TYRES ON THE TURF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1930, Page 14

TYRES ON THE TURF.

MOTOR CYCLISTS AT TAKAPUNA. COLEMAN STILL A WINNEH. SOME BRIGHT JUNIORS. As usual, Percy Coleman was the star of the Motor Racing Club's grass track meeting on Takapuna Racecourse on Saturday. The combined efforts of the haildicappers and the big field of hardriding cyclists could not beat him for his place, which was usually about 100 yards nearer the winning post than anyone else. Coleman's best lap was done in 475, at a mean speed of 76.59 miles per hour, about a fifth more than the average of tho rest of the riders, and Within two seconds of his world record made' on the same track. On the eve of his departure for England, Coleman certainly gave the Auckland enthusiasts something to remember him by. Although there were no actual casualties, Saturday's racing saw some nasty spills. Big Owen Shakespear was one of the unfortunates, his stunt turn on the corner near the. stewards' stand being the, feature of the President's Handicap. His riding had not been up to his old standard, and at the time of the crash he had attained the greatest speed he showed all day, and after that incident, in which he received no serious injury, he dropped back amongst the also started. A Nasty Smash. The most spectacular smash of alj was the collision between L. Williams and Bill Herbert in the Members' Handicap. Going all out, Williams had caught up on Herbert, and was trying to get past him before coming to the corner. Attempting to cut in on the inside, he caught Herbert's rear wheel, and was sent flying. Herbert tried desperately to. recover, but, after wobbling along for a few yards, he also came off. His was the heavier fall of the two, and for a few minutes he lay stunned beside his machine.. Fortunately no bones were broken. Amongst the cinder track specialists who tackled the turf course Ben Bray was the most successful. Two good wins stood to his credit at the end of the day. In both races he had good starts, of course, and, curbing his broadsiding propensities,'he rode good straight races at top speed all the way.

On the handicapping, Reg. Eanby was next best man to Coleman, the latter giving him only 15s. This was not sufficient to keep him in front of the champion, especially as his engine was not running as well as it might have done. Somehow, Ranby's style strikes one as that of a very unassuming sort of person. He certainly did not display any fireworks. Slowly, and one might almost say carefully, he worked his way through the field to second place in both the President's and Members' Handicaps, and Coleman was the only man who could overtake him. It must be remembered that Coleman rides a 7/9 and Ranby a 3i. *

"Mentioned in Dispatches."

Amongst those who must be counted "dead stiff" was R. E. Vinall, one of the lesser lights of the sport. After a hard day's racing, he had scored nothing better than a third in the Alison Handicap, until the last race but one, the Cheltenham Handicap, when he came home first. Thereupon the judges rose up and disqualified him for riding _ a machine he had not entered. Undismayed, however, he came out again for the consolation prize, and got second place, which he well deserved, for Ranby beat him for first by only a very' small margin. The honour of "mentioned in dispatches " should also be granted .to Percy Fletcher.' His christian, name is certainly a good mascot for a grass track rider, and gives him an advantage over mere Bills and Jacks. A third in the Shore Handicap, a first in the Alison Handicap, and a second in the Takapuna Handicap netted him a fair amount of well-earned prize money. It was all done off good starts, admittedly, but these will be cut down next meeting for sure. His cue, as with all' the junior riders, is to grow better as their starts grow smaller, which process will in time, if they prove worthy, put them on the scratch mark alongside Coleman, with an even chance of winning.