Robalan creates world record for 2000m

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 8

Robalan creates world record for 2000m

Addington Raceway had probably its greatest day yesterday. First there was Noodlum’s record-shattering run in the Second Riccarton Stakes, a New Zealand record by Easton Light in the Dominion Handicap; but these were eclipsed by the world’s fastest 2000 m by Robaian in the New Zealand Free-for-all.

Robaian paced the 2000 m in 2:26.6, a mile rate estimated at. 1:58.1. The world record for one mile and a quarter is held by Irvin Paul at 2:29.6, a mile rate of 1:59.7. Calculations of mile rates for metric distances are taken from a booklet produced by the Inter-Dominion Trotting Council. The council apparently thought it impossible for any horse to better 2:28 from 2000 m, a mile rate of 1:59.1;

Not only did Robaian beat 2:28, but he did so by I.4sec, and he did it easily. , “I think he could have gone even faster,” said D. D. Nyhan, trainer-driver of the champion. ‘‘They went so fast early that it left him with not that much in reserve in the home straight. Had they gone just a little easier from the start, I think he would have come home more strongly.” As it was he won by three lengths and a half from Hi Foyle after leading for the last 1500 m. Young Quinn,

whose backers received a place dividend of 90 cents, was five lengths away third. “He put one in at the start and was checked twice afterwards,” said P. T. Wolf-, enden, the driver of Young Quinn, who was still last racing to the final 400 m. Robaian has now had 33 wins and 31 placings for $145,290 in stakes, a figure he looks well capable of increasing when next he races in the $26,500 Stars Travel Miracle Mile at the New Brighton Club’s meeting on December 7.