FRITZ V. RIBBONWOOD

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21087, 12 February 1934, Page 13

FRITZ V. RIBBONWOOD

FAMOUS MATCH RECALLED (By MILES.) The coming visit of Walla Walla to Addington recalls the memorable match in 1903 between Australia's •champion trotter, Fritz, and Ribbonwood, the latter one of the best horses ever raced in New Zealand, and one who under the present system of handicapping might have earned a small fortune. Like another great pacer in Almont, Ribbonwood was later sent to Australia, where he did stud duty

and left a number of notable performers, including Realm, who ran A'cron to a length when that horse established the record of 2min 3 3-ssec in the Free-for-AU of 1924. The Rib-bonwood-Fritz match was easily the greatest event in New Zealand trotting history up to that time, and it is doubtful if any race since has attracted the same amount of interest. Trotting at that time was not so high in popular favour as it is to-day, and this match did a great deal to bring before the public the possibilities of the light harness sport. A Cosmopolitan Crowd As showing the enthusiasm that was

created, it is interesting to quote from the "Weekly Press" as follows:—"On the two days preceding the meeting people swarmed into Christch'urch, and on the morning of the eventful day the city wore the appearance of a New Zealand Cup day. Where and how the visitors were accommodated cannot be told, but on Friday the various hotels and other resting places were turning away disappointed would-be guests by the score. However, they all turned up at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's course, and with the hundreds of strangers who came to town during the morning, and the thousands of local people, formed the most enthusiastic crowd that ever assembled on a racecourse. . . . There never was such an attendance at any trotting meeting held in the colonies before. It was cosmopolitan in character, and included a large number of Australian, as well as New Zealand, visitors." It may be noted that there was a very fair sprinkling of representatives of racing clubs, the Canterbury Jockey Club being represented by Messrs G. G. Stead, J. B. Reid, A. Boyle, F. H. Pyne, and "a goodly proportion of members." The Premier, the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, was- present, and other notables included the Hon. George McLean, the Hon. Lancelot Walker, the Hon. C. J. Moran, M.L.A.. of Western Australia, the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, the Hon. J. T. Peacock, the Hon. W. C. Walker, the Hon. C. Louisson, M.L.C., and the Hon. J. Marshall, These gentlemen were included in an attendance that broke all records, and this meeting served to show trotting to many people who hardly imagined that the sport existed. Many have been loyal supporters ever since and have helped to raise trotting to the pedestal on which it stands tori a v.

Ribbomvood an Easy Winner 1 In the match itself, which was run in three mile heats, Ribbonwood was ' never extended to win in 2min 14 l-ssec, 2min 13sec, and 2min lOsec, and as the Wildwood colt later at the meeting paced a mile in 2min 9sec it brings : ns to a question as to how much im- ' provement in speed has been made in 1 the last HO years. Before the race D. J. Price, the owner-trainer of Ribbonwood, offered 1o lay £3OO to £IOO that his colt would beat 2min 7sec. Ribbonwood was only four years old when | this match was run, and there are not many of that age who could be depended upon to better this time. The first heat was spoiled to a certain extent by tactics at the starting post, and it was no' until the eighth attempt that a start was effected. A report of the match says:—"Always a nervous horse, Fritz suffered by the distracting delays before the start of the first heat, and he never really recovered his equanimity during the afternoon. These delays or false starts were none of his driver's seeking." : Fritz did not show his true form ; that day, and t: fast time of 2min ; lOscc by Ribbonwood was made following an intimation from the stew--1 ards that if the mile record were not ! broken the £IOO added by the club would not be awarded. Price scut Ribbonwood along at an even gait, Tin-Jong after l'urlonv, being covered in 10 seconds'. On completing his task , Ribbonwood was as fresh as when he , started, and it was evident that he i could have made much better time : had he been set to do his best»all the j way. On the third day of the meeting Price sent Ribbonwood out to give 1 an exhibition of pacing over a mile, • and he went 2min Osec after doing the first half-mile in lmin 4scc. It was evident that Ribbonwood could have gone faster, for he was fighting for his head through the last quarter. A Great Pacer I Ribbonwood in 1903 was little in- | fcrior to the world's best at that time, for the American mile record stood to the credit of Online. 2min 4:; cc. e While the New Zealand i'our-ycar-oJd record has been left practically undisturbed, the American record has i been reduced to lmin 'sßvsee, which t stands to the credit of Guy McKinney. The conditions of the Fritz-Ribbon-wood match provided for a sweepstakes of 500 sovs each, with 100 sovs - added by tne club, the race to be a decided by the best three heats out - of five. As Ribbonwood won the first - three there was no need to run the e other two heats. There arc few v sportsmen of the J. A. Buckland type to-day or men with sufficient, capital 1 to embark on such a proceeding as J did the Australian owner. Mr Buckland later raced many horses in Now e Zealand, and at Lonsdale Lodge (the - one-time home of Carbine), Upper i Riccarton, he had a big string of y horses trained by Claude Piper, now an official of the New Zealand Metroe politan Trotting Club.