TROTS AT ADDINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 34, 10 February 1931, Page 6

TROTS AT ADDINGTON

FAST TIMES RECORDED

COMMENT ON PERFORMANCES

; H (By Telegraph.) (Spociat to "The Evening Post.") CHEISTCHURUH, This Day. Notable features of the racing at the Metropolitan .-■'■ Trotting Club's Summer ' Meeting.on Saturday were the fast.times recorded by several of the horses, and the performances registered are unlikely to be equalled, or even approached, so far ac figures are concerned, for some considerable while. . Th.it the track waa exceptionally fnst, probably faster than it has ever been previously. Was demonstrated by the returns made by some quite ordinary horses; nevertheless the efforts of the three • placed hordes in the Midsummer Handicap (Rcpal Voyage, Lindbergh, and Harold Logan), of Ecd Shadow in the Champion Three-year-old Handicap, and of the recently arrived l'addy M'Kinncy in the Cashmere Handicap -were much above the ordinary, and Rave trotting enthusiasts something to talk about for the next few weeks. Eileen Wood has been racing very consistently of lato, and her effort in the Spreydon Handicap vas a very fine one. She moved away well, but- made a bad mistake going out of the straight the first time, losing a lot of ground. Trotting very fast, sho caught the leaders, 'but again lost ground through a mistake. When she finally settled down she trotted very fast, and wore down Surprise Journey in the last couple of strides. Rawhitiroa, who won the Chnmpjon Three-year-old Handicap, is by Rey de Oro from .Bright Alick, the dam of Kohara, a New-Zealand Cup winner. He is a ve;y quality-looking colt, but he did' not seem 'to be pacing very evenly in the early part of the race, lie was tiring in the straight, but baw out the last halffurlong well enough to wiu by a comfortable margin. ■ > > Red Shadow, who finished "/second 111 this race, hung iii badly, and iii tho early stages did not appear to be pacing in his best style. He improved later in the race, and came home very solidly. His time .was easily a record for a thrce-ycar-old, and was not far behind Great Biugen's 3min lOsec, which is the Dominion race record. BRILLIANT EFFORTS. ■Regal Voyage put up very fast time when she won the Midsummer Handicap, going more than ten seconds better than her handicap. Making a good beginning she was always handy to the leaders, and her great stamina gave her the victory. She raced badly at Timaru last month, but later won at Wellington and New Brighton. Regal Voyage is easily the best pacer in the Dominion sired by Happy Voyage. She is owned in Blenheim, but is trained here by D. Withers, who drove her. Lindbergh, as a change, went out right in the race and paced a great race. He is a difficult pacer to handle, but he seems to go well for C. iving,.\vho drove him to victory in the chief event at Asbburton on Boxing Day. If he will only become tractable at the barrier he will win a big race before the end of the season. In finishing third to Regal Voyage and Lindbergh, Harold Logan covered the distance in 4min 13 2-ssec. He was timed to go tain llsec from post to post, and Mie put up, a wonderful performance as he had to race round the field. He was well placed in the early stages, and after being judiciously driven by the Wellington trainer, L. 0. Thomas, he was Bent along the back stretch? well on the outside^ He showed bo much speed that lie was actually in uecond place when the straight was reached, but his great effort left him, as might bo expected, without his usual dash at the winning post. It was easily the fastest performance ever accomplish-1 ed in the Dominion, the previous best be-1 ing Peter Bihgen's 4min 18 ,4.-ssec when [ he won the New Zealand Cup final in 1929. ' j JUDICIOUSLY DRIVEN. Cyone owed her success in the Papanui , Handicap in a great measure to the judi-1 cious driving of'the veteran F. Holmes. He moved into-a'good position' early and . waited until about three furlongs from ■ home, sending,Cyone along in the straight to win brilliantly. Wakataua looked as if he might have won had he been kept closer to '.the' ■ leaders.,in the, middle stages. ', He was .a long way'back starting the last half-mile. but lie finished! with a brilliant dash, and ' was; travelling much faster than his' op-1 i ponents at the end. He has been out b£ form for some time; but at his best heft a fine stayer, like.most of Man o' War's' progeny. '■ : , . . : The Admiral,: a recent arrival "from, Mel-1 bourne, was ill the picture' all the way,in the race, and he Was in- the bunch that participated in the finish. He should win a stake very soon. :'■ ',''.' The Australian visitor Paddy M'lCinney had a very easy'victory inthe Cashmere! Handicap. He brought? a big reputation from Melbourne, where he has been' racing for several years, frequently among the pacers. He is a. free-going trotter, and seems to go much better in the final stages of, his races than, nt the commencement, where he is\ inclined to mix. his ga.it. He showed ho should win more races before he returns home. It is doubtful if.there 'is a better 'hhhoppled performer in training in the Dominion than this newcomer. His driver, ,Gr. Gath. had an ovation after his win, but had an experience of the need.of care, as he was fined £10 for crossing too quickly in front of Master Audo a round from home. EASY WIN FOR PRICELESS. i Priceless had an easy victory in the ■ Ji'v.cnile Handicap, as he held the lead i'Yjictically all the. way.' G. M'Kcndry did not seem anxious for a fast price, as the field-was' slowed-up, and .it was only over, the last half-mile, 'that the speed ivas turned on. Herod'paced ■ a peculiar race for second. Although he was close up to the leaders'early, the slow pace in, the first half was'not to his advantage. Once he decided to show his speed lie came home fast, and had more use been made of him in the early stages he would have troubled the winner. Location was unlucky. She seemed to get into trouble more than once, and she came on strongly at the end to secure third place. The Wellington colt Chenoway was travelling well till about three furlongs from home, where ho ran into trouble, which settled liia chances. Colonial Boy evidently requires a- dirt

track to show him at his best. After winning decisively at Greymouth he tailed badly at New Brighton. He was made favourite in the Liverpool Handicap, and won easily. He is one of J. Young's Scottish importations, and further successes look certain, as he is a good stayer. Kelp is so unlucky in his races that success seems impossible. He has worked his way to a tight mark through a succession of placed performances. He was slow to move in the race, but he put in a great run over the Jast halfmile for second money.- •■-,'■'' Logau Chief added another to his long list'of successes when he won the Craven Handicap. He has been in constant work since ho first raced as a: two-year-old about nine'years ago, and he retains, his form ,in a surprising mariner, In his latest effort lie was never far from-the front, and he stayed on solidly. He has been a great- investment to his present owner, who purchased him about two yenrs ujro. ~ . : , ; Ariki Toa, who .was second, is by Taraire,-: who has not many representatives racing in the Dominion. He seems a difficult ])ucer: to got to his best, but when in form he shines over any. distance. He showed up well in the .Pnpunui Handicap earlier in the day.