UNIQUE MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6788, 27 February 1890, Page 4

UNIQUE MATCH.

• TROTTING HORSES v. BICYCLES. A WIN FOR THE HORSES. [from oub own correspondent. J ASH BURTON, Feb. 20. A rather unique match, Bicyele3 v. Trotting Horses, took place at Ashburfcon this evening, the wheelmen being J. E. Fenlon and E. Mayo 3, and the horses Mr Octavius Digby's Robin Hood and Marengo and Mr D. Price's Princess. The match was lor £25 a side, and the distance ten miles. Fully 500 people had assembled in the domain at the hourfixedfor the start, and a great deal of interest was evinced throughout. The track in the Domain wa3 the scene of the contest, and it had been arranged that the bicycles should take the inner running, the horse a being conceded one lap to make up for the greater distance they had to cover. There had been a few cinders on the track, hut these had been scraped off, the bicyclists preferring the hard clay. Eucb. lap measured something like five feet over the quarter-mile, and it was agreed that thirty-nine laps should be ruu. Mr David Thomas acted as starter and judge, and opened the proceedings by sending off Fenlon and Eobin Hood with T. Price. The wheelman steadily gained ground, deriving considerable advantage from Robin Hood breaking twice in the first mile, and in the eleventh round had wiped off the lap conceded to the horseß for taking the outer running. Eobin Hood traversed a little over three miles, and was succeeded by Marengo, ridden by his owner, Mr 0. Digby. Ab five miles Fenlon gave place to Majea, the cyclist being then about a third of a lap to the good. This advantage, however, Mayes did not long retain, and before he had gone six rounds Marengo drew level, and in the next lap passed him, so that PrinceEs, who took up the running aftar Marengo's four mile 3 had been done, set off on her journey with a substantial lfad. D. Price wag up on Princess, and the mare went off at an astonishing pace, and in a short time had nearly half a lap in hand. There was now no longer any doubt as to the issue of the contest, for it was evident the bicyclists could not recover the lost ground. In the thirty-third lap Fenlon relieved Mayes for a couple of rounds, and diminished the distance somewhat, and Mayes went another two laps, spurting strongly. Fenlon then set out to try and catch Princess in the two last rounds. This was, however, a hopeles3 task, the mare finishing with about fifty yardß to spare. Tne time for the whole distance was given at 33min 363ec. There were two rather sharp turns on

the tract, which the horses found awkward, and the wheelmen had a etrongish breeze from the North-east to contend with.