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INTERNATIONAL HISTORY

Edward VIII abdicates.

The Spanish Civil War breaks out.

The Douglas DC-3 (Dakota) introduced. It could carry 21 passengers smoothly at 320 km/h and was the world's first popular airliner.

The BBC starts to broadcast the first public television service.

LOCAL HISTORY

The National Broadcasting Service is established

Aviator Jean Batten lands at Mangere to become the first person to fly solo from England to NZ, setting a trans-Tasman record for the last leg from Sydney.

January 16 - Inauguration of inter-island air service by Union Airways.

May 13 - NZ National Party founded. Established at a conference in Wellington on 13-14 May 1936, the National Party was to dominate the New Zealand political scene in the second half of the 20th century.


August 6 - Jack Lovelock won New Zealand's first Olympic track gold medal before Adolf Hitler and a crowd of 110,000 at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He led the 1500-metres field home in a world record time of 3:47.8.

Urlwins manufactures NZ's first plastic products.

Diesel buses are introduced in Ch-Ch.

Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries

RACING HISTORY

Dunedin owner George Barton had three starters in the Cup namely Indianapolis (won the Cup for the third successive year), Cloudy Range (5th) and Grand Mogul (6th).

RACING HISTORY INTERDOMINIONS

PERTH - LOGAN DERBY
A ludicrous points system used for the earliest series saw Tasmanian mare Evicus, after finishing second in each of her heats and the £1500 Grand Final, awarded the title ahead of her brilliant compatriot Logan Derby, who won all three of his heats as well as the Final.

RACING HISTORY HORSES

1936 HAROLD LOGAN RETIRES

To be decorated with a collar of flowers and to be pelted with rose petals in surely a unique experience for a horse in this country, but that honour was accorded Harold Logan on the final day of the Metropolitan Club's meeting.

Over a number of years Harold has been public favourite number one. Champions have come and gone but the well mannered and glorious Hinds' pacer, though now in honourable retirement will never be forgotten.

Friday was announced as his last appearance on a race track and it was to mark the occasion that the Canterbury Owners and Breeders Association arranged the unusual, and pleasing, ceremony before the running of the last race, the Free-For-All. It was a scene worth going a long way to see. A tremendous and cheering crowd; Harold parading in his collar of flowers which he appeared anxious to eat, and being showered with rose petals. Surely a great tribute to any horse.

When the old chap rose to the occasion and won the Free-For-All enthusiasm knew no bounds. Before he had reached the post hats were being thrown in the air and the crowds cut loose to give him one of the greatest receptions ever seen on a race track, surging down the course and packing the three sides of the birdcage in a wildly cheering mob. Even while being cooled off, he was followed by an army of admirers anxious to pat him, and in many cases pull a hair from his tail.

No horse has captured the public imagination as has Harold Logan, and he has concluded his remarkable career to be remembered as the perfect racehorse and a truly great gentleman.

Credit: NZ TRUTH 18 Nov 1936

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Harold Logan's farewell presentation

1936 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

On the last day of the 1936 Cup Meeting Harold Logan was officially farewelled when decorated with a garland of flowers prior to the running of the Free-For-All and sensing the occasion, duly obliged in the race for the third time.

The crowd was barely able to be contained.

Harold Logan had raced for pitifully low stakes during the Depression and surely no horse has ever toiled more honestly and bravely for so little.



Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1936 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

As in 1934 & 1935 Indianapolis won the Cup. Refer to both years for comment.

On the second day of the 1936 carnival, three-times NZ Cup winner Indianapolis made an attempt to break 2:00 over a mile. He missed the magic mark, taking 2:00.4, but broke his previous record by a second. The galloping pacemaker is Cleaner, ridden by top jockey Jimmy Ellis.

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1936 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

A third successive win in the New Zealand Cup and a mile against time in 2min 0 2/5sec were Indianapolis' contributions last week to trotting history.

Both are records, and while the former will stand for a long time, the only horse likely to better the mile record in the near future is Indianapolis himself.

His third Cup win was achieved under difficulties. The conditions were all against him, he did not receive the best of runs, and he was forced to cover more ground than any horse in the race.

Half a mile from home he ran into a spot of trouble, which sent him to a tangle, and turning into the straight his task appeared hopeless. Red Shadow had a break of several lengths on Barton's horse and the race looked to be over. Desperate driving on Jack Fraser's part, however, saw Indianapolis gather in the leader and scramble home. It was sheer determination and grit which scored.

While his win price was exceedingly small and his place supporters received back slightly more than three quarters of their money, which was another record, this time in low prices, his victory was well deserved and highly popular.

To use his own words, George Barton was very, very thrilled. To "Truth" he stated that there had never been a race which he had so desired to win. The money end of the business was pleasing, but it was the fact that Indianapolis had done something no other horse had ever achieved and had set a record for future generations to better that really mattered. "Jack drove him admirably, I think, and it was absolutely great," he concluded.

Red Shadow ran a great race in the Cup, and at one stage Jimmy Bryce appeared to be sitting pretty. However when tackled by Indianapolis his finishing effort was weak and lacked fight. At the same time, he had the others well beaten in conditions that suited him down to the ground. War Buoy, third, was always in the picture but failed to show any speed when it was most needed.

Conditions were almost perfect when Indianapolis made his attempt on the mile record on Thursday, and with an ounce of luck he would have reached the two-minute list. That he was able to get within 2/5 of a second of that time, pulling a sulky not regarded as suitable for the job on a two-mile preparation, and after a gruelling race in the Cup, tells its own story.

The two efforts told their tale, for he was well and truly beaten on the last day, when he lined up in the Free-For-All. He showed no inclination to take his place at the start and going off slowly, he never looked likely.

It is probable that he will be allowed to freshen up and that he will make another attempt to join the two-minute brigade, and then he will take a hike across the water. His owner stated to "Truth" that he had promised the South Australian people that he would go, though trainer Claude Dunleavy was not keen on taking, or sending the horse, he would keep his promise.

In the meantime Indianapolis has two records which he will hold for a long time.

Credit: NZ TRUTH 18 Nov 1936