Night Trotting In The Rain

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30054, 12 February 1963, Page 14

Night Trotting In The Rain

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Feb. 11. Night trotting at toe Hutt Park raceway was an exciting new experience for 'he Queen tonight and she obviously enjoyed it in spite of the damp evening. During her 1953-54 tour of New Zealand toe Queen attended two daytime trotting meetings. A crowd of about 15.000 crammed all vantage points at the small raceway as binoculars focussed back and forth from toe trotters to toe Queen. The Queen did not appear at all worn after a heavy first-day’s programme in Wellington. She stepped quickly into her ear at the Britannia's side. She wore a sapphire blue wool coat. worn over a printed silk dress. Her close-fitting hat was white and trimmed wito forget-me-nots. It was a speedy drive toe raceway. The Queen’s car made a circuit of toe track and glit-

tered under toe arc lights, coloured umbrellas as people stood in toe rain. In drizzling rain, but no wind, toe visitors received a great ovation as they stepped from the car and toe president of toe Wellington Trotting Club, Mr H. Murphy, and Mrs Murphy were presented. From toe Royal box they watched three races. The first race was toe Queen Elizabeth Handicap. At the finish of toe Britannia Handicap, toe Queen watched toe horses and drivers through binoculars as they walked past her box. The Duke joked with the Prime Minister, Mr Holyo&ke. Before the start of toe Duke of Edinburgh Invitation Handicap, toe Queen and toe Duke were escorted to toe stewards’ lounge for a short break and refreshments. In pouring rain, they boarded toe Britannia again at 11 pm.