THE APPROACHING GREAT TROTTING MATCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 682, 2 April 1903, Page 13

THE APPROACHING GREAT TROTTING MATCH.

FRITZ v. RIBBONWOOD. As the d ..y approaches on which the great Trotting M dch between the Australian champion Frits and the New Z aland pacer Ribbonvood pp-oaohes iute ett in the meeting is gradully risir g and it ooku as if there wi i be an normoue crowd to witness the contest The best performance register* d by Frits was when m trotted & mile in 2mm ISaico, a aii st time, at Christchurch, N. Z., on January 2, 1899, whicb held as the Australasian record for that distance, until beaten recently by Ribbonwood, who covered the mile in 2min 112 5 sec Toe condition under which the two records were made were, however, very dissimili r, as Fritz trotted on a track which was only half a mile round and was a b t rough, while Ribbonwood’s time was put up on a course which is recognised as »s the best in New Zealand for trotting, and is a five furlong ,’ircuit. t’ome of Fritz’* be t peformances are 3min 14 4 sseo for a mile in 1896 at Moonee Valley, Vic., when be easil beat Anterly Mystery and Kalista; 2min 18 2 s»eo for the same distance at Bathurst last j ear, a d 2min 13sec in New Zealand in 1899 Bio best public display over two miles was when he wou the zddington Handicap in New Z ala d in 4m n 50i<iec He has made several attempt to lower his own record for the mile, but up to the >resent taa not been successtul Tht- 1 test try was at Forest Lodge, but owing to th' unfavorable nature of the it being ve\« dusty, 2min 16 sec was the Line recorded bef re"he completed the distance. Ribbonwood, who is by Wildwood, is b ack in colour, little more than a pony in height, and very handsome to look at He was bred by Mr. G H. M’.Hart,<s, of New Brighton, and was brought up on cows’ milk Long before he was a year i g the children in his reighboarhood were in the habit of riding him, and yoki g him up in, flax harness to a sledge, which he would pull about, showing wonderful patience. Rih bonwood’s first appearance before the public was in a Juvenile Stakes at Christchurch, which be won in the easiest possible manner. He was afterwards sold to Mr. Price his present owner for £l9O. It Loks as though Ribbonwood would start a pronounc< d favourite, and there will be tons oi New Zralar.d money forthcoming to back him He has youth on his side, while Fritz is beginning to get t wards the sere and yellow, and in

addition had a bad passage over. Still the veteran has never met anything fast enough to ext nd him yet, and his owner, Mr Buckland, is corfilent that his favourite will win the big wager and the Cup. A fresh record should be hoisted by the winner. Personally j think the young pacer will just about get the verdict.