This day in jumps history
By John Adams, July 8, 2020 - 8:50 AM

July 8 1989

The second day of the VRC Grand National meeting was attended by 13,783 patrons and the jumping industry was feeling secure with big increases in stakes for the feature races, and the popular win of Sir Agrifo in the Grand National Hurdle the week before adding to a sense that all was heading the right way.

The Grand National Steeplechase attracted a field of 12, including two New Zealanders, topweight Noble Heritage, trained by Graeme Rogerson, and Bar The Shouting, trained by Davina Waddell.

The race ended in an exciting finish with Bar The Shouting, ridden by Tim Wheeler, narrowly beating Valiant Gamble (Reg Jennings), with 15 lengths back to Direct Mail.

Waddell had previously had success in Australia with Isle of Man in the Rosehill Guineas.

Earlier in the day the Colin Hayes-trained Wandering Duke won the Doutta Galla Hurdle.

About a month previous to this race, it had been announced that an invitational hurdle would be run at Duelling Grounds in Kentucky for a stake of $US750,000 the following April.

Both Hayes and Rogerson showed considerable interest in participating in the event, as did Peter Bullock with Sir Agrifo.

The race was run, but was heavily criticised for being conducted on a totally underprepared track, which very few of the competitors handled.

The race then slipped off the calendar.

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