SCHOOL STEEPLECHASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20678, 25 September 1930, Page 16

SCHOOL STEEPLECHASE.

EVENT AT KING'S COLLEGE. D. TAYLOR WINS COMFORTABLY. l'ho King's Collego annual steeplechase was held at Mangere yesterday afternoon under ideal conditions. The winner was D. Taylor, a Form ,11. l>oy, who had a five minutes' handicap. The handicap limit was eight miuuteß. As in previous years tljo eourso, which waa almost six miles long, proved a iff teat to the staying powers of tho runners. The fact that only 1-1 out of the 100 boys facing tho starter failed to complete iho course is a high tribute to their physical fitness. Splendid times wero registered, the first scratch man home, W. A. Coles, who finished fifth, taking 37m lis. 'l'lic record time is B'lm 425, established by It. H. Browne in 1928. Tho course led from the college playing fields along Grey's Avenue and Portage Road, across the broken country behind Quarry Hill to Hcnwood Road, and back to the collego by Massjy Road. The roads were dry and tho country portion firm and clear of water. The limit handicap runners set off J at 2.33 p.m. Tho first check-up was at Papatoetoe corner, the 1J mile mark, where the leaders were Bealo. Isley, Alexander, Jackson, Clarke and Taylor. At the Quarry Gates, 2J miles mark, Taylor had taken the lead, closely followed b.v Ifdey, Bealo, Rhodes, Clarke, Jaokman, Norris, Alexander, Liglitbourne, Barnard, Peacock and western. The first scratch man to appear, two minutes later, was Stokes. Tliero was little chango at tho Double Gates, 31 miles, where tho road was struck again. At Massey Hall, just over a mile from home, Taylor led from Clarke II.» Isley, Darling, Spedding and Rhodes. Taylor drew away from his challengers and finished strongly . 51s ahead of Clarke 11. Isley crossed the lino 22s later. Three scratch men, Coles, Stokes and Fairo, finished among tho first nine. The placings wore:—D. Taylor (sm), Horn 375, 1; R. R. Clarke Mm). 36m Sis. 2; G. Isley (lim), 36m 535, 3; R. Darling (2m), 37m. -1; W. A. Coles (scr), 37m 11b, 5; 1. N. Rhodes (sm), 37m IBs, 0: I\. T. Stokes (scr), 37m 58s, 7; R. A. Spedding (3m), 38m, 8; C. S. Fairo (scr), 38m 10s, 9;, L. Black (2m), 38m 225, 10.