BLAST FROM THE PAST
LANCASTER PARK TC: Spring Mtgn 1892
1892 LANCASTER PARK TROTTING CLUB
Of all the excellent meetings seen at Lancaster Park there never was a better one than that which took place yeasterday.The attendance was larger, the amount of speculation greater and the trotting for some of the events better than has ever been witnessed in Canterbury.
The Prince of Wales' Birthday Handicap saw Dakota, a son of Berlin, to great advantage, and Mr Winsloe's gelding lowered the two-mile winning saddle record to 5min 21sec, while Contractor, who is also a son of Berlin, was third, and he covered the two miles in 5min 13sec - a great performance. Over £1000 was invested in the race.
The Wilkin Stakes, called after the late Mr R Wilkin, who imported many of the best Yankee bred horses, was most fittingly opened, and seldom has such a contest been witnessed in or out of this colony. Tommy, the Timaru gelding, an aged bay, son of Blackwood Abdallah, and Dakota, an aged son of Berlin, driven respectively by C Kerr ans W Kerr, fought out one of the greatest races ever seen. Dakota, who had 5sec start, was prevented from getting through in the early part of the horses in front, and thus Tommy gat a show of placing himself almost on terms, and round after round was covered with Tommy keeping close to the wheel of Dakota's sulky, the latter tripping within thirty yards of the post. More excitement has perhaps never been witnessedin a race on a trotting track before. The winner, C Kerr, receiving a tremendous ovation, as also did his brother W Kerr, who was beaten, and the rival aadmirers of the Berlins and Blackwoods were in a great state of ferment over the result, the harness recordsof Kentucky and Rarus having been lowered by both Tommy and Dakota. The latter later on covered a mile in 2min 40 1/4sec. The sum of £4758 was passed through the totalisator.
The following are details of the racing up to the time of our going to press:-
HANDICAP MAIDEN TROT (in saddle) of 20 sovs. One mile.
Mr G Keats' b m Miss Molly, 6yrs, 8sec (Owner) 1.
Mr A Scott's br g Spreydon Led, 4yrs, 8sec (Moorhouse) 2.
Mr A Hope's b g G O M, aged, 7sec (Hume) 3.
Ouida 4sec, Orizaba 4sec Wangaloa 6sec and Bess 8sec also started.
Miss Molly led all the way, and won by two lengths from Spreydon Lad. Time 3min 7 1/2sec. Dividend - £9 9s 6d.
HANDICAP PONY TROT (in saddle) of 15 sovs. 14.2 or under. One mile.
Mr E Bowe's br g Bobtail, aged, 14sec (C Kerr) 1.
Mr W F Jackman's br g Chuznee, aged, 6sec (Edwards) 2.
Mr J Morrison's b m Ayrshire Lass, aged, 8sec (Hill) 3.
Alice Gray 15sec, Nona 16sec, Apprentice 19sec, Merivale 23sec, Merlinda 23sec, Tite 25sec, Maritana 25sec also started.
Tute led for one round, when he bolted and Bobtail, taking command in the second round, won by five lengths from Chuznee. Time 3min 12sec. Dividend - £1 18s.
THE PRINCE OF WALES' BIRTHDAY HANDICAP TROT (in saddle) of 100 sovs; second horse 10 sovs and third 5 sovs. Two miles.
Mr J G Winsloe's b g Dakota by Berlin, aged, 30sec (W Kerr) 1.
Mr F McCafferty's br m Rosewood, 3yrs, 35sec (Harrold) 2.
Mr R Sutherland's b m Paulina, aged, 36sec (Needham) 3.
Contractor scr, Tommy (Moore's) 15sec, Tennessee 28sec, Victoria II 30sec, Maid of Ulster 30sec, Tommy (Henricksen's) 35sec, Wakarara 36sec, Spec 44sec also started.
Pauline led for a mile, when Dakota passed her and, drawing right away won by one hundred yards from Rosewood who was therefore distanced. Time 5min 21sec. Dividend - £1 19s.
HANDICAP SELLING TROT (in saddle) of 20 sovs. One mile.
Mr T Waddington's ch g Fairholm, aged, 23sec (Moorhouse) 1.
Mr M Taylor's b g Jubilee, aged, 10sec (M Edwards) 2.
Zetland 16sec, Bobtail 18sec(2sec pen), Miss Molly 16sec(5sec pen), Broomlands 21sec, Tinker 21sec, Icicle 23sec, Apprentice 25sec.
Won easily by twenty yards. Time, 3min 5sec. dividend £1 15s.
THE WILKIN STAKES, a handicap in harness of 50 sovs; 5 sovs from the stake for second. Open only to horses that have American strains of trotting blood either on the sire or dam's side. Two miles.
Mt W Moore's b g Tommy by Blackwood Abdallah, aged, 15sec (C Kerr) 1.
Mr J G E Winsloe's b g Dakota by Berlin, aged, 20sec(10sec pen)(W Kerr) 2.
Mr J Shaw's b g Contractor by Berlin, 6yrs, scr (Allen) 3.
Mr J Sleightholme's blk m Diana by Blackwood Abdallah, aged, 33sec (Edwards) distanced.
After going once round, Dakota assumed command, being temporarily checked, however, by the leaders. This gave Tommy a chance of getting up, and on entering the second round he was within a length and a half of Dakota. In the next round he had got within half a length, and at every stretch of straight struggled hard to get up amidst the greatest excitement. In the fourth round he got almost on level terms, but again Dakota responded and was fully half a length to the good. Entering on the final round Dakota was a length to the good, and the shouting and cheering seemed to cause the horse to strain every effort. As they turned for home, with Dakota only a neck in advance, the cheering increased. At this stage the inner wheel of the sulky in which Dakota was driven caught the grass and he broke, and Tommy just got home by a bare half length, the greatest enthusiasm being shown, the others pulling up. Time, 5min 30 3/4sec. Dividend £2 10s.
PRESIDENT'S HANDICAP (in saddle) of 40 sovs; 5 sovs for second. Two miles.
Mr O Digby's b m Josephine, 6yrs, 35sec (Digby) 1.
Mr C Harold's b m Miss Cave, 6yrs, 25sec (Owner) 2.
Mr A G Holmes' ch g Bridal Rose, 4yrs, 29sec (Price) distanced.
Tom 10sec, Magpie 25sec, Maid of Ulster 27sec, Fairchild 27sec, Gipsy's Warning 28sec, Parnell 28sec, Peppermint 32sec, Louie 33sec, Factory Girl 35sec, Lightning 37sec, Rosewood 40sec also started.
Josephine went to the front and stopped there throughout. At the end of the first mile Parnell was second, but Miss Cave then passed him and made up a few seconds on her handicap, but could not get up, Josephine winning by about ten lengths, Bridal Rose distanced. Time, 5min 37sec. Dividend £19 12s.
LANCASTER PARK HANDICAP (in harness)of 40 sovs; 5 sovs for second. Two miles.
Mr A Jardine's b m Dorothy, 44sec (Farrar) 1.
Mr A G Holmes' b m Lady Jane, 20sec, distanced.
Contractor scr, Wakarara 30sec(10sec pen), Hippias 33sec, Pride of Erin 33sec, Boulanger 42sec, Chaos 42sec, Spec 44sec, Lena 44sec also started.
Dorothy soon forged ahead and never gave her opponents a chance, winning easily, Lady Jane failing to come within the distance, Contractor being within two lengths of Lady Jane. Time, 6min 5sec. Dividend £3 2s.
THE FINAL HANDICAP (in saddle) of 25 sovs; 5 sovs for second. Two miles.
Mr J G E Winsloe's b g Dakota, aged, 8sec(5sec pen)(W Kerr) 1.
Mr F Wright's br g Le Corbeau, aged, 22sec (Owner) distanced.
Madcap 6sec, Jess II 9sec, Miss Cave 12sec, Josephine 13sec, Coronella 12sec, Unknown 13sec, Factory Girl 18sec, Orizaba 18sec, Miss Irwell 19sec, Lightning 19sec, Vulcan 20sec, Locket 21sec, Broomlands 22sec.
Le Corbeau went strong all the way, but Dakota, who travelled fast, caught him in the last half lap, and won cleverly by over 60 yards. Time 2min 40 1/4sec. Dividend £2 6s 6d.
-o0o-
Star 12 Nov 1892
Handicappers, the Committee; Starter, Mr H J Derrett.
The Spring Meeting of the Lancaster Park Trotting Club was held yesterday, and was one of the most successful gatherings organised by the Club. The attendance was a best on record, while Messrs Hobbs and Goodwin, who worked the totalisator, passed the large sum of £4758 through the machines during the afternoon, and the racing was exceptionally interesting.
The Wilkin Stakes, for horses bred from American strains on either the sire's or dam's side, produced a magnificent struggle between Tommy and Dakota, and the former, most patiently handled by C Kerr, just got up in the straight and won by half a length.
The management, under the watchful eye of Mr A J Rattray, left little to be desired, and the authorities deserve a word of commendation for ejecting a defaulter who was found on the course, and thus setting an example that other institutions would do well to follow.
Credit: The Press 12 Nov 1892
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