AUBURN LAD'S MILE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 137, 6 December 1935, Page 6

AUBURN LAD'S MILE

TOO FAST TO BE RIGHT

It is the goal< of all light-harness enthusiasts to own a two-minute pacer, b"ut if figures can be accepted for a recent trial agaihst time :in Victoria, Auburn Lad^who' was a visitor to the Dominion-a-short:while back, left that mark well in his',wake in recording the sensational figures of lmin 54sec. However, it is the opinion of W. McKay, part-owner and driver, and of every reliable trotting man, that there was some error in the distance.

-Auburn Lad's performance was registered in a time, test (with pace) at an Olympic Park sports carnival in Melbourne last Saturday week. There could be no doubt concerning the actual time, as nearly a dozen watches showing identical times were held in different parts of the track. Such figures would be easily a world's record. According to the Melbourne "Globe," the Olympic Park manager (Mr. R. Lean) intends to have the track offi.cially surveyed. The distance covered Iby Auburn Lad will be measured, and an effort will be made to work out exactly how far he travelled and what would have been his time for the mile.

That this great pacer (he is distinct from a trotter) has fired public enthusiasm with his good performances on the Olympic Park track was shown by the increased attendance. He was undoubtedly the principal attraction of a mixed programme. While in New Zealand he recorded 2min 2 2-ssec for a mile,' but there is a vast difference between even that and lmin 54sec. From a flying start, Auburn Lad gathered in his nearest pacemaker, Star Princess, in under two furlongs. The sectional ■ times showed that he went .faster ;in the early- stages than towards the finish. The champion did not seem to weaken, and he ran down Lee Derby, who had been given a long start on the final bend. ' He went over the line at.a great bat. McKay said. that,, as' much as he would like to believe that he had a world's record-holder, he knew that Auburn Lad could not run a mile in such phenomenal time. He was pleased at the way he shaped, however, in view of the approach of the Inter-Dominion I Trotting Championships to be held in Perth early next year, in which Auburn Lad had been entered. ■

Auburn Lad will not be available to tackle the record again for some weeks; He is to'be treated to a let-up before ■beginning serious preparation for the championships..-■■