Peterwah Smashes Trotters Record

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 430, 11 August 1928, Page 15

Peterwah Smashes Trotters Record

GREAT PERFORMANCE TO-DAY DEFEATS CLASSY PACERS By ABAYDOS.

The aristocratically bred American trotting horse Peterwah not only put up a striking performance to-day at Addington by defeating a classy field of pacers, but he completely smashed the existing two-mile record for square-gaiters, held by Escapade (4.27 1-5), by getting to the end of the journey in 4.23 4-5.

The victory of Peterwah in the August Handicap, while coming as a mild surprise to many followers of the sport, particularly as the Gisborne horse is usually expected to do better in soft going, proves once more that a classy trotter can keep his end up among the pacing fraternity.

“Bob” Fisken’s handsome Americanbred square-gaiter has repeatedly poked his nose into a place in big races where the hopple brigade has been looked upon as holding the balance of power, and in his last three starts—Armstrong Handicap (Wellington), C. F Mark Memorial, and Prince of Wales Handicap (Auckland) —ths son of Etawah— Janova finished in second place. His consistency was rewarded, however, to-day, while his performance stands out as the greatest recorded by any square-gaited exponent in New Zealand. Escapade, with a record of 4,27 1-5, when she beat a field of pacers at Addington in the Easter Handicap of 1927, was heralded 3,3 the Dominion’s trotting queen, but in registering ken’s great trotter has placed himself on the highest plane, and can with confidence be crowned as New Zealand’s trotting king. The splendid victory of Peterwah is another triumph for the pure-gaited fraternity, and his remarkable performance will be heralded with delight and appreciation throughout the light harness world, and is further testimony to the ability of trotters to more than hold their own with pacers. Bob Fisken and his representative are to be warmly congratulated on the meritorious performance, which has now placed the trotter well in the realm of New Zealand Cup candidates.