Alverton death outcry: Today’s front page has a preview of today’s Curragh card, and a photo of Miami Springs, one of last year’s leading juveniles, who is a fancied runner in today’s Gladness Stakes.
There is also the weekly leading article by Valentine Lamb, which today is about last Saturday’s Grand National, or rather, the “political” fallout following the tragic death of Alverton after falling at Becher’s Brook.
This results in an outcry from what Lamb calls “the anti-Aintree brigade” and he is not too impressed with what he describes as “professional publicity-seekers.”
Lamb writes: “Each year they wait like vultures for some tragedy to happen and this year they came up trumps.” He cites the statement of one Labour MP, and adds: “It is always dangerous when politicians get on the band wagon even if they know absolutely nothing about the matter.”
But Lamb adds that the Grand National is far more threatened from property developers than from politicians and/or lobbyists.
The Managing Editor is rather more concerned about two factors at Aintree which can be solved. First is the “mayhem” at the Chair caused by loose horses having no means of running off the course, and thus impeding other runners.
Second is the growing popularity of the meeting (“there was a record crowd at Aintree”) after years of stagnation, but this causes its own problems: “There were countless tales of owners failing to see the race, badgeholders being prevented from getting into their enclosures, menacing thugs having a field day and fearsome scrums in the bars and restaurants.”
The article is embellished by a Bob Fannin cartoon of two toddlers, both wearing jockeys’ caps. One is in tears sitting on the floor beside a broken chair, and the other stands up and says: “He always did have problems with the Chair.”
The weekly English racing column by Jonathan Powell is all about Aintree. The big race is won by Rubstic, the first horse trained in Scotland (by John Leadbetter) to win the Grand National, and Maurice Barnes is the winning jockey. Rubstic used to be trained by Toby Balding, who sold Rubstic as an unraced three-year-old.
“We thought we’d done well to get 1,050 guineas for him,” Balding tells Powell. But Balding is among the first to congratulate owner John Douglas.
While Alverton’s death is tragic, Powell writes that is “one of those things that can happen in any race.” However, he is critical of the layout of the course leading to the Chair, where the race ends for nine runners.
Among these is Ben Nevis. His rider Charlie Fenwick remounts, and continues for one more fence, but is so far behind he decides to pull up. Powell writes about Fenwick: “He came back with the haunted look of a man whose brief glimpse of paradise had been cruelly extinguished.”
Aintree photos: Page five has a montage of Aintree photos by Ruth Rogers. There are photos of: Red Rum meeting Rubstic; Monksfield and Dessie Hughes jumping a hurdle on their way to winning the Colt Sigma Hurdle; a three-picture sequence of John Thorne making a great recovery after a mistake by Spartan Missile, as they go on to win the Foxhunters Chase; and two pictures from the Chair during the Topham Trophy Handicap Chase, one of John Fowler and Arctic Ale avoiding trouble on way to victory, and the second of Tommy McGivern and Colleen Rhu as “they make a spectacular Topham exit”.
Orchestra in tune: Phoenix Park hosts racing last Saturday afternoon and the going is heavy. Being up against the Aintree Grand National does not help, and the Tote aggregate drops from last year’s £81,493 (although helped by a Jackpot carryover) to today’s £38,786.
Today’s feature race is the Rank Cup, over a mile and a quarter, worth £2,243. This is taken by the five-year-old Orchestra, ridden by Raymond Carroll. It is a first winner for young trainer John M. Oxx, having taken over this season from his father. The 2/1 favourite beats Icelandic by four lengths. There is a photo of Orchestra being greeted in the winners’ enclosure by his owner, Lady Donoughmore.
Another winning lady owner is Mrs Meg Mullion. Her colours are worn by Christy Roche to victory on Always Smiling in division two of the fillies maiden. Division one goes to Aghadoe, whose 12/1 success knocks out most Jackpot tickets.
Before the Fitzwilliam Maiden, Combine Harvester is backed from sevens into 100/30 second favourite. Vivian Kennedy gives the colt a patient ride, makes his move in the final furlong, and wins by five lengths for the Con Collins stable.
Murphy on the double: The going remains heavy for Leopardstown on Wednesday afternoon. The fixture survives two morning inspections. The starting stalls are used for the first race, a five furlong handicap; after that, all races are started by flag.
Biggest prize today is the £3,915 for the Savel Beg Stakes, a Listed race over two miles, though reporter Neville Ring writes that one trainer is heard to describe the race as “a good class bumper.” Tommy Murphy kicks off a double when Mr Moorstown wins by eight lengths from Daletta, with the 7/4 favourite Himself It Is in third. The winner is 8/1, and is trained by Edward O’Grady.
The next race is the Ballydoyle Stakes, sponsored by Vincent O’Brien, although he doesn’t have a runner in the race. It is won by Tommy Murphy on Step Together at 33/1. This guarantees that the Jackpot of £4,006 will be carried over to Ballinrobe tomorrow.
The other Listed race today is the Minstrel Stakes which is won by Balu from the Paddy Prendergast stable. He and Christy Roche finish a length and a half in front of Bohemian Grove and Tony Murray.
But Tony Murray also goes home with a double. He wins the opening race on Irish Rocket, and finishes the day by winning the concluding Donnybrook Handicap on Golden Cymbal. This race is over a mile and five furlongs, and Golden Cymbal wins by 12 lengths. Ring adds that after this race: “At least one aggrieved punter had to be escorted from the weigh-room by a Garda.”
Under Way at Ballinrobe: The meeting on Thursday has soft ground and six races. Reporter Neville Ring contrasts today with last year’s fixture. Today there is a grand total of 49 runners; but last year, the opening Rathcarren Maiden Hurdle itself had 50 declared runners, and was split into three divisions!
Today the Rathcarren Maiden Hurdle has four runners, and is won by Ameliora, the 4/5 favourite, with Michael Byrne in the saddle. The Fermoy man immediately completes a double on Polly’s Flake in the first division of the two mile handicap hurdle.
Biggest prize on offer today is the £828 for the Connaught Handicap Chase. Top weight Hollymount Girl, ridden by Pat Colville, carries 12st to a 5/1 victory.
Eight are declared for the Ballinrobe Hunters Chase, headed by Under Way with 12st 11lb. He is 2/5 favourite, and wins like one, turning the race into a procession five fences from home to win by a distance from Nevulgan, with another distance back to Madam Milan in third. Only three finishers.
The day concludes with a bumper, won by 4/1 third favourite Slaney, from Silent Member and Fethard Friends.
Cauthen hits headlines: The back page has today’s cards at Salisbury, Beverley and Huntingdon. Tipster “Lambourn” has been looking at the Salisbury card, but for a special reason.
Today is the first day racegoers in England will be able to watch Steve Cauthen, the American “wonder-boy” in action. “Lambourn” writes that the coming of the young man to Britain “has been given vast coverage in the media and his grinning, boyish looks have been spread all over the national dailies in Ireland and England.”
The ITV cameras will also be at Salisbury. “Lambourn” writes that this fixture used to be staged at Ascot, but today Salisbury will be the centre of attention: “It will not know what hit it and I shudder to think how it will cope with the avalanche of cameras, interviewers, pressmen and all the trappings of this garalous circus.”
The “wonder-kid” has four rides booked on a six-race card. These include the Salisbury 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes, in which Cauthen will ride Tap On Wood for trainer Barry Hills. In the opening race, “Lambourn” tips Marquee Universal to give Cauthen his first British winner.
Inside, Neville Ring also writes about Cauthen: “In years to come it might be referred to as the Cauthen Syndrome but whatever effect the young American has on the English scene it will hardly match up to the ballyhoo that has surrounded his arrival in that country.”
Irish River dominant: Desmond Stoneham writes about Irish River. Last year’s leading two-year-old makes a successful reappearance in the Prix Fontainebleau at Longchamp last Sunday. Irish River beats Nadjar by two and a half lengths, but Stoneham is very impressed: “I have rarely seen a horse so completely dominate a race.” The son of Riverman is trained by Jack Cunnington Junior.
Jockey Maurice Philipperon says that Irish River is the best horse he has ever sat on. Next stop is the Poule d’Essai des Poulains later in April.
TV Racing: Today the ITV cameras are at Salisbury for four races, and another ITV team is at Beverley for three races. RTÉ will be showing three from Salisbury and three from Beverley.
Then on Wednesday, four races from Ascot will be broadcast by the BBC.
On radio, RTÉ Radio will broadcast commentary by Des Scahill on five races at the Curragh. And don’t forget The Irish Field sponsored programme, on Friday afternoon at 2.45, presented by Ronnie Walsh.
Property: Looking for a house? The Classifieds ads section includes an advert for houses for sale in Dundrum and Sutton. The Dundrum house is at Broadford Hill, three bedrooms, and will be sold complete with carpets, curtains and piped TV. This house is piped for central heating. Price is £29,500.
In Sutton, a house at Sutton Lawn is for sale at £43,000. This is “luxury detached neo-Georgian bungalow in quiet cul-de-sac with detached garage.” There are four bedrooms, including an en-suite. The property will be sold with carpets, built-in wardrobes and wrought iron gates, and oil fired central heating.