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1 r v J I , . l I t j ; ! !■ c l I I ; t j . ! 1 1 , . 1 1 . 1 , . ; I I 1 1 , , , 1 I , . • • 1 I J J j • t f j I j - i 1 - - ; " • j I I 0 n j 1 t f 0 0 t 5 MASTER ROBERTS CAREER • Repeatedly Rejected as Useless, Old Horse Earns Belated Fame. ♦ Braised Pedal Rone Hade His Training Difficult— Was Once Sold for a Price of 50. 4 ■ By E. K. COTTSET-L, LONDON, England. April 15. — It was a remarkable achievement on the part of Aubrey Hastings even to bring Master Robert to the post for the Grand National. East January the horse bruised his off fore pedal bone. The bruise was so serious that the bone became diseased and the hors has been lame ever since. He has practically stood in poultices day and night. The great difficulty was to have him fit. His trainer watched his opportunity, working him uphill and snatching a gallop any time the horse was sound enough to work. Then Master Robert had to go back for tho skillful veterinary treatment of l-rank Cun-dell. He was lame when he ran at Cheltenham and Wolverhampton. The risk, however, had to be taken because the races were essential if he was to have any chance at Liverpool. It is not difficult to imagine the trouble and anxiety of his trainer. Mr. Cundell went to Liverpool and attended the hoi so up to the moment he went out for the Grand National. He pulled up lame and there is every possibility it will be his last race. Since he won he has been kept in slings. SUPER MAN GOES WRONG. Super Man was considered the stables best candidate but he went amiss after running brilliantly behind Eureka II. at Gatwick ■ month before Liverpool. It has been related that Master Robert was bred in Ireland by R. MacKinley. His breeder sent him into training as a five-, year-old. He was in the charge of the lnte "Algy* Antheny, then training Troytown for the Grand National. Antheny sent Master Robert home as useless. He was turned out on his owners farm for a year or two. No buyer being forthcoming, Mr. MacKinley proceed to make Master Robert earn his living ;is a plough and general utility horse. It is even stated that the army authorities refused the horse about this period. A few months later Mr. MacKinley sold the hcrse to his neighbor. Mr. I.averty, of Dun- gannon, for, it is stated, 50. I.averty passed him on to "Pat" Rogers, though in the mein- time he had ben taught to jump and run with the South Tyrone Harriers. L!y this time his price had increased to ,250. As a result of his reputation in the hunt- ing field Master Robert was bought by H. Fordham, who lives at Royston. about twenty miles from Newmarket. The price was ,500. When the horse arrived in England Mr. Fordham did nit care for Master Robert, so tried his utmost to persuade Rogers to take him back. MASTER ROBERT AS A HUNTER. Master Robert was hunted and then proceeded to win several English point-to-point races which are organized by hunt committees and confined to hunters. About two years ago Lord Airlie, a young Scottish nobleman, wanted a horse to win a little military steeplechase at the Perth Hunt meeting. Lord Airlie, by the way, was a member of Lord Derbys Knowsley house party for Liverpool, where King George stayed for the meeting. Lord Airlie is about thirty years of age and succeeded to the title when quite young, as his father was killed in South Africa during the Boer war. In partnership with Major Sidney Green of the Tenth Hussars, a popular hunting man in Leicestei shire. Master Robert was purchased for 1,100. He had run at Totnes in Devonshire for experience a fortnight be-| fore he carried Lord Airlie to victory in the Scottish Military Steeplechase run over three miles at Perth on September 30. 1922. This was the first victory and second race of Master Robert. At Perth he carried 185 pounds and finished alone. SENT TO HASTINGS. As he showed promise of developing into a good steeplechaser he was sent to Aubrey Hastings to be trained. Iast year he won twice, the second of these successes being gained at Liverpool in November when he won the Valentine Steeplechase for Amateur Riders. Of ten starters he was one of three to finish the two and three-quarter miles course. He won by twenty lengths from The Bore giving eight pounds, while Shauti Spadah fell. A fortnight ago he gave a good display in a three-mile military steeplechase over the difficult course at Cheltenham. Ten days before the Grand National he made a fine impression at Wolverhampton when he was beaten half a length in the Shrewsbury steeplechase. Had his foot trouble been gen- erally known there is no question that Master Robert would have been a leading choice for the Liverpool honors. Backers would have risked his non-starting. He was fairly freely "tipped" as an "outsider" worth attention. Such is the extraordinary history of the latest winner of the Grand National, a sport-t ing event which is more full of thrills and romance than any other of our races, not even excepting the Derby.
