Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02


safest tamper IN the country. A bit slow naW-
adays the wise ones say, but It's jumping that
counts here. We've seen few fast ones lying
in the ditches FIRST and last. It's not nsuch use
. beng Splinter IL you're 8o1n8 % Nm the UP
OF BeeheFs. Old boy.
The starter locks ut his watch, climhs onto
his platform, and the nag u hoisted- Grad
uaaiy We form up into some semhiance o. .
Hlae and start 30 move forward There's Gead
stlsnca new IN the stands behind us. Thoaa-
sands Of eyes are glued 10 that white nag u1-
teEing in the breeze.
Nearer and nearer We approach. Twenty
wards. Is, 10-then suadenly Il jerks down.
The Sergeant leaps forward There's mighty
roar They're ear hehind IN. and that's my
last conscious impression Of the crowd until
we come round 10 the stands again. There's
Tartan Jacket ahead Of the neld. The cham
pion jockeys inside that jacket. and his mount
is q preVions National Winner-a mica comhina-
ton! They've scored the hrst trick here, Tor
with q beautiful leap they clear the frss fence
wen in advance Of the neld. The rest al as
reach the fence In the headlong rush Of . cav
airy charge. IT'S o plain thorn fence, and We
sai1 into the air with hale o dczen horses on
either side. I see o blurred mass Of uptarned
faces below, the air whistles past, then the
Sereaant lands peffectiy. There's tearing
crash On the LETT. That's the first one down.
We saIlop hard at the next fence and take u
In the second group Of horses In midair
glimpse o horse lying stin ON the lar side or
the fence, right IN cur path I cies1ch my
teeth and prepare for the fan, for SeEgeants
jumping right onto the horse. But Sergeant
sees the danger and by q miraculous twist
lands few inches TO the right. take deep
gasping breath That was q close one, boy!
TEE SeEgeAnt's had q shock. tod. mr. he
] lenRthens his stride and forces himself tnta
the front Of the held where he can zee wh@s
he's doing. let him 60, for he's lappisst when
hat
simply wouldn't Jump first. They had to have
lead" over the fences. But the Sergeant
believes IN seeing the open course In mont or
him, and that's the safest game in the National
Go on, Sergeant! Show them the wayI
Behind hear another couple OF crashes ana
wonder which horses are dawn how, but
Becher's Brook, the highest obstacle ON the
course, with ditch ON the far side, Is night
ahead and there's not much time for thinking
about the others. let the Sergeant stride.
freely at the fence, making no, effort to regu-
late his take on. He knows the exact moment
to lean better than do myself
we sail over the famous Jump In great style.
stiu in the lead. As We pass over cAteh
sight of Q horse lying stretched out In the
ditch and policeman bending oNeT jockey.
Right over their heads we 60. Tia horse locks
as II It has broken its back. teel thankful
the Sergeants q safe Jumper.
Has e0ing like q. steam engine now, GAlinp-
ing smoothly with . long rakinG stride, jump
ing perfectly. Go on. Old boyi Keep It up ana
you,n aet your name In the Grand National
records yeti
ONaR Valsntine'a Brook We O.. stkn allowing
our heelk Thare1E ha no hundred b sizes
against Hon nnwe cid manl YOU'RE running the
race Of your life today and guess the people
far away IN the stand can see Il. steady him
slighfly. Theres No sense i'm OVERRIDING things
even thGagh he's enjoying himself immensely.
there's . long way TO 90 yet a couple 0f
hoRsaR pass IN. one Of them comes down %
the nezh fence end we sail over Just 40 hoEse.
and jockey aEe serambsng 10 their feet. The
Sergeant settles down to steady gallop.
hear the Toar 0f the crowd agein % w.