Harold Thorpe Wins Midsummer Handicap.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18991, 10 February 1930, Page 14

Harold Thorpe Wins Midsummer Handicap.

HIGH CLASS FORM SHOWN BY A TRIO OF THREE-YEAR-OLDS.

The summer meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club was held at Addington on Saturday in ideal conditions. The sun shone brightly throughout the afternoon, and there was very little wind. The attendance, though chiefly local, was well up to the average, and the club’s patrons were able to enjoy some very interesting sport. The chief event, the Midsummer Handicap, provided a fine contest, in which the result was in doubt right up to the last few strides. The winner, Harold Thorpe, owed his success to superior stamina, as he made up several lengths of leeway with a brilliant finishing run. The programme included two events for three-year-olds, anew handicap being inserted to cater for the cracks of that age. Unfortunately, there were only four starters, but the race aroused a lot of interest, and John Jinks, though only third, made a record for a horse of his age over a mile and a half. The winner, Royal Silk, paced a solid race all the way, and won so decisively that a great future can be predicted for him. Omaha was responsible for a high-class performance in winning the Papanui Handicap. It was an exceptionally fast race, Omaha, handicapped at 4.33, doing 4min 24 2-ssec, time which qualifies him for Cup class. The meeting was well managed, as is usual at Addington, all the officials discharging their duties with credit. The totalisator investments were £30,146, compared with £31,033 10s last year. The limited speculation on the Champion Three-year-old Handicap more than accounted for the decrease.

as he covered a lot of ground for the greater part of the race. He stopped badly in the last quarter of a mile. Hector’s Own came on better than usual over the concluding stages, after leading the field all the way. Grandlight never got near the leaders and he was very lame when he was pulled up. Trimmer made a bad beginning and Avenger v r ould not do his best. Acre paced a poor race, but Lingfield raced better than usual. Jolly Pet went away well, but could not pace it with the leaders over the last half mile. The Blenheim-owned trotter, Ukelele Lady, who was favourite, accounted for ( the Cashmere Handicap. She led practically all the way and won decisively. Katute followed Ukelele Lady early, but at the end of half a mile she broke badly and would not settle down again. Going to the mile post Nighborn was in second place, with Lady Fan and Tonic next, and with a round to go the positions were not changed. John Mauritius went forward in the ' back stretch, but three furlongs from home the leader drew' away somewhat and came into the straight with a good lead. Lady Fan got to within three lengths of Ukelele Lady at the end and then came Tonic, as Nighborn broke two furlongs from home. Sarsaparilla finished on well and was fourth, just in front of his stable companion, Etta Cole. Dipnoi went steadily throughout but he was never dangerous. Clonmel is not improving, not is Proud Ata. Len Wood made a slow beginning and then broke, never getting near the leaders. Engagement found the speed too much for her from her mark. With a view to providing a contest for the best three-year-olds, the club put on a fast event over a mile and a half in place of the mile saddle race. There were only four starters, Ngingo Ngingo, John Jinks, Real Huon and Royal Silk, and they were backed in that order. At the start Real Huon was very slow and it took him nearly half a furlong before he got into his gait. John Jinks practically turned round at the start and he lost more than Real Huon. Royal Silk led at the start and along the back he was followed by Real Huon and Ngingo Ngingo, with John Jinks last. The back marker went fast along the back and improved his position. The order was not changed with a round to go, but at the back the last time Ngingo Ngingo went into second place and three furlongs from home John Jinks also passed Real Huon. Ngingo Ngingo made a strong effort to catch Royal Silk, but he failed by nearly three lengths, while John Jinks was four lengths away third. Real Huon did not look so forward as the others and he will probably do better later. John Jinks, despite his bad beginning, went fast race and established a three-year-old record by covering the distance in 3min 20sec.

One of the features of the Spreydon Handicap was that the three placed horses trotted solidly all the way. Admiral Bingen was a strong favourite, and he got a good position early. Rounding the turn into the straight the last time, he went to the front and won very easily. Nelson Ata trotted solidly, but the winner was too good for him. Boneta went ip her best style, as she was in second place for over a mile. A mistake cost her some ground, but she finished well. Mount Royal led the field till just before the straight was reached, and he lasted long enough to get third. Jock Bingen broks his over-check early, and failed to keep to his gait. Etta Cole went very badly, and Trampcrisp failed to go away at the start. Audominion went a fast mile and then commenced to drop back. Young Carbine trotted a solid race throughout, and finished up in fifth place. Koro Peter looked too big to do himself justice. There was a good field for the Juvenile Handicap, some smart three-year-olds contesting the event. Automatic, who raced so well at Wellington last month, was made favourite, but at no stage of the race did he look like winning. It was a fast run race, the winner doing 3min 25sec off the limit of a 3.38 cl&ss. Sodium made a bad begin ning, but most of the others were smartly away. Erin’s Pointer, who won, was well placed all through the race, but Silverwood had to go round a big field. There was a poor finish, as Erin’s Pointer was well clear of Silverwood, who was six lengths in front of Flossie Harvester, the third horse. Dusolina went quite a good race, as she was prominent throughout, and finished fourth. Dillon Logan is a strong, powerfully built youngster, who should do a lot better later on, as he raced very green. Another John Dillon youngster, in King’s Cup, showed up well for a mile. Desert Rey looks as though he will go fast with some more race experience.

Rolex went away best ia the Liverpool Handicap, while Kid Logan stood on the mark. Before three furlongs had been covered, Avonwood went to the front, with Rolex, Lough Neagh and Ricardo handy. Avonwood increased his lead along the back, where Rolex was still in second place. The order of the leaders was not changed for nearly a round, but Cyone then put in a good dash and raced into third place, with Lough Neagh fourth. Kreisler went fast along the back stretch, and Avonwood, Rolex, Cyone and Kreisler came into the straight in that order. There was a great finish between Rolex, Cyone and Kreisler, as Avonwood was done with a furlong from home. Rolex got the verdict by a head from Cyone, who was a similar distance in front of Kreisler. Avonwood was next, followed by Lough Neagh and Wrackeen. A number in the field found the last half-mile very troublesome. Rey Logan broke up at the start. One of the disappointments of the race was Shady Spot, who raced a good deal below her showing at Forbury Park, where she won in fine style. Avonwood, who has been regarded as a sprinter in the past, stayed on a good deal better than was anticipated. Morning Sun, like Shady Spot, did not go as well as in her recent efforts.

There was a very fine race for. the Midsummer Handicap, for which Lindbergh was favourite and Concliff second choice. Jean M’Elw.yn went away fast, while the favourite did not make a good beginning. Harold Thorpe and Athalone followed the leader for the first half-mile, and then Tom Thumb and Zenith raced together in front. Zenith and Tom Thumb continued in charge for the first half of the distance, where Linkman had improved his position. As they went out of the straight for the final round, Zenith was just in front of Lindbergh, with Linkman next. The field closed up somewhat rounding the turn out of the straight, Concliff and King Pointer being prominent. Lindbergh was in charge along the back stretch, with Linkman and Harvest Child following. In the run home Harold Thorpe put in a great dash and was followed by Jean M'Elwyn. The pair beat Lindbergh while Jean M’Elwyn had to put up with another placed performance as Harold Thorpe finished in front of her by half a length. Linkman, who raced better than at Forbury Park, was fourth and King Pointer next. Athalone did not race as well as he did at Forbury Park. Lindbergh lost so much ground at the start that in finishing third his performance was a very “classy” one. Tom Thumb and Zenith both failed over the last half mile. Wrackler was set a hard task to give away 60 yards in a 4min 30sec class, with the winner on the limit doing 4min 25 l-osec.

There was quite a class field to contest the mile and a quarter event. Kingcraft was made a solid favourite, with the Holmes bracket, St Maura and Bonny Logan, next in demand. The finish of the race was not so close as is usual in these events, as the placed horses -were w’ell clear of each other. Away, who looked big, was the first to show out, followed by Talent and King Pointer, while St Maura and Harvest Child did not leave right. With a round to go, Linkman had raced into fourth place, and Billy Sea was next. Along the back, Talent headed Away, and rounding the turn into the straight King Pointer was second, with Linkman and Bonny Logan next. King Pointer easily beat Talent at the end, while Bonny 3Logan was third, with Linkman and the fast finishing Kingcraft next. Away was not ready to go the distance, but he pulled up fairly sound. Linkman has lost his dash in the meantime, and Concliff did not seem to put much dash into his work. Tom Thumb’s earlier race took all the dash out of him, and Vesuvius is some removes from his best form.

Sir Author was favourite for the Papanui Handicap. He did not go away well, but he was not long before he hit his gait and good a good position. Hector’s Own was quickest away, followed

by Great Logan, but before half a mile had been covered Arikitoa had got into second place. At the end of a mile Hector's Own was still in charge. Great Logan and Arikitoa followed and then came Sir Author and Omaha. Hector’s Own came into the straight first, with Omaha second, but the last named easily ran past Hector’s Own, while Great Logan also came on to beat her for second place. Arikitoa did not stay as well as was expected, but it was a fast race. Sir Author was not driven with C. Donald’s usual good judgment.