The New York herald., 1922-04-23

TUST the other day thirty-two high bred
horses, each one famed throughout
- Great Britain for its spirit, speed and
all the other qualities that go to make up
a marvellous race horse, stood quivering
with excitement at the start of the famous
Auntree steeplechase course near Liver
pool. where each year for more than CEN
tury England's principal steeplechase
event has been held. Atop each horse was
a gentleman rider. Along the four and
half mile course there were gathered, wait
ing for the horses to pass in their mad
flight, thousands upon thousands Of
England's gentility-fashionabl debu-
tantes, lords and their ladies' earls and m@
their countesses, and even dukes and MM
their duchesses. For the Grand Ma M
tional is the outstanding sporting
event of the year in all the British
Empire
The thirty-two horses started springing
away with their heads out nostrils ex-
tended, the coursing Of their sporting blood
plainly visible along the ridges made by
veins that stood out beneath their tender
skins. AS the last Of the horses flashed by
the spectators grouped themselves or
moved along the course waiting impa-
tiently for the big news of the year
which one of these splendid horses would
survive the four and half miles-which
one would keep to its feet to the end?" For
it is not often that more than one or two
horses ever reach the finish of the Grand
National. And that is why even the sports
men in England are crying that this great
steeplechase event is the cruelest thing in
the world.
This year, of the thirty-two horses that
started only three finished without accident.
All the others fell. Only rs per cent. Of
them succeeded in passing the Canal Turn
Fence, the eighth jump on the course. The
others fell later on II has been the rec
ord of the Grand National for several
years that one-third of all the horses
who enter the race fall, sometimes injur-
ing themselves for life, sometimes killing
themselves outright, sometimes crippling
their riders, within the first mile OF the
course.
This year it is not the injured riders who.
after being carried off the field on stretch
ers or helped away by spectators, have at
tracted the most sympathy and have been
responsible for the outburst of public
opinion against the continuance of this ia
nous steeplechase. For some reason the
public this year turned its attention to the
poor horses whose broken necks, twisted
legs, and bruised bodies dotted the course
for miles, while the solitary winner was
being cheered and acclaimed.
The fact that only thirty-two horses
started in the chase Is accepted as evidence
that in all England there were only thirty
two horses whose owners felt that they
were brave and strong enough to success
fully overcome even a portion of the OBJ
stacles which mark this famous course.
And OF these thirty-two horses none of
their owners seems to have given much
thought to the horse itself--only to the
glory that is promised the winner.
In no other race event in the world have
horses to jump so high or so often, or to
travel so far. Each jump on the course is
great deal higher and wider than any jump
TO be found on any of the courses else
where in the country. Some OF them are
so wide and so dangerous that TO drive
horse at them Is almost certainly to
threaten that horse with being crippled, at
least, for the rest OF his days.
The treacherous Canal Turn Fence Is
photographed on this page. First, there is
ditch six feet wide and two feet deep.
with fence two feet high at the near bank
OF the ditch. II would seem almost cruel
in itself to drive horse with heavy gen.
tleman rider across a six foot ditch. with q