A PACING QUEEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 7

A PACING QUEEN

WAITAKI GIRL STILL GOING STRONG BIG TASK NEXT MONTH The aged daughter of Harold DillonStanley’s Child, Waitaki Girl, is set a pretty stiff task in the August Handicap at Addington next month, where she holds pride of place in the handicap, being 96 yards behind, a 4.23 mark. That she has not lost her form, although failing to notch a victory during the major portion of the present season, was demonstrated at the Canterbury Park King’s Birthday fixture, when she won the appropriately named King George Handicap. Waitaki Girl commenced her racing career as a three-year-old in March, 1923, at the Waimate Racing Club fixture. where she finished second to Logan Lou. who was then in her fourth year. The Harold Dillon mare next sported silk at Timaru, where she failed to gain a place, but made amends at the Canterbury Park meeting by winning the Maturity Stakes of 12 furlongs in 3.33. She raced at that period in the colours of Mr. R. G. C. Munro, but the following season she appeared in the ownership of Mr. H. W. Aker. As a four and five-year-old, the mare showed good form, but it was not till her sixth year that she came right out of her shell, and performed such sterling deeds as set the seal on her fame. From March 13 to June 3, Waitaki Girl was harnessed up on half a dozen occasions for five wins and a third, the first four victories being successive. GATHERING UP SPEED At the Timaru March fixture in 1926, Waitaki Girl won the Cup in 4.27 from a 4.31 mark, and followed this up five daj*s later at New Brighton by winning a mile and a-quarter heat in 2.45. a 2.12 gait. The next day the Harold Dillon mare was placed on a 4.28 mark in the New Brighton Handicap, which she won comfortably iri 4.26 4-5, and at the Metropolitan Easter meeting the same plan of campaign was adopted, and Waitaki Girl, on the opening day. won a 10-furlong flutter in the very smart time of 2.41 3-5, equal to a 2.9 clip. BIG TIME FOR LITTLE MONEY The concluding day saw the great mare step out in the big two-mile race from a 4.2 5 peg. and in a memorable struggle she finished third to Minton Derby and Jack Potts, and when the watches had been examined and checked, it was found the daughter of Harold Dillon had tramped 4.22 for the 125 sovereigns which war apportioned for third place. Tt was a great performance and stamped Waitaki.Girl as a great mare. Her sixth essay was

in the George Handicap at Canterbury Park at the June fixture, in which she was asked to go 4.24 by handicapper Mr. F. C. Thomas. Waitaki Girl duly won by two lengths, and registered 4.25., A PATRIOTIC STRAIN Mr. Aker’s speed merchant is evidently imbued with a patriotic strain, as at the Canterbury Park fixture of 1025, the Harold Dillon mare made a bold bid to secure the King George

Handicap, and was only topped off by Vilo for first place, by a narrow margin. As already mentioned, Waitaki Girl went one better in 1926 b. getting the thick end of the purse. This year, after being several times unplaced, J. Bryce succeeded in driving the mare home last King’s Birthday in the King George Handicap, when she registered 4.45 4-5 on a dead and sodden track. If started next month Waitaki Girl will certainly not disgrace herself, but she will find it difficult to concede such a start to some of the improved pacers near the end.