REMARKABLE RECORD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 986, 31 May 1930, Page 14

REMARKABLE RECORD

Sequence of Successes in King George Handicap WAITAKI GIRL’S MAIN MISSION AMONG the many interesting records of the Dominion’s light-harness pastime, one that stands out prominently is the remarkable performance of that splendid pacing mare, Waitaki Girl, in winning, four years in succession, the King George Handicap. This is the principal event staged at the Canterbury Park winter fixture, and prior to commencing her sequence of successes, the daughter of Harold Dillon finished second in the event to Vilo.

Several high-grade horses have won important races on two occasions, while a few have even been successful three times, but the record of Waitaki Girl, who appears to have laid a special claim on the King George Handicap, the chief item at the winter meeting at Addington, is one that will surely stand for a considerable period. If the mare can succeed in being first past the post again on Tuesday—which looks like asking her to accomplish the impossible—she will have set a record that will have world-wide significance. But with a genuine, well-bred and thoroughly experienced pacer, such as the brilliant Waitaki Girl has proved herself to be, nothing is impossible. It is worthy of note that during the last three seasons, Mr. Akers’s champion mare has no* "one bv anv means

WAITAKI GIRL, winner ot the King George Handicap four years in succession. over-raced. In fact slic has been given a comparatively light programme in comparison with her duties of previous years, and it may be this factor which has stood to her in compiling such a remarkable record in connection with the King George Handicap. It is not casting any reflection on the connections of Waitaki Girl to suggest that the mare has been specially preserved for the important winter heat at Addington. The conditions obtaining at this season of the year have proved to be most suitable for her, and it is a well-known fact that with the sting out of the ground the ten-year-old pacer can still put up a tough fight. Therefore if owner Aker decided to make his sixth attack on this particular item next week, and the footing at Addington is pliable, the mare will have a reasonable chance of making her record five in succession. It will be remembered that in last year’s event “Abaydos” summed up in Waitaki Girl’s favour (for the third consecutive occasion) and home she came to pay the false price of over a score. It was later mentioned by her owner that THE SUN was the only sporting journal to give his pacer a chance of success. Unfortunately this year the King George Handicap is not run till the linal day, and handicaps and acceptances are not available till Monday, so a comprehensive review of the field is impossible. However, Waitaki Girl will probably be started today in a mile heat, and her showing in it wii! give some idea of her prospects in the longer event on Tuesday. A Splendid Career Waitaki Girl was foaled in 1920, her sire being the wonderful American horse, Harold Dillon, a son of the great

Sydney Dillon from Guycara. Her dam was Stanley’s Child, a mare that fifteen years ago put up some sterling performances over all distances, having a 2.52 ten-furlong record and a 4.39 two-mile standard. Waitaki Girl commenced her racing career as a three-year-old under the care of Ben Jarden, and in her initial essay with colours up ran second to Logan Lou (who also turned out a topnotcher), registering 3.39 for a mile and a-lialf from a 3.50 mark. After

DILLON WILKES, driven by R. Berry, was beaten by Waitaki Girl.

missing a situation in the Trial Handicap at Timaru, Harold Dillon’s daughter was trotted out in the three-year-old Maturity Stakes at the Canterbury Park winter fixture, in which event the filly registered her first victory She won in attractive style, and recorded 3.33 for twelve furlongs. Her First Success

It may seem a coincidence that the young pacer should open her account at a meeting which was to prove her main attraction as the years advanced However she made an auspicious commencement on this occasion to what, proved a brilliant career, and earned for her a place among the pacing stars of the Dominion.

The following season the Harold Dillon mare registered two wins for her party, the big event at Timaru, where she recorded 4.44 for two miles, and the Campbell Ha.ndicap, the principal item at the Auckland fixture, held at that time in the autumn. On a heavy track the mare went 4.54, and thus early demonstrated that she was possessed of rare stamina.

Two successes were her portion when racing as a five-year-olcl, the Halswell Handicap, run at the Addington Easter carnival, which she pulled out in 4.30 3-5, and the mile flying handicap at Forburv Park, which she traversed in 2.13 3-5.

At this period Waitaki Girl was in J. J. Kennerley’s stable, and these winning performances were of such a striking nature that the mare was claiming attention from good judges. Before the trotting year closed the Harold Dillon mare made her first attempt to win the King George Handicap at Christchurch, and was beaten half a length by Vilo, a well performed Brent Locanda mare. A Wonderful Season When the next season’s activities commenced Waitaki Girl was under R. B. Berry’s care, and he had a wonderful trot with Harold Dillon’s daughter. At one stage of the proceedings the dazzling pacer won four big heats on end, taking a two-mile record of 4.22 and a ten-furlong one at while she collected £1,835 in stakes. During the year the pacing queen started on 16 occasions for six firsts end two thirds. With the exception of her last victory—King George Handicap—she was driven by Berry, but in the race in question J. Bryce held the reins, Berry being behind Mr. G. McMillan’s horse Dillon Wilkes. The irony of the situation presented itself when Waitaki Girl got up lo beat Dillon Wilkes into second place. The winning account was opened at New Brighton, with a decisive victory over a mile and a-quarter. After being unplaced a few times the pacer hit her straps with great gusto to clean up the opposition on four consecutive occasions. The Timaru Cup was the first listed, and off a 4.31 mark in a 4.36 class event, Waitaki Girl came home in 4.27, and her backers went home with a good pocketful, as she paid a big dividend. New Brighton followed. where the ten furlong Wainoni Handicap went down to her credit. The next day the big twomile go was her mission, and she was equal to the occasion, tramping 4.26 4- 5. The Metropolitan Easter carnival then claimed the attention of her party, and the mile and a-quarter on the opening day fell to her lot in 2.415A Great Effort It was on the second day of this carnival that the mare’s great run of good fortune was stemmed. The race was the t wo-mile President’s Hfindi -

cap, with a limit of 4.32. Waitaki Girl was on the 84yd mark, but this did not deter the public from making her a warm favourite, despite the great strength of the field. The mare was defeated, but the honours of the struggle were with her, as she registered 4.22 into third berth. Minton Derby (72yds) was the winner in 4.22 3-5, while Jack Potts (48yds) separated the pair at the judge, being compelled to go 4.24 3-5 from his 4.28 mark. Shortly afterward she again contested the King George Handicap, and from 96yds behind, Waitaki Girl won decisively in 4.25, and thus made amends for her defeat the previous year by Vilo. This success, in which she was steered by J. Bryce, saw the beginning of a remarkable record in this particular event, and her run has not been stopped in any King George Handicap since. Bryce Still On Deck In the 1926-27 season Mr. Akers’s mare found the game pretty hard, and in 14 starts she only secured one second prize. But it was a striking performance, as from 84yds the mare beat good two-miles like Talaro (24) and Jack Potts (48). being defeated narrowly by Man-o’-War (60). Despite the many failures of Harold Dillon’s daughter, she came up again on June 3 for the King George Handicap, which she won easily, for “Scotty'’ Bryce. The following year was also a lean one for the great mare, and in 15 essays only two minor prizes came her way. But in the very next outing—again the King George handicap —she made amends by winning from the 72yd mark, and giving J. Bryce his third successive victory in this winter heat. Last season the mare only competed a dozen times. At the Addington Cup carnival she ran a good race into third place behind Talaro and Jack Potts, and .at the Canterbury Park summer meeting she chased Kingcraft home in the big heat. But Mr. Agers’s mare could not possibly finish the racing season without a victory, so home she trotted once more in her favourite item, the King George Handicap This time she was bandied by C. Aker, and being practically the outsider of the big field returned her supporters a wonderful figure. Her Lean Season This season Waitaki Girl has started seven times Without gaining a place. Her last start was at Addington at Easter, where she failed off a 4.24 mark. The showings of Waitaki Girl during the year would not inspire much confidence in followers of form, but with such a record for the King George Handicap, some, either from sentiment or superstition, will want to be with her. So many pacers have shown marked improvement of late, and will be receiving useful starts from the Harold Dillon mare that her prospects of making it a ‘full hand” on Tuesday is decidedly difficult. Nevertheless, the “patriotic” mare

may find the conditions to her liking* •and a return to form on the part of Waitaki Girl would make her a force to be contended with. Should she head off the opposition on this occasion the fine pacing mare will be assured of m great and deserving recep-

J. (Scotty) BRYCE steered Waitaki Girl to victory three times in the King George Handicap. tion, and establish a record that will find a worthy place in the history of New Zealand trotting. “Abaydos” appends the summary of Waitaki Girl’s remarkable record in connection with the King George Handicap: 1225 —(4.32 limit): 4 Vilo (4Syds), 1, 4.47 4-5; 8 Waitaki Girl (36yds), 2, 4.49. 1926 (4.32 limit): 3 Waitaki Girl (96yds), 1, 4.25. 1927 — ‘(4.31 limit): 3 Waitaki Girl (84yds), 1, 4.45 4-5. 1925—(4.30 limit): 2 Waitaki Girl (72yds), 3, 4.40 2-5. - 1929 —(4.31 limit): 11 Waitaki Girl (72yds), 1, 4.27 4-5. POPULAR CLASSIC GREAT NORTHERN DERBY ENTRIES DUE FOR 1931 EVENT Of the many attractive and interesting contests staged by the Auckland Trotting Club each year, none have anything on the three-year-old classic for popularity, both with owners and the general public. Since its inception in 1916, when J. Bryce won with Chid, some splendid contests have been witnessed for the Great Northern Derby, but probably no struggle in the history of the race has raised the enthusiasm of the large attendance at Alexandra Park as did that of last December, when Great Parrish, Ngingo Ngingo : and Royal Silk flashed past the post locked together. And during the period the classic has been in existence, it has been won by several youngsters, which have later risen to a high pinnacle of trotting fame. Some Great Winners In this direction can be mentioned Locanda Dillon, Nelson Derby, Great Hope, Acron, Taurekareka, Great Peter, Daphne de Oro and Wrackler, while last year’s winner, Great Parrish, promises to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors. For two seasons, the Auckland Club staged the Derby in the spring, instead of the Christmas carnival, but the last contest again took place in December, and those of the immediate future are billed for presentation at the summer function. That the Auckland classic appeals to owners was fully demonstrated when the entry lists closed for the 1930 Derby, and everything points to another interesting field being seen in action at Epsom next Christmas. * Looking Ahead The 1931 Great Northern Derby is now claiming the early attention of owners and breeders and entries for this classic will be taken on Friday next, June 6, by Mr. A. G. Mabee, secretary of the Auckland Club, up to 5 o'clock. The tliree-year-old event is richly endowed, staged under the following conditions: Great Northern Trotting Derby (to be run at Summer Meeting, 1931), of 1,000 sovs.; second horse to receive

200 sovs., third horse 100 sovs., and the breeder of the winner 100 sovs. (provided that the horse is foaled in New Zealand), each from the stake. In the event of the winner not being bred in New Zealand, the latter amount goes to the owner of the winner. In harness. For now yearlings. Distance, one mile and a-half. RACING FIXTURES MAY 31. June 3. 4—Dunedin J.C. JUNE 3, i— Otakl-Maori R.C. 3,5, 7—Auckland R.C. 14—Oaraaru J C. 19 21—South Canterbury J.C. 20. 21 —Hawke's Bay J.C. 25 Egmont-Wanganui Hunt, 27, 28—Napier Park R.C. 28—Ashburton County R.C. JULY S, 10, 12 —Wellington R.C. 12—Oamaru J.C 19—Waimate District Hunt--17. 19—Gisborne R.C. • 26 South Canterbury Hunt. 31. August I —Manawatu R.C Winter.