HONOURS ARE EVEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1938, Page 15

HONOURS ARE EVEN

TRIAL BETWEEN CHAMPIONS

Once upon a time, and it is not so long ago, the respective admirers of Lawn Derby and Indianapolis were anxious for a clash between two' good horses. Indianapolis carried all before him here, while Lawn Derby proved himself the best pacer in Australia. The meeting never took place, and while Lawn Derby has carried on to even better deeds Indianapolis's race form has not been up to standard.

But the pair have at last met—on the training track at Addington—and honours are even between them, says the Christchurch "Star-Sun."

Both horses were engaged in the Free-for-all at Addington, but because of his great achievement in pacing a mile in lmin 59 2-ssec earlier in the day, Lawn Derby was withdrawn from the Free-for-all.

In that race, Indianapolis exhibited some of his old dash, but was hemmed in in the straight and thus had any chance of winning extinguished. And so Indianapolis and Lawn Derby did not measure strides until last Thursday, when the pair were companions in a trial over a mile and a half. Indianapolis conceded Lawn Derby 1 3-ssec start. Lawn Derby set the pace to the tune of 35sec for the first two furlongs, lmin 7 3-ssec for the half-mile, and he completed six furlongs in lmin 42 3-ssec and was at the mile post in 2min 18 4-ssec. The mile and a quarter was reached in 2min 52sec. Once the straight was reached Indianapolis drew up to Lawn Derby and they crossed the line on terms.

Neither horse, of course, was driven out, the watch reading 34sec for the concluding two furlongs and 3min 26 sec for the mile and a half. Indianapolis covered much more ground during the trial than Lawn Derby, and both horses travelled with comparative ease throughout. The first and perhaps the only meeting of these two champions was enjoyed by a few spectators.