A JOURNEY BY AEROPLANE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 January 1931, Page 10

A JOURNEY BY AEROPLANE

DRIVER’S RECORD

PRESENT AT TWO TROTTING MEETINGS

To drive a winner in Christchurch, within nineteen hours after he had left the Epsom trotting track in Auckland, was a notable feat established by the well-known trotting trainer, G. S. Donald, reports the Christchurch “Times.” In order to accomplish this he left the Limited Express at Feilding and flew to Sockburn in the De Haviland aeroplane, which was waiting for him. In being the first to drive at Auckland one afternoon and at Addington the next morning, Donald lias created a record.

In an interview soon after lie arrived at the Addington trotting track, Donald said lie had greatly enjoyed the trip by air from Feilding. ' “Yes, it was mv first trip in an aeroplane,” he said. “I did not do it specially to drive Lindbergh in the big race. I have a large team of horses in training and naturally I wanted to get back as soon as possible, so I arranged for Captain M. G. McGregor to fly up from Christchurch on Wednesday and wait at Feilding for me. I did not want to wait all day in Wellington for the boat and miss the first dav of the Canterbury Park meeting. ’ Another reason for'my hurry was that I wanted to be here for the acceptances for the concluding day’s racing.” LEFT AUCKLAND AT 7 p.m. Donald added that he drove in the seventh race at Auckland on Wednesday and waited for the last race, leaving tho course at 5.30 for his hotel. After dinner he joined the Limited Express, leaving Auckland at 7 p.m., and slept peacefully until 6.30 next morning, when the guard called him ut lending. The aerodrome, some few miles away, was reached by taxi, and at 7.15 the De Haviland aeroplane took off for Sockburn. After a beautiful trip via Otaki, Paekakariki, across Cook Strait to Blenheim and down the coast, Christchurch hove in sight three hours later. Passing over the trotting track at 10.30, Donald waved to the early arrivals. A few minutes later he landed at _ Wigram Aerodrome. Going home in a taxi, Donald had a bath and shortly alter eleven o’clock he was on the Addington course. Driving Stand By in the first race he was victorious, and on returning ’to the bird-cage he was warmly acclaimed hv the crowd. . Mr Fred Kidd, a well-known Christchurch sportsman, who accompanied Donald to Auckland, also travelled with him in the cabin, of the comfortable aeroplane. Both agreed that the air journey was delightful and that at no time did they have to hurry.