MILE RECORD ATTEMPT

Southland Times, Issue 24011, 29 December 1939, Page 8

MILE RECORD ATTEMPT

Appearance Of Rocks Ahead

HAROLD LOGAN’S TIME MAY BE BETTERED

An attraction at the Winton Trotting Club’s meeting tomorrow will be an attempt on the track record over a mile by Rocks Ahead, one of the best pacers bred in Southland and one of the finest mares to race in New Zealand in recent years. Rocks Ahead, who will be driven by J. Walsh, will attempt to better Harold Logan’s track record of 2min llsec put up in 1933. On that occasion the Logan Pointer gelding had been retired from racing and in various parts of New Zealand he gave several exhibition displays. His appearance at the Winton meeting aroused great interest and he paced a mile in 2min llsec with little difficulty. The track tomorrow promises to be in fast order and there is every chance of Rocks Ahead bettering the present mile record for Southland, which is held by the Australian pacer, Logan Derby. His record of 2min 8 4-ssec was put up at Wairio about 12 months ago. This performance was a great one as conditions were not conducive to record breaking, as a heavy shower of rain had fallen before he went out for his trial and the track was inclined to be greasy. , Tomorrow’s appearance will probably be the final one Rocks Ahead will make in public. The Happy Voyage mare was bred by Mr H. Hunter, of Wyndham, but she has done all her racing in the colours of Mr F. W. McGill, of Invercargill, and his decision to give an ex-

hibition with her at Winton tomorrow is a sporting action which will be much appreciated. Rocks Ahead holds the mile record of 2min 9 2-ssec in saddle at Forbury Park where she also took a two mile record of 4min 19sec—one of the best performances ever put up by a mare in New Zealand. She was first trained by E. Todd at Wyndham and later by R. Armour. She has contested 89 races for 16 firsts, nine seconds and 13 thirds for £3556 in stakes. One of her most important successes was in the August Handicap at Addington during National week.

Rocks Ahead will have a galloping pacemaker in her trial tomorrow. Her appearance at Winton will probably be the last she will make in public.