"A WONDER HORSE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21029, 13 November 1931, Page 8

"A WONDER HORSE."

HAROLD LOGAN'S RECORD. LONG LIST OF SUCCESSES. TREATED AS FAMILY PET. TRAGEDY OF PREVIOUS OWNER. Rom a nee of life as well as of racing is embodied in the career of the pacer Harold Logan, who brilliantly won the. New Zealand Trotting Cup in Christchurch yesterday. 111-luck, ending in tragedy, attended the man who first raced him, and success, amazing in its extent, has been the good fortune of the young woman who bought him. She paid £IOO for him, and her winnings in 19 months amount to £5590. Harold Logan's first owner was Mr. P. R. Legge, who won with him at his first start. This was at the Waimate District Hunt Club's Meeting in July, 1928, when, ridden by his owner, he won the Winter Trot Handicap, in saddle, worth £6O to the winner, and paid a very large dividend. He did not race again that season, and in the following one, 1928-29, he started four times, and failed to gain a place. He was offered for £IOO to an Auckland sportsman, who declined to make the purchase when two veterinary surgeons would not pa.ss the horse as sound. Then he was sold to Miss E. Hinds, of Canterbury, and .11 months ago, when successes were piling thick upon Harold Logan, his former owner was found dead in a lonely hut at Tokarahi. At the inquest it was stated that the last time he was seen alive be fold an acquaintance he had no money left. Series ol Victories. At Wanganui in April, 1930, Harold Logan commenced his phenomena! run of successes, and in 27 starts since then he has won 14 times and failed to earn placemoney on only seven occasions. From Wanganui he went lo Hawera, where he won twice, then he won the Taranaki Trotting Cup at New Plymouth, and, after two unplaced performances, the Harewood Handicap at Addington, and the Marconi Handicap and Adams Memorial Cup in Auckland. He did not race again that season. Last season in ten starts Harold Logan scored four vjins, two seconds and two thirds. He won the Canterbury Handicap (Addington), Oamaru Handicap and j Courtenay Handicap (Addington) in suc- | cession. Tn December he ran second to Carmel in the Auckland Trotting Cup, and in January lie won the New Zealand Trotting Cold Cup, run at Hutt Park, Wellington. In February, when he ran third to Regal Voyage and Lindbergh in the Midsummer. Handicap at Addington, he. established a world's record of 4m 13 2-5s for two miles. Seal Set on Fame. The New Zealand Cup final yesterday was Harold Logan's eighth start this season. He won the Farewell Handicap. \' £ miles, at Addington in August, and at Oamaru on October 26 won the Weston Handicap in the great time of 2m 39s for lj miles. Last Tuesday ho finished fourth in the second division of the New Zealand Cup, and yesterday sefc the seal upon his fame, by leading the field home in the final, in the race record time of 4m Jo 2-ss. The previous record was 4m 18 4 ss, held by Peter Bingen, -winner of the Cup in 1929. The trainer of the champion is P. J. Humphreys, who deserves great credit for his care, and development, of a horse who was thought to be unsound. Humphreys has also driven him in many of his races, fn Miss Hinds' home Harold Logan has been regarded as a. family pet from the time of his purchase. "We nil think a lot, of him, and consider he is a good horse," said (he owner's father, in replying after Harold Logan had won his first cup, at New Plymouth, last, year. By his deeds since then the champion has gained a new and well-deserved title—"the wonder horse."