BIG DIVIDEND

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20732, 16 February 1939, Page 13

BIG DIVIDEND

SURPRISE AT AUCKLAND CYRANO’S RECORD PRICE FINAL EVENT OF THE DAY (Special from “Padlock”) AUCKLAND, Thursday Doing out as 11th favourite on both machines, Cyrano returned a record dividend for the Epsom 'Racecourse when he won the Richmond Handicap, the last event on the Auckland Trotting Club's second day programme, yesterday. The meeting, which opened on Saturday and concluded yesterday, was outstanding for the fact that from the 16 races, no fewer than five win dividends were of double figures and that paid by Cyrano yesterday just fell short of a century and a-quarter. Cyrano, a double-gaited performer and a full-brother to the trotters Bittersweet and Gerfalcon, was supported to the extent of £l3 to win and £39 10s for a place, the latter machine also paying a substantial double-figure price. Among those who fancied Cyrano was a young man who invested £1 each way and was paid a little less than £l5O. The connections of the horse were not so confident, however, one of the owners having less than half a ticket, while the trainer. S. M. did not support this representative of his stables. August had a similar experience two years ago when Queenie Direct won the Taiti Novice Handicap at Hutt Park as the outsider of the field and returned close on four score for a win. Shock for Trainer’s Son One man at least on Alexandra Park racecourse yesterday was momentarily shocked into spcechlessness as Cyrano won the last race. For half an hour that man had Fingered his last £l. while endeavouring to find an outsider which might win. He was R. August, a son of the trainer and driver of the despised Cyrano, but it never occurred to him that his heart's desire was to be found in their own stable, for the younger August works with his father in his business. In 1923 Lady Irving paid close on a century under the single pool system at the Auckland Trotting Club's autumn meeting, and in 1937 Tangaroa returned a record place dividend of nearly a century when he finished third in the Introductory Handicap a I the Waikato Trotting Club’s meeting. At Hawera nearly two years ago Un worthy, with only five ten-shilling tickets on him, paid over £3OO when he won the Opunake Handicap, ami this dividend was the most sensational in the trotting world since 1920 when, with only one ticket on her chance. Wairoa Belle paid over £IOOO at Nelson.