TROTTING DRIVER MAKES NEW RECORD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19267, 2 January 1931, Page 4

TROTTING DRIVER MAKES NEW RECORD

’PLANE TRIP AIDS HIM TO ATTEND TWO EVENTS To drive a winner in Christchurch, within nineteen hours after he had left the Epsom trotting track in Auckland, was a notable feat established by the well-known trotting trainer, C. S. Donald, yesterday. In order to accomplish this he left the Limited Express at Feilding early yesterday morning and flew to Sockburn in the De Haviland aeroplane, which was waiting for him. In being the first to drive at Auckland one afternoon and at Addington the next morning, Donald has created a record. In an interview soon after he arrived at the Addington trotting track, at eleven o’clock yesterday morning, Donald said he had greatly enjoyed the trip by air from Feilding. “Yes, it w’as my first trip in an aeroplane,” he said. ‘‘l did not do it specially to drive Lindbergh in the big race. I have a large team of horses in training and naturally I wanted to get back as soon as possible, so I arranged for Captain M. C. M’Gregor to flv up from Christchurch on Wednesday and wait at Feilding for me. I did not want to wait all day in Wellington for the boat and miss the first day of the Canterbury Park meeting. Another reason for my hurry was that I wanted to be here for the acceptances for the concluding day's racing.” Left Auckland at 7 p.m. Donald added that he drove in the seventh race at Auckland on Wednesday and w’aited for the last race, leaving the course at 5.30 for his hotel. After dinner he joined the Limited Express, leaving Auckland at 7 p.m., and slept peacefully until 6.30 yesterday morning, when the guard called him at Feilding. The aerodrome, some few miles away, was reached by taxi, and at 7.15 the De Haviland aeroplane took off for Sockburn. After a beautiful trip via Otaki, Paekakariki, across Cook Strait to Blenheim and down the coast, Christchurch hove in sight three hours later. Passing over the trotting track at 10.30, Donald waved to the early arrivals. A few minutes later he landed at Wigram Aerodrome. Going home in a taxi, Donald had a bath and shortly after eleven o’clock he was on the Addington course. Driving Stand By in the first race, he was victorious, and on leturning to the birdcage he was warmly acclaimed by the crowd. Mr Fred Kidd, a well-known Christchurch sportsman, who accompanied Donald to Auckland, also travelled with him in the cabin of the comfortable aeroplane. Both agreed that the air journey was delightful and that at no time did they have to hurry.