COMMENT ON EVENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 9

COMMENT ON EVENTS.

SPEED OF LOGAN PARK. FAST MILE AND 'A-HALF. CLOSE FINISH TO LAST RACE. fl)y TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Olive Nelson, winner of the Whiteleish Handicap on Thursday, sliould also have won the Governor's Handicap to-day. lad her driver been aware of the challenge thrown out by Trampcrisp. who stole up on the rails and pained the verdict by a narrow margin. It was a plain case of "caught napping." Trampcrisp. who was purchased at a very low price, trotted a solid race from start to finish, but he should not have won. Olive Nelson enhanced her reputation as a trotter above the average and, trained at Addington, she would reach the highest class.

Surprise Journey was not well placed in the early stages, but he finished with a rare burst of speed and was racing past his field toward the end. White Satin was fourth, but her usual slow beginning cost her a lot of ground. It is evident that slie is more suited to two-mile races than mile and a-half events. The winner paid a good double-figure dividend and improved from 3.31 to 3.24 3-5.

Like most saddle races these days the Enfield Handicap was a thoroughly uninteresting race, for Royal Comrade was early in front and, leading all the way, won very easily, while Erin's Fortune beat Dilnon and a strong outfield. Royal Comrade had shown form at the rfjeent Greymouth meeting and in his track work. A good dcul of it done in saddle was quite impressive. Dilnon's Weak Finish. The dividend returned was an especially good one for a horse of Royal Comrade's calibre Dilnon had every chance, but his finish was weak. Erin's Fortune, the better stayer, had him well beaten at the finish. The othera failed to make any showing once the speed was on. Logan Park, a hot favourite for the Christchurch Handicap, raced to the front at the end of half a mile and attempted to slow the field down. L. F. Berkett, with Imprint. however, was not in agreement with these tactics, and he forced tho pace with the leader. Tho result was that the last mile and a-half was run at a terrific speed and tho time over this journey, 3.10 3-5. breaks all New Zealand records. Logan Park on this occasion hopped '-ft smartly and the difference in his starting manners was probably responsible for the demonstration that greeted horse and driver on return to scale. King Pointer held a nice position throughout but was unlucky in not finding an opening until nil chance of success was gone. Kohara. looking a bit jaded as a result of his hard lacing at the meeting, finsihed third, but it was a big struggle for him to head off Imprint. Harold Thorpe stumbled and brought down Cardinal Logan and interfered badly with Jewel Pointer. It wi\s an unfortunate accident that quite spoilt what looked like being a good race. Arethusa's Bad Luck. Arethusa was made a warm favourite for the Australasian Handicap, and it appeared that only bad luck prevented her from adding to her winning record. After the field had gone three furlongß Captain Wrack met with interference. He was pushed on to the fence and. breaking up badly, seriously interfered with Arethusa. By the time she was straightened up the field had a long lead, and though the filly pyt in a great run over tho last six furlongs the task was an impossible one.

Sir Guy. a fine upstanding pacer by Real Guy, was in, a good position early and again C. S. Donald landed him a winner. Sir Guy finished on gamely and could have increased the lead he held at the finish. Ngingongingo. had every chance and just beat Curfew Boy, who went a really good race.

The Tonic-Writer-Kempton bracket was the hot favour;'.e for the Middleton Handicap, but on the day one (oo good was met in Engagement, who, taking up a good position early in the race, wag always one of the leaders, and at the finish stayed on better than Writer, who, however, showed exceptional speed once on the journey. A Long Strider.

Engagement ia not a stylish trotter but she :3 a long strider and, though mixing her gait occasionally, she gets over the ground. She haß been racing a long time but of late has not shown her true form. Kaima had every chance but lacked brilliancy at the finish. Duke Bingen failed to finish with any dash. John Mauritius was prominent with half the journey gone but failed over the last part. Tho remainder never looked dangerous. The Hornby Handicap produced one of the best races at the meeting. In a stirring finish Sir Author scored his second win at tho meeting. Country King and Sir Author made most of the running and when the former faded out two furlongs fro'm home Kotuku Jack find Steel All tackled the leader and made & wonderfully interesting race of. it. The favourite had to do his level best to win but he fought out the issue right to the post. It was a creditable performance and gave C. S. Donald his sixth win for the meeting. Steel All finished with a lot of dash and worried Kotuku Jack out of third place. Aleron was nicely placed throughout but failed when asked a question, and his form was all wrong. Cyone was fourth favourite in the Lyttelton Handicap and after leading all the way she gave Allan Holmes his first winning drive. The young reinsman wbb first out of the barrier and for the first half-mile slowed the pace down to a ridiculous speed. The result was that the field became bunched and the back-markers had to cover a lot of extra ground in the straight. Cyone was under a hard drive, but she managed to hold a slight lead as the post was reached. A Waiting Race.

Driving tactics in this race were hard to understand, and the youngest member of the Holmes family gave some of the others a lesson in driving a waiting race in front. This was the best Cyone could do and she is not a really good one. Iluon Denver had every chance but was not good enough at the finish. Nelson de Oro and Grandlight are nothing above the average. Invader's form was poor. The Free-For-All produced the best finish of the meeting, and only heads separated the lirst four horses at the finish. The field throughout was such a close-running one that anything hemmed in on the rails had little chance. In the absence of M. Holmes, his brother, F. G. Holmes, had the drive on Wrnekler. As usual, ho was quickly in n good position on the inside. Unfortunately for Wrackler and his connections, the field did not string out and it was not until two furlongs from home that lie got clear. Onco in the straight Wrackler put in a great run and, answering to every call, he wus only two hoads away at the finish.

King Pointer hud the better of the running and, like Carmel, he had a clear run throughout. The black gelding finished with a rare burst of speed and was going on at the finish. In another 50 yards, however. Wrackler would have beaten him. Logan Park made 110 show, but Logan Chief, handled by A. Ilendricksen, went a really good race. The remainder ; found the pace too fast over the last quarter-mile.