TROTTING Durban Chief Has Had Five Wins In America

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29251, 8 July 1960, Page 5

TROTTING Durban Chief Has Had Five Wins In America

The former Westport trotter, Durban Chief, has had five wins during his nine months in the United States, and, according to reports, he will have to do his future racing against the top trotters.

Durban Chief gained his fifth wjn at Baltimore last Friday in a race carrying a stake of 5000 dollars, of which 2500 dollars was the winner’s share. . . The management of Yonkers Raceway were keen that Durban Chief should race in a free-for-all last Saturday, but Mr Noel Simpson, of Auckland, who races the Springbok gelding on lease, decided to go to Baltimore where the opposition was not expected to be as stiff. Durban Chief will have plenty of opportunities in the next few months to race against the top trotters in races carrying stakes of up to 50,000 dollars and run over varying distances up to one mile and a half, so the decision to race at Baltimore appears to have been a wise one. New Zealanders at present in the United States feel that Durban Chief has not yet quite reached his peak and that when he starts racing over longer distances he will be an outstanding performer. Durban Chief’s fourth win was in a mile event carrying a stake of 4000 dollars at Yonkers Raceway on June 27. In that race he recorded 2min 2sec, which, according to Mr Simpson, would be the equivalent of about Imin 59sec at Addington.

Beat Strong Field

Durban Chief beat a very strong field at Yonkers. He was allowed to start only after there had been a scratching and he began from the outside barrier position. His opponents included Maximilian, winner of 63,000 dollars, Lyman Hanover, winner of 64,000 dollars, and John A. Hanover winner of 73,000 dollars. Those three horses are recognised as being in the top flight among the horses of their gait. All three appear in the 2min ssec list of trotters, recording their fastest times on half-mile tracks.

Durban Chief made a splendid beginning from his wide barrier position in the Yonkers race and he was in fourth place at the end of a fast-run first quarter in 30 3-ssec. The leaders reached the half mile in 60 l-ssec, with Durban Chief just holding his place. The solid pace suited Durban Chief, which improved to be on the outside of the lead at the end of six furlongs in Imin 31 4-ssec. He trotted his final quarter in 30 l-ssec to win under a good hold in the smart time of 2min 2sec. Trainers and drivers at Yonkers were most impressed by the performance of Durban Chiefas they had not expected to see such a tbp-class trotter arrive from “down under.” New Assistant Secretary Mr Trevor Davis has been appointed assistant secretary to the three Christchurch trotting clubs. He will succeed Mr J. Rowley, who has been appointed accountant to the New Zealand Trotting Conference. Mr Davis, who has chief clerk to the Christchurch Milk Company, will take up bis new position on August 1

New Brighton Accounts Figures in the accounts of the New Brighton Trotting Club, to be presented at the annual meeting next Monday, were for four days during the year ended May 31 last, compared with five the previous year. This was not stated in the report attached to the financial statement. Stakes for the year amounted to £21.150 an average of £5287 10s a day, compared with £24,985 for five days the previous year, an average of slightly more than £4998 a day. Arnhem At Cambridge Arnhem is a recent addition td P. Skousgaard’s Cambridge team. Formerly raced on lease by the Yaldhurst trainer,. M. W. Denton, Arnhem has reverted to the ownership of Mr E. S. and Mrs A- H. Baxter, of Mayfield, who have had considerable success with Battle Cry from Skousgaard’s stables. Arnhem had only nine starts this season, unsoundness restricting his career. He has shown no signs of soreness since being trained by Skousgaard and he is making good progress in his preparation for spript racing. In the past Arnhem has shown useful form on right-handed tracks. He will have plenty of opportunities at night meetings at Alexandra Park Raceway next season. Finished Fifth The New Brighton pacer. Drumquin, is among the early favourites for the Rotorua Cup at the Rotorua Trotting Club’s inaugural meeting tomorrow. He bad two starts at the Cambridge meeting last week, giving • away time to take his place in toe field for the Smith Memorial Handicap.

He broke after the start in that event and . finished twelfth. He was produced in his correct class later in the day in the twomile Winter Handicap. He was seventh or eighth most of the way and finished fast for a close fifth. Drumquin, a brother to False Step, is never likely to graduate far through the classes. However, he stays well on heavy tracks and this could stand to him tomorrow. His opponents do not look a good lot and he should go close to winning.