THE BEST FOR ROIL'OR NEXT YEAR

NZ Truth, Issue 1209, 31 January 1929, Page 11

THE BEST FOR ROIL'OR NEXT YEAR

CERTAINTY GOES ASTRAVt

Roi VOr Encountered All The Bumps, and Traps In Dunedin Cup

-BUT GLIDE AWAY WON WELL

(By "The Toff")

The Dunedin Cup of 1929 will long be remembered for the sensational defeat of one of the biggest certainties that ever wore a bridle m Roi I' Or.

HAD he received only four set-backs m the contest instead of five his owner would now have the valuable ti'ophy on his mantlepiece. 1 When tho starter said "go" Roi lOr put m a couple of skips and lost about four lengths. That was nothing, but before he had gone a furlong Real Light collided with him and knocked him back several lengths. By the time he recovered from the knock, ten of the fiejd were m front of him. Gradually he made up his ground until he joined tho bunch. ( Then the back-markers joined the crowd. ' "Drum" Withers endeavored to get a place for his horse to work m.

When the back straight was entered, Roi lOr was last, his pilot having to take him back to obtain a passage. That was three furlongs from home. From there on Roi lOr simply flew. He was fifth at the bend for home and down the straight he thundered. Maintaining his great speed he cut down all but the winner and had he had another two chains to go he would have won. Glide Away had to cover a lot of extra ground m the middle stages and there was a lot of merit m her victory. She was bred In. Australia and was brought to New Zealand about seven months ago by W. J. Tomkinson. "Tomky" drove her with his usual good judgment.