Grand Nationals Crammed With Incident

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1046, 9 August 1930, Page 12

Grand Nationals Crammed With Incident

Remarkable Pages from the Past

Unique as it was in the experience of present-day racegoers, the incident of the Lawford Steeplechase at Riccarton last Saturday is not by any means the most remarkable in the Turf annals of the Dominion. , , , Riccarton itself can turn back to pages of its past that make quite as unusual reading. There was one occasion when a Grand National winner was schooled by a women; another when no horse completed the course in a crosscountry event; another when a uoliceman bowled out a certain National winner; and yet another when the same jockey rode both the first and second horses in a National! Royalty, the winner of tho first offlclal.Grand National Steeplechase in 1576, was the horse that was schooled by a woman, comments the Christchurch “Sun,” Mrs. I' 1 . Brittain, the wife of Royalty’s owner, was a finished horsewoman, as many who recall the steeplechases over the Rinwood sandhills can testify, and on at least one occasion when Royalty was doing his National preparation sho rode him over tho big fences. One and Only Mrs. Brittan is probably the only woman who has ever ridden a horse over tho Riccarton country. For years afterward It seemed incredible that such an incident could really have actual foundation. Only a decade ago no woman would so much as dreamed of emulating the feat. Yet today, when the sex Is everywhere striving to outdo the most valiant deeds of men, it would occasion no real surprise if our paper stated one evening that a woman had taken a National aspirant over the brushes. Mr. Prank Brittan himself is still a regular visitor to Riccarton on race day and, like most old-timers, he has a fount of reminiscences to draw upon. One of tho most interesting concerns Royalty’s victory. Royalty Turns up Trumps In the early ’seventies Royalty was owned by a Mr. Cardale, one of Canterbury’s best-known station-holders, who, like most men of the land In those times, had a fondness for “leppers.” Royalty carried him to hounds and, though" not blessed with much speed, could jump anything tliat came in his way. The horse was of a wandering disposition and this led to his being lost on one occasion in the Selywn river-bed. For weeks there was no clue to his whereabouts. . Chatting one evening with Mr. Brittan Rovaltv’s owner mentioned that he would take a fiver for his chance of regaining the' 'chaser, whom many thought had been smuggled away to

another part of tho province. Eventually tho two sportsmen decided to play a game of euchre, on the understanding that if Mr. Brittan won he was to take all interest in Royalty, and if he lost was to pay a hver. Air. Brittan won. Picked Up a Stray Fortune followed the game of cards. Only a few days later a shepherd brought in news that a stray horse had been seen up the riverbed. Air. Brittan followed up the clue and. sure enough, tho stray was Royalty. He was taken to Riccarton and. as in the hunting field, did not put a foot wrong in his schooling tasks. It was lus superb jumping that won him the National. „ . , Royalty has the distinction of being the only National winner to have been piloted by a gentleman rider. This was Mr. Martelli, who could hold liis own with any professional. Subsequently Mr. Martelli was killed in the hunting field through his mount rolling over on him. Erin and Ulster in Accord Tho incident in which neither horse could complete the steeples course does not concern a National contest, but was the shorter country event on the third day of a National meeting over 30 years ago. The horses were Orangeman and Irish King and, believe it or not, they put their heads together and decided they would not go tho whole trip. (My Irish friends are sceptic, but I have vouchers that this story is true.) Both Orangeman and Irish King competed unsuccessfully on the first and second day of the meeting, but both completed the course each time. •On the third day the field was drastically reduced, and they lined up the only contestants in the race. All went well until, they came to the big Cutts’s fence, just beyond, the turn out of tho straight, and there they both baulked. They were taken back and put to the fence time and again, together and singly, but still they refused. They were taken to the other side, and strangely they made no bones at all about jumping that way, going over like a pair of stags. Then they were put at it again the way they had to go, but they would not lift a foot to clear it. To the Letter The agreement they had made between themselves was honoured to the letter, and after about a quarter of an hour the race had to be called off. Cutts’s fence is still there, the most formidable of the National obstacles, but easier by far than it was in the old days, when there was a ditch on the approach side. Some say the spirits of Orangeman and Irish King are still there too. If a horse refuses that fence now, it is likely he has seen the spirits prancing to and fro across his path. Modern horse, however, has acquired a degree of intelligence, and his eyes are not those that can see the wraiths challenging his way. Perhaps that is why the fence does not

check so many now as it did in years gone by. The contest of 1897 was the one in which a policeman was fated to influence the result. Included in the held was Mr. W. Armstrong’s veteran 'chaser Dromedary, an outsider. She was always in a handy position, and when she entered the home stretch with a commanding lead from Levanter and Mutiny the result looked settled. Fortune, however, flayed Mr. Armstrong and his mare a scurvy trick. At that time the club’s outside patrons were allowed to congregate along the inside of the course, just behind the rails. To keep them from enencroaching one the course, a few policemen were always in attendance, some on foot, and others on horseback. When Dromedary came sailing along full of running, a small boy sneaked under the rails, and was in danger of being knocked down. One of the policemen vaulted the fence to grab him. Dromedary could not avoid him and crashed into him, both biting the turf hard. The constable was badly injured, hut the small buy came out of the smash scathless. With Dromedary out of the way Levanter (12.6), with Jack Rae up, and gallant old Mutiny (12.3), winner of the two previous Nationals, fought out tho finish, the former succeeding in keeping treble honours from his rival. Agent had won three Nationals, but only two were successive. No horse has since been triply victorious. Rode First and Second Horses In one Grand National first and second horses were ridden by the same jockey. This was the contest of 1881. and the late Fred. .Iledgo was the horsenmn. The race was not run at Riccarton that year, but at Washdyke, over a course rather different from that now in use. It crossed the Main South Road twice, and took a wider sweep round the back. Among tho starters were Agent (who had already won twice), Mousetrap (the winner in 3 878), Clarence, and Sailor Hoy Approaching the second-to-last jump (a double) only Agent, Clarence and Sailor Hoy were still in. the running. At that obstacle Agent had a commanding lead, but lie blundered and shook off his rider (11. Lunn), who was temporarily stunned. Clarence (Hedge) and Sailor Boy (.T. Poole) came to the double almost on terms, but the latter shirked the second fence. Poole did not go back, but raced with Clarence over the last obstacle, and in a punishing finish headed him off over the last few yards. On weighing in. Hedge drew the stewards’ attention to Sailor Boy’s omission to leap the second fence of the double, and raced back to where Agent was enjoying a bite of grass. He clambered into the saddle and completed the course, and, as Sailor Boy was disqualified, he had the unique distinction of riding both first and second horses in a National. Hedge was. a wonderful horseman, and there were few who excelled him either over hurdles or between the flags. His end was tragic. With the heyday of his career passing, he went to Timaru. Not long afterward his body was found floating in the harbour.