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HIGHBRIDGE PLEASES ENGLISH CRITICS. Vaacerning the numina of Highbrklge whea be J inado In- debut iii English ateeplechasing al San down Park February v the wiiikin Mi uui writer. "Augur," said iii Sporting Life of February 1 : „ ■T mil Saturday uothing bad transpired during the » week to throw any fresh light on the Grand National situation. The English debul ol Hlghbridge, which las in-ill sent over from America with au eye to the capture of our principal croee-countrj priae, proved : io be mi creditable In the Prince of Wales Steeple chase thai bis owner aaa] well entertain sanguine i hopes thai bis enterprising policy will meet with the desired reward. Saturdays attendance at San down Park was the beat recorded at any meeting during the pi sent season, and judging by the interest taken in Higbbridge prior to bis going to tin-peat, lid* lir-i appearauce of bis on English soil was evidently In great pari responsible for the representative assemblage. Mr. Fells borse. a big good-looking lay. »;n generally admired during this preliminary ionpeetion. bnl ii was hardly antic! Iiated thai be would put up -•• excellent a perform anee as ho did. The obstacles employed In steeple chasing on Ike "other side" are, I understand, not uearlj so formidable as our own. and that High briilge proved capable of covering the Bandown • ntrj under top weight, I7" pounds, in irre inoaiiiaiili fashion, was a fact bearing testimony io tin- painstaking atteutious of bi~ present trainer, 11. T. Modi alio. "i.i man] years Sewmarkel trained chasers have been more or loss reviled, but the Inhabitants oi tne turf metropolis have certainly a Uve Interest in the Grand Natkmal now. Three fences from h Higbbridge appeared imi unlikely to win. bnl the concession of eleven pounds, plus some thing in the matter of conditions, to Glen Heston. ».is a littli beyond his powers, though hi beat the useful Strangways receiving twenty pounds lor -i.i.iid place distinctly on his merits. Earl, win-was io have the awat, bnl was compelled to de iiiii- mi account of an Injpred bu. mnsl have en vied Payne his pleasant ride. »u bis retwra to the paddocktbe American borse was naturally the center of attraction, aad of the trig crowd looking on, the Hon. George Lambtoa was :ln Interested memhei in iii-io« lug so much praise on Hbrhbridgi bow ever, one must not forget to give :ien Heston his due ed for another very smart performance. The Lewes chestnut certainly did not feme so eleanlj as when be won over the same ronrse In December, bnl ii was a great Improvement on liw display al Kempton lai-i month, so that it would appear thai bis confldi nee bas been almost completely restored. n seems, therefore, to be a great pity thai forfeit was declared for him for the Lancashire Steeplechase, although, of eonree, a penalty for Saturdays success might have put him awite ut at court. "Should Hlghbridge carry oil the Grand National in wilt not he tin- tirsi American-bred borse to do lor Bubio. the hero of 1906, was reared in the 1 niioii States. His weight, however. Was 1 r pounds, while Higbbridge will have to shoulder the substantial burden of 168 poaade. Another Aln-tree candidate which took part in Saturdays race was .lacoiius. which showed no Improvement on bi-recenl running at Kempton Park, and as ■ matter of fact did not complete the course. King of the Scarlets, for a horse In such demand, gave ■ singularly disappointing exhibition, as he hgnred in the rear throughout until being pulled out. The Irish gelding. 1 leenstown. came to grief before ■ third of the hmrney had boon completed, but the enthusiastic amateur rider, Mr. K. Whitehead, sue ■ oi ili-! in "getting round" on bis own horse, Cdav refeu II. as did Mason mi Gale II. . the latter of which ran verj well For ■ long way."
