RECORD-SEEKING EXPLOITS

Southland Times, Issue 24003, 19 December 1939, Page 15

RECORD-SEEKING EXPLOITS

FRITZ’S EFFORT IN 1899 RECALLED LAWN DERBY’S FIGURES STAND OUT The record-seeking exploits of Lawn Derby, which will be continued at the Auckland Trotting Club’s summer meeting at Epsom, recall the attempts made by many horses to establish new records since the great Australian trotter, Fritz, trotted a mile in 2min 13sec at the Christchurch show grounds in 1899. As a trotting feat, this was unsurpassed until 1910, when Revenue, in saddle, went 2min 11 4-ssec at Forbury Park. Six years ago, the good mare Olive Nelson trotted 2min llsec on the half-mile track at Westport, but a few months later, Todd Lonzia, at Addington, reduced the record to 2min 9sec. In 1934, Worthy Queen made the phenomenal time of 2min 3 3-ssec, for a New Zealand-bred and trained trotter. The mile pacing record has been lowered many times since Ribbonwood set the figure at 2min 9sec in 1903, although it was eight years before this was beaten. .It was a coincidence that the first pacer to alter the figures was King Cole, a son of Ribbonwood, who returned 2min 8 3-ssec. A year later, 1912, Emmeline equalled this time at Forbury Park, and it was not until 1915 that a fresh record was made, Country Belle returning 2min 7 l-ssec at Addington. The succeeding year Adelaide Direct gave the honour to the Auckland track, with 2min 6 2-ssec. Our Thorpe reduced it to 2min 6 l-ssec at Addington in 1917, and three years later Author Dillon made it 2min 6sec. When he won the Free-for-All at Addington in 1924, Acron registered the excellent time of 2min 3 3-ssec, and the following year was successful in 2min 4 3-ssec. The record of Acron has not been equalled in a race. HAPPY VOYAGE ON GRASS In 1923 at New Brighton, Happy Voyage succeeded in lowering the record against time to 2min 4 l-ssec, and three weeks afterward he visited Epsom to make another attempt. 1 Weather conditions were against Happy Voyage, and the event was postponed from the Saturday until the Monday, when he again ran 2min 4 l-ssec. This stood as the grass record for many years, and was equalled by Impromptu at Claudelands in 1934. When the Auckland Owners’ Association instituted the matinee meetings, about three years ago, Nervie’s Last made an effort to reduce the record, failing by one-fifth of a second. Some months later he succeeded in going 2min 4sec. Twelve months ago, Lawn Derby reduced the grass record to 2min 3 3-ssec at New Brighton, and he ran 2min 2 2-ssec at Claudelands last Saturday. In a match at Epsom last year Van Derby and Lawn Derby recorded 2min 1 2-ssec, and in February Van Derby reduced the time to its present standard of 2min 0 2-ssec. Walla Walla, a former Australian champion with a record of 2min 2 2-5 sec, and Auburn Lad, visited New Zealand for a series of invitation scratch races in 1934, and in the first event, one mile, Walla Walla won in 2min 4 l-ssec, a record from a standing start. Harold Logan was second in 2min 4 2~ssec, and Red Shadow third in 2min 4 4-ssec. Walla Walla and Auburn Lad also made an attack on the mile record at Addington, and, although Aubum Lad equalled the 2min 2 2-ssec figures, Walla Walla -took 2min 3 3-ssec. His failure was not to be wondered at, as he ran the first quarter in 28sec and half-mile in 58 2-ssec. THE TWO-MINUTE MARK The next horse to make history in record-breaking efforts was Indianapolis, who won the New Zealand Trotting Cup three years in succession. In his first attempt to reduce the 2min 2 2-ssec mile record, Indianapolis ran 2min 1 2-ssec, and a year later further reduced the time to 2min 0 2-ssec. Lawn Derby came to the Dominion early last season on a record-breaking mission, and on November 11, at Addington, distinguished himself by being the first horse in the Southern Hemisphere to break two minutes, recording lmin 59 2-ssec. A little more than a week ago he defeated Lucky Jack at Addington in 2min Isec. Lawn Derby’s lmin 59 2-ssec compares very favourably with the world’s pacing record of lmin 55sec, held by Billy Direct, and the trotting record of lmin 55|sec, held by Greyhound, whose high-class performances were put up on specially-prepared mile tracks.

CATTLE FLAT HACK RACES HANDICAPS ANNOUNCED The following handicaps have been announced for the Cattle Flat Hack Racing Club’s meeting on December 27: HANDICAP HURDLE RACE. One mile and a-half: Panara 10.2, Matchem 9.12, Guste 9.6, Rollem 9.0, Liberate 9.0, Lock Corribb 9.0. ARDLUSSA HACK HANDICAP. Six furlongs: Triple Cone 10.4, Silkwood 10.2, Pink Bond 9.4, Birchgrove 9.0, Red Feather 9.0, Eire’s Ruin 9.0, PhilamorRed Sunset 9.0, Irish Lancer-Cantara 9.0. BALFOUR DISTRICT TROT. One mile and a-half: Ferryboat it, Better Half It, Happy King It, Rey d’OroProbationer It, Jungle Princess It, Northern Sun It, Oregon It, Dawn Direct 12yds, Happy Erin 48yds. CATTLE FLAT CUP. One mile and a-quarter: Tauramai 10.7, Phalanx 10.3, Vanity Queen 9.13, Triple Cone 9.11, Silkwood 9.9, Panara 9.7, Atua Rere 9.7, Cone Peak 9.0. PRESIDENT’S TROT. One mile and a-quarter: Ferryboat It, Great Wolf It, Jungle Princess It, Northern Sun It, Happy King It, Greyson It, Straight Flight It, Wellington Direct-Jane Bell It, Rey d’Oro-Probationer It, Dawn Direct 12yds, Eglinton 24yds, Seamark 36yds, Happy Erin 48yds. FLYING HANDICAP. Six furlongs: Triple Cone 10.4, Silkwood 10.2, Aravane 9.7, Guste 9.6, Pink Bond 9.4,

Rollem 9.0, Lock Corribb 9.0, Irish Lancer-Cantara 9.0. FAREWELL HANDICAP. One mile: Tauramai 10.6, Phalanx 10.4, Triple Cone 9.10, Atua Rere 9.7, Panara 9.7, Guste 9.6, Cone Peak 9.4, Red Feather 9.0, Liberate 9.0.