This week in racing history

January

29

Victorian entrant On Par won the fourth running of the Hobart Cup, in 1938. The race, which became the the following year, was run over 410 yards and consisted of 10 starters. All four Hobart Cup's were won by margins of half a length or less, with On Par's being the closest as he defeated fellow Victorian Father's Night by a long neck.

The Martin Hallinan-trained Many Tricks took out the 2000 Association Cup by just a nose from Victorian stayer Poetic Reward with Frisky Rebel third, running a race record 42.55, taking 12/100ths off the previous mark, set in 1994 by Worthy Reward.

30

An attendant at the Napier Park speed track in Melbourne was used as a ‘' for the races, in 1950. The man, with a stuffed hare skin dangling on a string behind him, ran down the course before the start of each race and then jumped the fence half-way around and hid while the field was released behind a pacemaker. The law in Victoria at the time prohibited greyhounds chasing any kind of mechanical lure, so hares were used to ‘excite' the runners. These hares would escape into a schute before a field was released from the boxes. Unfortunately, a ferret or other animal, had managed to gain access to the hares home paddock the previous night and killed them all. Replacements could not be found before the meeting, hence the unusual step of asking a fleet-footed attendant to pose as the ‘lure'.

Sun Hero won the 2005 Warragul Cup, defeating Arejay Saint by just over two lengths over the 424-metre trip in a fast 23.90, just 5/100ths outside the race record.

31

Pasha Chief, owned and trained by Fred Clifford, downed Lefroy's Ace by just half a head to pick up £1,200 in winning the 1954 Hobart Thousand.

Billed as the Super Challenge, a four-dog match race took place in 1987 over 457 metres at Harold Park between Camden's Ghost, Holstein Boy, Legendary Kid, and Snow Report. Between them, they had won 39 races at Harold Park, from a collective 81 starts, and 86 races overall from a combined 176 starts. Legendary Kid scored a fairly hollow three lengths win over Snow Report, Camden's Ghost and Holstein Boy, running a fast 26.13.

February

1

The Grant Langston-trained sprinter Miss Crisp defeated NSW visitor Faust's Legend in a race record 30.89 to take out the 1989 Perth Cup over 530 metres at . The previous race record of 30.94 had been set by NSW champion General Jeff in 1981.

The first final to be run on the new loam track over 520 metres at took place in 1994 and saw victory to Indian Dance, who downed Tap Dance by three lengths. Future Sprint Championship victor, Gallant Ruler, was seventh.

2

The 2006 Memorial, run over 715 metres at Sandown, was annexed by the Lauren Gorman-prepared Mid City Mandy who defeated Atomic Jet by just a neck with NSW stayer Royal Riddle third. Rocky and Spalding dead-heated for fourth.

3

The 1992 Diamond Distance Title (now known as the AWM Distance Title), run over 732 metres at Park, fell to Modern Express, who scored by just over nine lengths from Flash Maggie.

4

Three divisions of the were run, in 1939. Polly Sheen won the first division from Some Pride in 17.10/16; Aberdeen downed Ruby's Pride in 17.8/16 to take the second division and Dan's Gift defeated Gay Isle in the fastest of the three divisions, running 16.4/16.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments