BRAY’S LUCKY DAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 923, 17 March 1930, Page 7

BRAY’S LUCKY DAY

WINS BIG RACES AT i WESTERN SPRINGS SUCCESSFUL ON GRASS TOO 1 1 Saturday was Ben Bray’s lucky day. After winning two events on the grass track at Takapuna he appeared on the cinders at the Western Springs Stadium in the evening and won four races, including the finals of both the Pascoe Cup Handicap and the Big ' Nine Handicap, and was second on another occasion. A large crowd was present and ! thoroughly • enjoyed the excellent contests. j Bray was the most successful rider j ; ! of the evening as far as wins were concerned, but it was Frank Pearce, j of Australia, who showed the spectators what real broadsiding was when ! he lowered his own mile record estabi lished at the Springs by three seconds, doing the four laps in S2sec. He covered the first circuit in 20sec, the second and third in 20 3-ssec each, and the final lap in 20 4-ssec. “Skyd” Perkins, who was expected to give Pearce a deal of opposition, was bothered by engine trouble, and did not appear at his best. Alf Mattson gave the spectators the thrill of the night when in a heat of 1 the Big Nine Championship his ma- : j chine reared high into the air, taking > him with it and then throwing him ! clear. Mattson was very lucky to ! ! escape injury. Bray was selected as the local re- j j presentative against Pearce in a 1 match race, but when the local man ! appeared to have an excellent chance : of winning, Pearce had engine trouble, and withdrew. Later Alien was substituted against Pearce, but this time the Aucklander’s machine failed and the event was# abandoned. In an Australian match race Pearce j defeated Perkins by 30yds in 1.25. The track was very dusty, economy in the use of the watering can marring what was otherwise an excellent evening’s entertainment. Results are as follow: B GRADE HANDICAP First Heat.—B. Coyle (Royal Enfield). 2sec, 1; A. CoDuins (Indian). ssee. 2. Won

by inches. Time, 1.41 l-o. Cairns and Bingley also started. Second Heat.—J. Stewart (Norton), 3sec, 1; J. Good (Douglas), 7sec, 2. Won by 20yds. Time, 1.39 3-5. Way fell on the third lap. Third Heat. —T. Butler (A.J.S.), 7sec, 1; J. Jordon (Douglas), 2see, 2. Won by a yard. Time, 1.41 1-5. Fletcher and 1 McDonald also started. Jordan rode brilliantly, but just failed to overtake Butler. Final T. Butler (A.J.S.). Tsec i 1 B. Coyle (Royal Enfield), 2sec .. 2 J. Stewart (Norton), 3seo 3 j Won by 30 yards. Time, 1.39 3-5. i Butler led all the way and withstanding a challenge by Coyle, won without difficulty, Stewart being some distance back third. Coppins fell on the second lap, but restarted, without, however, having a chance of getting a place, PASCOE CUP HANDICAP First Heat.—B. Bray (Douglas), 4sec, j 1: j. Stewart (Norton), Ssec, 2; F. Pearce, scr, 3. Won by 10 yards. Time, 1.32 2-5. Way fell after three laps. Second Heat.—A. Mattson (Norton), 2 sec., and B. Coyle (Royal Enfield, Tsec, dead-heat, 1; R. Ranby (8.5. A.), Ssec. 3. Time, 1.33. Third Heat. —F. Day (Harley David- \ son), sisec, 1; A. Coppins (Indian), Bisee, 2. Won by half a lap. Time, 1.41 3-5. Datson and Butler withdrew. Coppins nearly fell, but recovered and completed | the course. Second Heat.—B. Allen (Norton), oisec, 1; P. Fletcher (Harley Davidson), 7sec, I 2. Time, 1.43 4-5. Perkins withdrew with . engine trouble and Jordan fell when leading. First Semi-final.—B. Coyle (Royal Enfield), Tsec, 1; B. Bray (Douglas), 4sec, 2. Won by 20 yards. Time, 1.3-5 3-5. Stewart fell, bringing Mattson, who was following close behind, down with him. Second Semi-final.—B. Allen (Norton), 3isec, 1; F. Day (Harley Davidson), 5£ sec, 2. Won by 40 yards. Time, 1.35 2-5. Allen was not greatly troubled to win. Coppins fell, remounted and then withdrew. Fletcher also failed to complete the course Final B. Bray (Douglas), 4sec 1 j B. Allen (Norton), 3&sec 2 i B. Coyle (Royal Enfield), Tsec . . 3 j 1 Won by 15 yards. Time, 1.34. i The riders went away in handicap order ! ! but the limit man, Coyle, /ell, Bray tak- ; ing the lead, followed by Allen and Day. I ! The order was the same entering the I | straight the last time, Bray going on to j score a popular win from Allen. Day fell, and although he tried to ppsh in Coyle, who had remounted, beat him to j the post. BIG NINE HANDICAP First Heat.—A. Way (Velocette), 4sec. 1; F. Pearce (Norton), scr, 2. Won by five yards. Time, 1.37 3-5. Allen was leading when he fell. He remounted, but was out of the race. Second Heat.—B. Bray (Douglas), 3£ sec, 1; S. Casey (Harley Davidson), ssec, 2. Won by a couple of laps. Time, 1.39 2-5. Datson and Casey fell, the latter remounting to gain second place,. Third Heat.—R. Ranby (8.5. A.), 4sec, 1; F. Day (Royal Enfield), 2. Time, 1.35 1-5. In attempting to overtake Ranby Mattson fell. Day pulled out, but restarted to get second money. Final B. Bray (Douglas), Slsec 1 A. Way (Velocette), 4sec 2 R. Ranby (8.5. A.), 4sec 3 Won by 10 yards. Time, 1.3 S 4-5. Ranby went away well, Bray going into second position in front of Way. Ranby fell on the second lap, leaving Bray in the lead, followed by Way, Ranby, who had remounted, following The riders finished in that order. B GRADE MATCH RACE B. Cojle (Royal Enfield) 1 ( J. Stewart (Norton) 2 Won by 50 yards. Time, 1.39. ! Way and Stewart went away to a good ) ! start, with Coyle slightly in the rear. I j Way fell on the first circuit, but although j he remounted he took no further part ! i in the race. Coyle went to the front I | and held the lead to defeat Stewart by 50 yards.