NEW GRASS RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 13

NEW GRASS RECORD

FEAT BY NERVIE'S LAST

The feat of Nervie's Last in lowering the New Zealand mile grass track record of 2min 4 l-ssec, held by HappyVoyage, by registering 2min 4sec at Epsom last Saturday, recalls the occasion when Happy Voyage created his figures on the same course. At New Brighton on April 14, 192 W. Happy Voyage, driven by the late W. J. Tomkinsoh, ?iii. an attempt on the record and accompanied by . War Bond and Olwyn, succeeded in going 2min 4 l-ssec. Within a few days the Auckland Trotting Club made overtures to the horse's connections for his appearance at Epsom, and offered £100 if Happy Voyage broke the then exist* ing track record, £250 if he ran 2min 3sec, and £350 if he registered 2min The attempt was arranged for April 28, but, owing to the heavy track, it was postponed until the following Monday, when, after being specially rolled, the course was in splendid order. The pacemakers were the gallopers No Bother (A. J. Julian) and Okaihau (A. Cowan), and Happy Voyage again ran 2min 4 l-ssec. This time was equalled by Impromptu (C. Moran) a few years later when he was associated with LindV bergh (C. S. Donald) in an exhibition over a mile at Claudelands, but on this occasion it is probable that a new record would have been created had either of the pair been purely on a time-making basis. The sectional times of Happy Voyage in his two records and of Nervie's Last make interesting comparison:—Happy Voyage (New Brighton): Two furlongs, 32sec; four, lmin 3sec; six, lmin 34sec; last quarter of a mile, 30 l-ssec; mile, 2min 4 l-sSec. Epsom: Two furlongs, 30 2-ssec; four, lmin 2 2-ssec; six, lmin 33 4-ssec; last quarter, 30 2-ssec; mile, 2min 4 l-ssec. Nervie's Last: Two furlongs, 32sec; four, lmin 2 4-ssec; six, lmin 33 4-ssec; last quarter, 30 |l-ssec; mile, 2min 4sec.