BLAST FROM THE PAST
1920 NZ TROTTING CUP: Won by Reta Peter
 1920 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP
Reta Peter achieved a remarkable feat when she beat 11 pacers, even allowing for the fact that she received a head start of nine seconds over Author Dillon and beat him by less than a length.
Confirming her status as the best trotter bred in New Zealand up to that time, Reta Peter outfinished most of the rest off almost level marks.
She was one of the outsiders to achieve this, but returned to a rousing reception from the appreciative crowd. Reta Peter then attempted to add the 1000 sovereign Dominion at the meeting, but a 16 second handicap proved a little too much to overcome.
**Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct2003**
Seventh favourite Reta Peter, the only trotter in the field, finished brilliantly to edge out General Link and Author Dillon to win the 1920 New Zealand Cup.
Reta Peter, regarded as the best trotter bred in New Zealand to that time, was the second of her gait to win the Cup. Monte Carlo was the other. Although one of the outsiders in the 12-horse field, and paying a dividend of £20 11s, Reta Peter and driver Alf Wilson were given a great reception from the big crowd when they returned to the birdcage after covering the two miles in 4:30.4. Patrons were quick to recognise the merit of the mare's performance in beating such a strong field. In the previous 12 months, five horses - Reta Peter (who had achieved a record 4:31.6 for trotters), Cello Sydney Wilkes, Dean Dillon, General Link and Hal Junior - had qualified for Cup class. It became evident, however, that several of the 18 nominated would not make the starting post. Oinako and Agathos were early withdrawals, then John Dillon broke down, Cello Sydney Wilkes fell on the road while training and cut a knee, Hal Junior went amiss, and Moneymaker was pulled out on the eve of the race. John McLennan's Albert Cling was race favourite, with the James Bryce pair of Matchlight and Erin's Queen also strongly supported, but neither trainer had any joy. Albert Cling lost his chance when he broke badly at the start and the Bryce pair were outclassed.
Reta Peter's assignment against the top pacers was always considered difficult, even though Author Dillon was asked to give a nine-second start to the front four and, indeed, a huge start to all his rivals. The confidence of owner Frank Robson and trainer-driver Alf Wilson, who had his stables at New Brighton, was never misplaced in Petereta's seven-year-old daughter. Dean Dillon failed to begin smartly and Albert Cling broke, but the remainder of the field went away at their correct bells. Wilson had Reta Peter close up all the way, following the early leader Willie Lincoln and just in behind Erin's Queen, Mintson, General Link, Sherwood and Dean Dillon. General Link raced into the lead in the back straight the last time, pursued by Author Dillon, and the pair entered the home straight, waging a vigorous battle. Reta Peter then appeared and got up to win by a half-length from General Link, with Author Dillon a neck away third. Then came Sherwood, Erin's Queen, Willie Lincoln and Mintson.
Robson bred Reta Peter from his own mare, Tot Huon. The imported Petereta stood at Robert McMillan's Santa Rosa stud at Halswell for a fee of £10 10s. Reta Peter had her early education from Addington trainer Arthur Cox. She had several trainers before Robson asked Alf Wilson, who had just returned from the war, to take her in. She immediately impressed Wilson, whose association with harness racing went back to Addington's early days. He had driven Factory Boy in the inaugural NZ Cup in 1904 and Reta Peter was his sixth Cup drive. Reta Peter won three races for Wilson at two miles against the trotters in the 1919-1920 season, prompting Robson and Wilson to set their sights on the NZ Cup.
Runner-up General Link improved his time considerably, while Author Dillon, who came into the straight only a length behind him looked the winner, felt the strain in the last furlong. He had to run an Australasian record of 4:21.8 for his placing, beating Admiral Wood's record. Author Dillon's run deserved a better fate. Earlier in the season, he had won a treble at the August meeting, taking the International and King George Handicaps and the prestigious National Cup.
Reta Peter was made a warm favourite for the Dominion Handicap on the third day, a race that offered the trotters their first 1000 sovereign stake. However, she disappointed her connectioms, and army of supporters, by beginning badly from the back mark and had no chance of making up her handicap. The Auckland-owned and trained gelding Gold Boy, from 16 seconds, ran out an easy winner. The previous day Gold Boy had won the Sockburn Handicap.
Author Dillon made it a hat-trick of wins in the Free-For-All, taking this race without difficulty from four rivals, Trix Pointer, Matchlight, Cello Sydney Wilkes and Dean Dillon. Author Dillon started in the Christchurch Handicap on the third day, but Ben Jarden anticipated his bell and had to pull Author Dillon out of the race. The combination made amends later in the day, winning the aptly-titled Recovery Handicap, raced over a mile.
Albert Cling, the beaten favourite in the Cup, and the youngest horse in the race at six years, won the Courtney Handicap, also raced on the third day. His driver, John McLennan, and 18-year-old James Bryce junior(Erin's Queen) had first NZ Cup experiences. Bryce remains the youngest to drive in a NZ Cup. McLennan never won the NZ Cup, but he had a memorable meeting at Addington in 1920, driving three winners on both the second and third days, F G Holmes also drove six winners at the meeting, so between them they won half the three-day programme.
The totalisator handled £90,296 on Cup Day and betting on the big race rose almost as dramatically, to £20,506. Show Day reached a new peak for Addington of £91,814, and the three-day total was a record £259,076. the 1920 Show Day record turnover remained intact for 22 years and the record total turnover was not exceeded until 1943.
The outstanding driving feat of the season was achieved by Harry Gaskill who drove an unprecedented six winners on the same day at Greymouth in April 1920. It was 16 years before this feat was equalled.
Ben Jarden and John McLennan, with 25 wins each, shared the season's driving honours and for the sixth consecutive season, James Bryce was the top trainer, with 21 wins.
**Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup**
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