BLAST FROM THE PAST
1932 SPRING MEETING: First day review
1932 SPRING MEETING
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Spring Meeting was opened at Addington yesterday under ideal weather conditions and before a very big attendance.
The New Zealand Cup was the principal attraction, and the race itself caused the greatest excitement, Harold Logan winning after a stern tussle in 4min 16 2/5sec, time which stands as a world's winning race record. Harold Logan was set what seemed an impossible task, but, capably driven, he fairly buried the remainder for speed over the last three furlongs. It was one of the most popular wins in the history of the race, and horse and driver received a great reception on returning to scale.
The Dominion Handicap also provided a sterling performance by Wrackler, who had gained most of his success as a hoppled pacer, but now has proved himself amongst the best trotters the Dominion has known. Like Harold Logan he established a record for the race.
The track at Addington has seldom been in better order than it was yesterday, and as the weather was beautifully fine, it was only to be expected that fast times would be registered. Few however, were prepared for the great reductions in handicap times that were made during the day, and in the first race Todd Lonzia, handicapped to do a mile and a half in 3min 26sec, registered 3min 16 3/5sec, time that has seldom been beaten in New Zealand by an unhoppled trotter.
Later in the day Gold Country registered 4min 21sec from a 4min 30sec mark, a remarkably good performance, and Dilworth had to do 4min 19 4/5sec to gain third money. The times in other races were correspondingly fast, and never in the history of Addington have such performances been registered.
In winning the New Zealand Cup for the second year in succession, Harold Logan added his name to the elite few who have twice won this race, besides which he established a record for the race and a world's race-winning record. It was a remarkable performance, and the task he was set, to win off 4min 21sec, had been accomplished only once, and then by the mighty, Great Bingen.
With half the journey gone, Harold Logan was lying in behind the field, his young driver, Alan Holmes, saving all the ground possible. His chance looked a forlorn one, but half a mile from home he unwound a terrific burst of speed that carried him past one horse after another. Even when he was making this run it seemed that the strain must tell the tale, but the little champion stayed on better than anything else in the race and was one of the least distressed.
His victory was accomplished in convincing manner, and it was a much easier win than when he scored 12 months ago. On this performance Harold Logan must be regarded as the greatest horse New Zealand has known, and his trainer, R J Humphreys, and driver A Holmes, are entitled to high praise for the part they played in the victory.
Royal Silk and Red Shadow, who were the bracketed favourites for the race, had every chance, and both were in the running until the final stages were reached. It was a good clean race, and from start to finish there was a minimum of interference.
The winner, Harold Logan, has had a chequered career, for after winning his first race he broke down so badly that it was almost impossible to train him. He was always of a perfect racing temperament and was known to possess exceptional speed. Perseverence on the part of his trainer, aided by veterinary treatment, has overcome the unsoundness, and Harold Logan has done a good deal more racing - and certainly more winning - than the great majority.
Until the last half-mile was commenced the Dominion Handicap was not a good race, for the field was strung-out a long way, and the back-markers appeared to have no chance. The pace-makers however, began to feel the strain, and the real stayers took a hand, Wrackler, Huon Voyage, and Olive Nelson all trotted splendidly, and Wrackler, won in convincing style from Huon Voyage, while Olive Nelson, to gain third money, registered 4min 24 3/5sec, time that has been beaten only once by an unhoppled trotter.
Wrackler established a singular record in winning the highest-class trotters race in the New Zealand calendar, for he had previously won the New Zealand and Great Northern Derbies and the New Zealand Cup as a hoppled Pacer. He seems equally good at either gait. By Wrack, an unhoppled pacer, his dam is Trix Pointer, who also won the New Zealand Cup and other good races.
Biddy Parrish, a warm favourite for the race, refused to leave the mark, and her chance was hopeless from the start. Olive Nelson proved herself to be one of the greatest trotters ever produced in New Zealand by conceeding starts of up to 96 yards and finished a good third, while Huon Voyage, who has been under veterinary treatment for some time, surprised even his most ardent admirers by the manner of his trotting. The race may do him good, and success may yet come the way of his Australian owner.
The day's proceedings were got off without any unpleasantness, and the racing generally was clean and full of interest. The totaliator investments, which ammounted to £41,801 10s represented an increase of £10,281 10s over last year's figures for the corresponding day, but the comparison is hardly fair for this year the Cup was run in one race, while last year the divisions were decided on the opening day and the final on the second day of the Meeting.
Credit: THE PRESS 9Nov 1932
|
