Greatest N.Z. Pacer

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31785, 16 September 1968, Page 1

Greatest N.Z. Pacer

(By Our Trotting Writer)

It is futile to attempt to compare the merits of champions of various years, but few New Zealanders will disagree that Cardigan Bay is the greatest pacer produced in this country.

His record winnings of I more than SUSI.OOO.OOO ini New Zealand, Australia and! the United States are by far! the greatest attributed to any! pacer or trotter. Although he has beaten almost all of the top-ranked i pacers in the United States; In the last four years, most New Zealanders look back on the remarkable record he compiled in New Zealand In November and December. 1963, as a true Indication of his ability. After some rather disappointing racing early in the spring of that year, Cardigan Bay and his Auckland trainerdriver, P. T. Wolfenden, took all before them at the New Zealand Cup meeting at Addington Raceway. He outclassed the field in the cup after starting from 54 yards and won just as easily in the New Zealand Free-for-all. Then at the first night trotting meeting held on the course he won the Allan Matson Stakes in the world record time of 3:18 1-5 for the 13 furlongs, lowering False Step’s previous mark by almost three seconds. In that race he was privately timed to pace the last 12 furlongs in 2:59 4-5. After winning the Ollivier Handicap on the final night of the meeting he was given a brief respite before going against time over one mile at Hutt Park on December 17. In spite of bad weather, he sped over the mile in 1:56 1-5, well inside Caduceus’s record of 1:57 3-5. AUCKLAND CUP

In the Auckland Cup meeting he gave a top field starts of up to 78 yards and a sound beating in the SlO.OOO race. After being sold to the United States. Cardigan Bay raced on tracks and in conditions that were much more favourable than those he encountered when he broke his record at Hutt Park, but the best mile time he could return was 1:57 2-5.

Certainly that time was returned in a race, which is vastly different from a time trial, but with so many factors in his favour, it is surprising that he did not do better.

Cardigan Bay's performances throughout his career have been marked by displays of great courage and stamina, but it was his recuperative powers after a gruelling race which really stood to him. The major portion of his stake winnings were gained after his career appeared to have ended with an accident in training at Perth in February. 1962. He broke away

from his attendant and badly damaged a hip. Even when the injury had ceased to cause him pain, Cardigan Bay continued to show the effects by appearing to drag a leg when walking. But once he was pacing he was not inconvenienced. Cardigan Bay has not been injury-free since being trained by Dancer. On at least two occasions he had surgery to a leg and for at least the last 18 months he has been under ! constant veterinary supervision as he has gradually approached the million-dollar imark.

Cardigan Bay was not treated like other members of Dancer's team and left with his stablemates in the barns on the courses on which they were racing. A special aircraft was chartered to take Cardigan Bay to each race, after which he was returned to Dancer’s farm outside New York.

Cardigan Bay first raced in the United States in 1964, winning 5U5160.750 that year. He won 5U5208.504 in 1965, | 5U5243.725 the next year and: last year he won SUSIO9,9OOj his racing being restricted because of soreness. He was was credited with 5U5103.580 in New Zealand, and 5U571.786 in Australia. Cardigan Bay is a 12-year-old gelding by Hal Tryax, the sire also of Robin Dundee, runner-up to him at Freehold, from Colwyn Bay, tracing back to Gold Patch, a mare foaled at Green Island ip 1909. Trilby, the dam of Gold Patch, is thought to have been a thoroughbred. Cardigan Bay is the first foal of his dam to race. Others from her to win have been Swan Bay and Conway Bay. Swan Bay has raced with success in the United States.