GOOD BROADSIDING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 932, 27 March 1930, Page 6

GOOD BROADSIDING

EVENTS AT BLANDFORD PARK MISS V. MATTHEWS’S SUCCESS Excellent cinder-track racing was seen at Blandford Park Stadium last evening, when an attractive programme was submitted. A feature of the evening was the riding of Miss Violet Matthews and the stunting of Messrs. P. Irving and J. Gill. For a rider of such limited experience as well as being a member of the weaker sex. Miss Matthews gave a fine performance. Her riding was a great improvement on her showing on her previous appearance and she proved herself to be the equal and in some cases the superior of many of the men. Last evening Miss Matthews rode close in to the edge of the track, gaining ground on her rivals, and this played a large part in her success. She filled first place in two heats, was second, after falling and remounting, in a semifinal, and finished third in the final of the Grafton Handicap. In the semifinal of another handicap event she fell on the first lap, but again. showed her gameness by remounting and completing the distance. These performances stamp her as a rider of promise. The Gold Helmet championship was a three-cornered event, C. Goldberg retaining his title from Walker and Curtis. The time was 1.16, the fastest four-lap race ever run on the track, although the time had been eclipsed in record-breaking attempts. Walker had his revenge in the Speedway Handicap final, in which he defeated Goldberg. The Grafton Handicap was won by McLaren, with R. Moorcraft second. Moorcraft is another rider who has improved greatly and last evening he was the most successful place-getter of the lot, although he did not win a final Individual totals were:—Moorcraft, four firsts, one second; Goldberg, .liroe firsts, one second; McLaren, two firsts, two seconds; Miss Matthews, two firsts, one second; and Walker, one first, three seconds. Two attempts on the four-lap record of 1.13 4-5 es ablished by L. Curtis were made. Walker had clocked one lap in 18 2-5 and was riding well approaching the end of the second lap when he fell. Goldberg, in his attempt, was moving fast when he went into two real broadsides, his machine turning at full right angles to the track. He regained his seat, but his time had gone, so he set out again, but failed to make new time, taking 1.15, the time of the old record broken by Curtis. Messrs. Irving and Gill entertained the spectators with some novel stunts on a cycle and sidecar. They changed places while in motion, rode on two wheels with the sidecar wheel in the air, and- rode from various positions. By himself, Mr. Irving gave a fine exhibition of trick riding, tearing round at speed on two wheels both ways of ilie track. Details are as follow: GRAFTON HANDICAP First heat.—Henderson (Rex Acme), Gsec, 1; K. Yeats (Rex Acme), scr., 2. Won by 200 yards. Time, 1.34. Woods and Mack also started. Second heat.—R. Moorcraft (New Imperial). 3sec. 1; B. Smith (Rex Acme), 2sec, 2. Won by 20 yards. Time, 1.33. Abreheart failed to start. Third heat: Miss V. Matthews (Velocette), Ssec, 1; A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 4sec, 2. Won by inolies. Time, 1.30. Miss Matthews hung to her handicap advantage until the last lap, when McLaren came up fast, just failing to head her. Richards was third. C. Yeats fell. First semi-final. —A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 4sec, 1; Miss V'. Matthews (Velocette), 2. Time, 1.35. Miss Matthews fell in the third lap, but remounted to get second place. K. Yeats also fell, and finished third. Second •semi-final. —R. Moorcraft (New Imperial), 3sec, 1; B. Smith (Rex Acme), 2sec, 2. Won by 70 yards. Time, 1.33. Moorcraft went away smartly, and led all the way from Smith, Henderson .finishing third. Final. A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 4sec 1 R. Moorcraft (New Imperial), Spec .. 2 Miss V. Matthews (Velocette), Ssec.. 3 Won by 25 yards. Time, 1.33. Miss Matthews went away followed by McLaren. Moorcraft, and Smith. Moorcraft moved into third place, and there was no change until the final lap, when McLaren headed Miss Taylor. Two turns from home Moorcraft moved into second place, McLaren beating him by 25 yards, with Miss Matthews 15 yards back third. GOLD HELMET CHAMPIONSHIP C. Goldberg (Royal Enfield) 1 C. Walker (Douglas) 2 L. Curtis (Douglas) 3 Won by' 60 yards. Time, 1.16; Walker drew the inside position, with Goldberg in the centre, and Curtis on the outside. From the rolling start Goldberg and Walker went away together, with Curtis slightly behind. Goldberg went to the front, and established a lead of two yards from Walker, with Curtis, who was having motor trouble, some distance behind. On the last lap Walker broadsided on to the grass and lost a considerable distance, but he had enough in hand to beat Curtis for second place behind Goldberg. SPEEDWAY HANDICAP First heat.—Miss V. Matthews (Velocette).. 13sec, 1; L. Curtis (Douglas), Isec, 2. "Won by 30 yards. Time, 1.34. Curtis failed to overtake Miss Matthews, who took full advantage of her handicap. Yeats and Woods both fell, and remounted, Woods falling a second time. Second heat.—C. Goldberg (Royal Enfield), scr., 1; B. Smith (Rex Acme), Ssec, 2. Won by 100 yards. Time, 1.25. Abreheart was left behind from the start. Third heat:—R. Moorcraft (New Imperial), 9sec, 1; Cyril Walker (Douglas), lsec, 2. Won by 70 yards. Time, 1.31. Henderson and Richards also started. First semi-final. —R. Moorcraft (New Imperial), 9sec, 1; C. Walker (Douglas), lsec, 2. Won by 40 yards. Time, 1.32. Miss Matthews fell when leading at the end of the first lap, but remounted. Curtis was third. Moorcraft fell 15 yards past the post. Second semi-final.— C. Goldberg (Royal Enfield), scr., 1; A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 10sec, 2. Won by 50 yards. Time, 1.18. Smith and Yeats both fell, but remounted and finished. Final. C. Walker (Douglas), lsec 1 C. Goldberg (Royal Enfield), scr 2 IT. Moorcraft (New Imperial), 9sec .. 3 Won by 20 yards. Time, 1.22. The riders raced in handicap order for two laps, Walker then moving into second place. On the last lap Walker overtook Moorcraft, and then Goldberg moved up into second place, followed by Moorcraft, with McLaren last, finishing in that order.