RECORDS BROKEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27273, 27 December 1949, Page 7

RECORDS BROKEN

WALNUT HALL’S FINE PERFORMANCE Special to the Daily/Times INVERCARGILL, Dec. 26. Walnut Hall was responsible for one of the best two-mile performances put up in Southland when he won the Gore Trotting Club Handicap, the principal event at the Gore Club’s meeting today, from the back mark of 48yds. He lost a few lengths at the start, but he put in a great run over the last half-mile to win in a photo finish by a nose from Blue Mist Walnut Hall's tiipe of 4min 21sec was not only a race record, but it clipped, 2 2-ssec off Willowbank's Southland record of 4min 23 2-ssec, put up at Winton in 1939. It was a magnificent performance, as some of the sting had been taken out of the track by a few showers. Walnut Hall had to run the gauntlet of an inquiry when a charge of interference to Blue Mist at the straight entrance was heard. After hearing the evidence, the stipendiary stewards decided that no action be taken. Later in the day, C. C. Kirby (driver of Walnut Hall) was fined £5 for failing to report to the stipendiary stewards. Cellophane was backed down to a short price for the E. A. Pigeon Memorial Handicap, and after running to the front near the five furlongs, he coasted home a comfortable winner by four lengths. Neltod went off at a tangle, and Cellophane slipped and almost fell. Cellophane was four lengths clear into the straight, and he ran home an easy winner from Jan Marie, who beat Bonnie Drive by half a length.