CANTERBURY PARK TROTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 12

CANTERBURY PARK TROTS.

Travis .Axworthy Wins Again.

The summer meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club was concluded at Addington yesterday in very hot weather. The attendance was not so large as usual and the totalisator investments showed a marked decrease. The day’s total was • £24,23-1, compared with £36,544 10s on the corresponding day last year, the total for the meeting being £51,040, against £71,060 10s last year. The track was in capital order, providing even better going than on the previous day. and with good fields in all the events there was some very interesting sport. The outstanding performance of the day was that of Travis Axworthv, who followed up his success of the first day by winning the Park Handicap. He went off with a brilliant burst of speed and was responsible for an impressive effort over the final furlong. The American horse is at the top of his form and he was accorded an ovation. Olive Nelson, though beaten in the Hornby Handicap, was responsible for a very fine race. She began slowly, but she showed exceptional speed in the middle mile, giving an exhibition equal to the best done by any trotter on the Addington track. The meeting, as usual, was well managed in all departments, all the officials discharging their duties efficiently. The handicap per, Mr F. C. Thomas, celebrated a quarter of a century of work for the club by providing some very good contests, and he earned congratulations for his excellent record. Travis Axworthy Again. There was a fine contest and a close finish for the Park Handicap, in which Donald’s pair. Sunny Bob and Lindbergh, were the popular choice. At the start Travis Axworthy made a very quick beginning, and putting up a fast qtsarter of a mile, was soon in a good position just behind the leaders. Steel All led Harvest Child and Sunny Bob, with Travis Axworthy in fourth place and Great Logan next. The order was not changed at half the distance. Going along the back the last time Great Logan made a forward movement and led into the straight from Travis Axworthy. who wore Great Logan down at the finish and won by a narrow margin. Vendome came very fast in the straight and got third, followed by

Harvest Child and Erin’s Fortune, both of whom went better than on the first day. Lindbergh did not pace as attractively as on the first day, and Arikitoa and Steel All both stopped quickly. Neeoro broke early and lost a lot of ground, but he paced well once he got going, showing better form than in some of his recent races. Grand Light did not go well, but Harold Thorpe was responsible for another sound race. A Popular Win. The Hornby Handicap was not a good contest. Olive Nelson met with interference at the start and went away very slowly, losing a lot of ground. Admiral Bingen also made a bad beginning and it took him some time to settle down to his work. All Peters went away very fast and had a commanding lead for over a mile, with Jock Binfen, New Metford and Trampcrisp next. Olive Nelson did not seem able to muster up much speed over the first half of the journey and she was a long way back with a round to go. New Metford took the lead half a mile from home, where White Satin had also improved her position and was soon after in second place. Showing exceptional speed. Olive Nelson got into third place, but New Metford stayed on and won easily. White Satin tired very badly in the straight and Olive Nelson beat her for second place. Duke Bingen was fourth. New Metford had an easy victory, and the succes of the veteran, N. L. Price, was very popular. Vesuvius Wins Decisively. Vesuvius, who was favourite for the Selwyn Handicap, won rather easily at the finish from Logan Chief. Omaha led Avon wood, Talent and Vesuvius in the early stages, with Vesuvius next. The field was strung out early, but it closed up along the back stretch, where Vendome improved her position. There looked like being a good finish, but Vesuvius stayed on and won decisively by about half a length from Logan Chief, who put in a great run over the last two furlongs. Avonwood stopped very quickly, and Erin’s Fortune and Logan Park both went badly. Talent seems to be quite out of form, as after a good beginning he stopped very quickly. Daphne de Oro, who went away well, was early beaten.