotorua Cup less than three months ago. He has won over the Ellerslie steeplechase course, and he failed rather badly in the Cambridge Hunt Cup. He had a big weight in that race, however, and here with 9.13 he reads a very dangerous proposition. He can be labelled dangerous. Roman Abbey, it is interesting to know, Avas backed with the greatest confidence to win last Wednesday’s hurdle race at Avondale, and his mishap in that race was purely a misfortune, and not due to bad fencing. Last year Roman Abbey was second to Uralla with 9.0, so that although there is still a suspicion as to his staying ability, there is surely not much wrong if he got second then. He is a very fit horse just at present, and he comes from a stable renowned for its jumpers. OAvnr-trainer R. Hannon may run both Wedding March and Roman Abbey. • ** Interesting Southerner A real good jumper over the sticks is Democratic, and if he can get over the Ellerslie fences he will make it Aery interesting. Kauri Park showed at Avondale that he is in form, and as he, too, has already won over the Ellerslie hill, his prospects can be assessed fairly highly. Taking a line through the nowdefunct King’s Guard, Kauri Park must be a little more than a possibility. •Alatu’s chances will be better known after he races at Egmont. He is a good jumper, with successes already over country. Maunga. of course, is one of the best known of the Dominion’s chasers, and he won at Trentham last July. He is getting on. but he is still a good jumper. Fabriano was very narrowly beaten by King’s Guard in the last Wellington Steeplechase, and noAV he should be a mucliimproved fencer. Airtight and Ponjola come within the same category. Favoured Light-weights There are several possibilities about those farther down in the weights. For instance,* Aurora Borealis, Kamehameha, Odin, Royal Elm, and Calithe are distinctly promising sorts. It is an interesting field, and the hanuicapper lias not made it particularly easy for the early speckcrs anxious to vet on the “right way.” Those horses fancied in their respective groups are The following: list and over.—Wiltshire and Red F uchsia. lOst and over.— Kawini, Elicit, Mangani, and Pouri. Over 9.3.—0me0, Pomptius, Roman Abbey, Iftauri Park, and Fabriano. Below 9.3. —Airtight, Aurora Borealis, Odin, - and Roynl Elm.