The Sydney Thousand.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1984, 16 April 1906, Page 5

The Sydney Thousand.

MOST EXCITING FINISH. (Sydney "Bulletin.") The final of the Sydney Thousand did not start too auspiciously. When the whistles blew Rutt was pumping up his tyre, and just at the very last | inflation the thing blew out with a j report like the starter's pistol.' Rutt, ! afraid that they would not wait, ! frantically fitted another tyre and j pumped with feverish energy, and that, | too, blew out. Outside, the people in j the stands were clapping and stainpI ing in their impatience, and every i man who thought he might scoop ! that £750 was cursing Rutt for keepj ing him out of his money. At last the ! tyre was fixed properly, and a start | was made. Hardly had the pistol ceased to echo, hardly had the roaring of the barrackers started, when there was another report, and a voice roared " Stop her ! " Payne's pedal strap had carried away, and the disgusted field came back bursting with im-

patience. When they got away, the back-markers went off with a terriftic rush. Rutt took Mayer right past Clark who trailed them ; and then Mayer made the pace for half a lap. Next Clark went to the front of the trio, and took them right up to the I field. The pacing of the back men i was ideal. Then they all reeled away together, the back men taking a breathing spell behind pace. The effort had broken Clark, and he and Wyatt dropped out. The front men realised that the back-markers must not get breathing time, and a series ! of frantic efforts were made against I the wind. Then Arnst's great strength | showed out at its best. He was strong ! as a bull, and with his 100 gear he ; went to the front a quarter of a lap j before the bell rang for the final : round. That was the amazing part ;of the race. The Maorilander maintained his lead in front cf the whole field for a full lap and a quarter, and then finished with one of the most sensational jumps ever seen on the i track. Many spectators believed that | but for being momentarily pocketed i opposite the smokers'-stand, Rutt | would have won ; but it is not by any | means certain that he would have passed the frantic Maorilander, but he got through. That last lap of Arnst's would have taken a lot of beating. As far as Dick Arnst himself was concerned, there was never, till the last five seconds of tb.B race, any doubt; as to who was going to win it. He had told all his friends that he was a trier, and that he was absolutely on his own, and that people backing him would have a genuine go for their money. He rode a Forest Finlay machine geared to 100, and shod with Dunlop tyres; and a big, powerful man like Arnst can do a lot with a 100 gear. Moreover, at the finish of the race the wind was dead behind him—what little wind there was, that is. Passing the smokers'-stand the field was all bunched up, with Arnst in front. It swayed and rocked in its desperate endeavor to get clear, an German champion Rutt was locked right in the middle of it. " Rutt's pocketed ! Rutt's pocketed ! " howled the frantic bookmakers, who had just laid 20 to 1 against Arnsfc; and then they chewed their tongues and cursed all creation. With the exception of the acetylene lamps over the track, all the lights were out, and only the racer 3 streaking like shadows along the greenish tinted track were visible. From the hidden, crowded stands rose a deafening roar, and as Arnst rushed past the ladies' reserve he howled triumphantly, " It's mine ! " Then, through a defective shade a shadow fell in front of the Maorilander. He thought it was a reality. The nightmare of the German smote him dumb, and his howl stopped suddenly, bitten off in the middle. Down went his great head and shoulders, his machine sprang through the air, and next halfsecond ho was across the line.