TO MEET WALLA WALLA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21120, 22 March 1934, Page 12

TO MEET WALLA WALLA

ROI l/OR'S prospects BRILLIANCY AND STAMINA ijjy Miles. i Of the four New Zealand horscs ihat will contest I lie Invitation matches at Addington at Easter, the least' discussed is Roil' Or. who is trained in South Canterbury, and so does not come under the eye of the average trotting enthusiast. When Roi l'Or does reach headquarters. howevci, he is likely to come into the-, limelight, for he is reported to be in as good condition as ever he was and needs only a few sharp sprints to bring him into the best racing condition. His owner, Mr P. Brown, trams him, and excepting for a short spell when Roi l'Or was in J. .J. Ketmerley's stable, he lias been prepared in the south fur. all ins races. A little highly strung, Roi l'Or needs less last work than, most horses. He practically trains hims-lf with exercise :n the paddock. He was bred by his owner and is by Rey de Oro, I rum Gold

Queen, a successful rare marc, but credited with a short pedigree on the side of licr dam. Gold Queen was by King Cole tn son of RibbonwootU, ; from -Dorothy D„ bv Viking, from a j thoroughbred mare. Probably it is, this dash of thoroughbred blood that j gives to Roi l'Or the fine bone and | racy appearance. He is not a big I horse, bur is very game, and his per- : formance.s during the last tew seasons ; now him to be possessed ot the necessary brilli- niv to contest a race with liie champion.-. Roi l'Or did not stall racing until j-,e was four years old. and not having been overworked he still retain* all i'ne dash and stamina of a youn" horse. He won two races at tour \ears. and the iollowing season out of seven sta l *'- lie \\'a- four times lu'sl ami twice second. IJy tin- tune lie hid worked to a place an:onu'-l the -nod class ho-s.-s, ;md at the August meeting in 1929 he went the An-.nst Handicap I roin a Imm 2<>scc mark, m heavy going, in 4niin 41 3-ssec. and nt the C. 'nam meeting he won the , Weston Handicap of one and a quarter miles from a 2min 41Ssec mark. He went Imin 23 4-~>sec in running second to Terence Dillon in the Christclmrch . Handicap, and 2min 40 2-asee when 1 -\thalone beat him in the Islington Handicap at tlv- Canterbury Park meeting, while on the second day of ilie meeting he won the Selwyn Handicap in 2min ?2 l-ascc. Handicapped "on 4min 2j; ee. he won the Duncdin ' Cup, •!min 2:isee class, in -in,in M2 1 4-5.-CC. a uood performance, considering: the duality of the field. In tlv lf».'<o-.TI soa.-ou Roi lOr Parted five times for one win and a second and tn very heavy going he was second to Harold Thorpe .in the t Duncdin Cup. giving away GO yard::. ! r.nd at til" New Zealand Metropolitan 'Trotting Club's Easter meeting lie won the High Class Handicap of a rnile and a quarter hj: 2min 40 3-asee. ! Harold Logan being second, and Free Advice third. Roi l'Or and Harold Logan both started oil 24 yards be- : hind. • A Speedy Pacer Tn tiie season 1931-32 the little cho.t- ---' nut started nine times for one win and three seconds. At Addington in August he resistcred -Irnin 20 -l-.V<e in running sccemei to Glemossie m the King George Handicap, an.il 4miu 4-osec when he attempted to give a big field CO vards and finished second to' Harold Thorpe. At the Metropoli- , um Trotting Club's summer meeting 'he won the Craven Handicap, of one 1 and a quarter miles, in 2min 43 l-.isee ; from a high-el.)<s field that mcluded Reel Shadow, Carm-'l, R0y.,1 Silk, anel !'ree Advice, and at the? 1-, aster meeting he did 4min 20see* '.vhen he was; beaten by a neck by Kingcraft in ihe , President's Handicap. A Record Established l:i the following year Hoi 1 Or was third in the August Handicap, and third to Harold Logan and Glenro. ,-ie in the New Zealand Cup b 4ini:i 20 2-osec, but lie won the Free for All in 2min 38 1-5 ec from Harold Logan and Gold Country. He then went en to win the New Zealand Golel Cup at Wellington from a very strong tie Id in 1 4min 21 sec. He did 2min 39 ,!-.isec . when beaten by Satin King and Glen- . rejssie in the Flying Handicap at the Easier meeting at Addington, and finished up his season's racing by winning the High Class Handicap from a 2niin 31) sec mark in the reeorel time of I'm in 37 l-ssec. Again lie eieMcate:d , Harold Logan from the same mark. ■ During the present season Ro: l'Or has had a comparatively easy time, but he put up eine of the greatest performances in the Courienay Handicap at Addington in November when he . attempted to give up to 72 yards in a 4min I'iisec class. In a desperate finish lie was less than half a length away from Satin King, his time being 4min 14 2-ssec. while tiie winner, in doing J r.,in 16see. established a world's winning race record. In a match race against Harold - Logan at Timaru in January of last year Roi l'Or was beaten by three'quarters of a length in 2min 42 2-5; ee after a fine etTort in which he had the ; outside running. A glance.- through the records '-how; Roi l'Or to be one eif the grcates' pacers of all time, and 'lis times o! 4min 14 2-3 sec for two miles and 2m:r 37 l-ssec for a :m!o and a quartei are not He'd by any other horse i: • New Zealand. Fit and well on the da'.. Roi I'Oi will thoroughly test the e'tiier starters