New Record Expected

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 6

New Record Expected

Cardigan Bay is confidently expected to create a new New Zea* land record for one mile in a special time trial on the second night of the Wellington Trotting Club’s December meeting at Hutt Park Raceway tonight. The attempt will be made after the running of the fourth race.

Cardigan Bay and Caduceus share the present record of Imin 57 3-ssec. Caduceus recorded his time in 1959 at Addington, while Cardigan Bay equalled it on September 28 last at Cambridge. That day Cardigan Bay received practically no assistance from the galloping pacemaker and he took a leisurely 80 4-ssec for his first half-mile. He took 58 4-ssec for the final four

furlongs, and 27 3-ssec for his last quarter. Cardigan Bay suffered three defeats after his time trial, but struck peak form at the cup meeting at Addington last month when he won the New Zealand Cup and Allan Matson Handicap from 54 yards, the OUivier Handicap from 60 yards, and the New Zealand Free-for-all. 13 Furlong Record He established a new world record of 3min 18 l-ssec for 13 furlongs when he won the Allan Matson Handicap, being privately timed to pace his last 12 furlongs in better than three minutes, the final four furlongs in 58sec. In the New Zealand Free-for-all he left his rivals struggling when he sprinted his last two furlongs in 27 2-ssec. Cardigan Bay showed that he had retained his top form when he worked over one mile in Imin 58 2-ssec at Alexandra Park last Tuesday. Provided atmospheric con-

ditions are favourable, Cardigan Bay is expected to break the New eZaland record by a substantial margin and many expect his time to be between Imin 55sec and Imin 56sec. Cardigan Bay will also be attempting to break the world record mile pacing record of Imin 54 3-ssec, established in 1960 at Lexington by Adios Butler. Three Bends The track at Lexington is one mile in circumference, against four furlongs and a half at Hutt Park. Adios Butler had only two bends to contend with in his run, while Cardigan Bay will have three. The Hutt Park track is one of the fastest in New Zealand and usually provides a perfect racing surface. Given the full assistance of a galloping pacemaker, he should create new figures for New Zealand, but his chances of getting within even a second of the world record do not look bright.