Royal Worthy Is Paging Worthy Queen

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 232, 30 September 1944, Page 4 (Supplement)

Royal Worthy Is Paging Worthy Queen

('AN Royal Worthy beat the V existing mile record of 2.3 3-5 established by Worthy Queen in 1934? He has given proof in his races that he can better the mile and a half record of 3.14 1-5, also held by Worthy Queen; but there is a big difference in the way both records were made.

Worthy Queen took her mile record in a trial against time, and from a flying start. Her mile and a half record was accomplished when she won the High-Class Trotters' Handicap at Addington on April 4, 1934. In that contest, she started from 60 yards and beat First Wrack, Biddy Parrish, Lough Guy, Louis Bingen, Huon Voyage, Olive Nelson, and Wrackler. Worthy Queen was bred by the late Mr. J. R. Corrigan, at Hawera, and is by Worthy Bingen (brother to Great Bingen and Peter Bingen).

At the recent meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, Royal Worthy trotted the last mile and a half of the Stewards' Free-For-AII in 3.13 1-5. He did the first mile and a quarter in 2.43 2-5. On previous occasions Royal Worthy has been privately timed to cover the last mile of a two-mile race in 2.11 1-5. At' Addington last Easter, Royal Worthy broke at the start and lost 60 yards. He made up his ground to join Within in the lead before the mile post was reached, A little farther on, Douglas McElwyn drew up to challenge Royal Worthy, and the two horses drew right away from their opponents, but, in a good finish, Royal Worthy beat Douglas McElwyn by a length. His official time was 3.23, although he actually trotted the mile and a half in much faster time than that. Stepping on the Gas From barrier rise, he was timed to trot the first half-mile in 1.11 4-5, mile in 2.17 3-5, and the last four furlongs in 1.5 2-5. Owing to the ground he lost at the start, Royal Worthy actually trotted the first half-mile in 1.6 4-5, mile in 2.11 3-5 and the twelve furlongs in 3.18. On one occasion when he made a break and lost a lot of ground in the first furlong he was timed to cover the last mile in 2.6. Royal Worthy is one of the most attractive trotters bred in New Zealand. Foaled in 1934, he was highly strung, and because of that he was not raced until he was six. In his first season he won four of the six races he contested, and in the following year his record was four firsts and three seconds in twelve starts. In his third season, he was first home in three of the five races he competed in, and during the 19431944 period he gained two firsts and one third in seven starts. But for misfortune in the Avon Handicap on the first day of the Addington meeting, Royal Worthy would have been first instead of fourth. On the second day he won his second Free-For-All very easily.

He was bred at Winchmore by his owner, Mr. A. J. Wilson, and in four I seasons he has scored fourteen firsts,,three seconds, one third, and £3440 in stakes.

A big "number of admirers of the I pure-gaited trotter hope the Metropolitan Club will encourage the owner of Royal Worthy to send his horse against the mile record for trotters at its November meeting by providing a purse for the purpose.