NELSON HARRIERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 15 June 1936, Page 9

NELSON HARRIERS

THE NOVICE HANDICAP SATURDAY’S RACE AT TRAFALGAR PARK A SOLID PACE The Nelson Harriers’ Novice Handicap held at Trafalgar Park on Saturday afternoon over five laps on the grass brought out a field of thirteen runners. Running into the lead before half a lap had been covered, R. Moore, the winner, was never headed, although valiant attempts were made by Tanner, Russell, Kilpatrick, Walker and McArthur to overhaul him. With two laps covered McGlashen, McArthur and Walker had all picked up a considerable amount of their handicap and at the commencement of the fourth lap the order was Moore. McGlashen, Tanner, Kilpatrick, Russell, with McArthur and Walker just behind the bunch. Entering on the last lap Moore was still about 30 yards in front of Tanner and Kilpatrick, with Russell, McArthur and Walker in close order. Entering the straight Kilpatrick put in a sustained sprint, but could not quite reach the leader, who won by about eight yards, with Tanner, who also came home full of running, another five yards back. Next to finish were Walker, Russell, McArthur and Ross in that order. The following are the results in detail:— R. Moore (45sec) 1 D. Kilpatrick (25sec) 2 N. Tanner (20sec) 3 J. Walker (2sec), W. Russell (25 hec) and S. McArthur (scr) filled the next three places. COMMENT ON RUNNING The winner, Moore, set an example to the younger runners by taking full advantage of his handicap, which is what handicaps are for, and setting a solid pace fiom the start, proved that the race is not always to the swift, for the steady runner always has a chance. No member of the club grudged the deputy-captain his win, as both last year and during the present season he has been a keen and consistent supporter of the club, so that there could be no doubt as to the popularity of the result. Kilpatrick and Tanner, who finished second and third respectively, are two or this season’s new runners, and they battled out a great finish in the gamest possible manner. Had these two" boys run with slightly better judgment and made some effort in the middle stages of the race to pick up the leader instead of waiting for him to come bac kto them, the result might have been different. However, for young runners, their efforts were distinctly creditable, and their turn will come another day. Russell, the young College runner, also ran a very promising race, and was by no means disgraced in finishing on in fifth place. The duel between McArthur and Walker, the two back markers, was a stirring one and created quite a lot of interest. Picking up his handicap of two seconds very quickly McArthur maintained the lead on his redoubtable opponent well into the last lap, but with a well timed sprint Walker then came away to win by slightly more than his handicap. McArthur is an undoubted acquisition to the club and the contests between these two runners in future club races should be worth going a long way to see.