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INTERNATIONAL HISTORY

Germany invades Austria.

Orson Wells broadcasts War of the Worlds.

VW Beetle created by Ferdinand Porsche.

The ballpoint pen in invented by Lazlo Biro

LOCAL HISTORY

Exports and Imports are allowed only with special licences.

February 26 - Summit Road opens

September 14 - Social Security Act passed. The cornerstone of the first Labour government's 'cradle to the grave' welfare policies, this act introduced revised pensions and extended benefits for families, invalids and the unemployed.


Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries

RACING HISTORY

LAWN DERBY became the first horse outside the USA to break two minutes for the mile when he recorded 1:59.4 in a Time Trial during the Cup Carnival at Addington.

April 20 - First Inter-Dominion trotting Championship held at Addington Raceway. Originally scheduled for Easter, the contest was postponed by flooding throughout the city. Further flooding after the first races delayed the finals until May 4.



Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries

RACING HISTORY SECRETARIES & EXECUTIVE STAFF

DES PARKER - NZMTC Secretary/Manager

Des Parker was associated with the Met for nearly 50 years and the Secretary/Manager from 1952 until his retirement in 1979. During that time he guided the club ably through a series of innovations and adjustments unknown in earlier eras.

He joined the Met in 1938 as a clerk under Andrew Rattray and his assistant, Harold Goggin, who succeeded Rattray in 1941 until his sudden death in 1952. Parker worked as a tote operator at the first New Zealand InterDominion in 1938 and retired at the end of organising the fifth Series held on the track, all hugely successful. During his time came several Royal visits including the most significant one by the young Queen and Duke in 1954 a test for the new Secretary which he passed with flying colours.

Major rebuilds, night trotting, the purchase of the Addington grounds previously leased, the adaption of caterers to reflect a new audience were just a few areas where he showed great competence. Few presidents had the appetite for a fight with Des Parker over some proposed change when he had reservations but few wanted to anyway. Aided by his "man's man" image he welcomed innovation but had a practical, realistic approach to his limits and woe betide the proposer, inside the office or out who had not prepared a very solid case for change.

Parker enjoyed racing but he was primarily an administrator and this gave balance to some of the more unwise proposals over the years. When he retired he was made a life member of all three clubs racing at Addington, only the second man in history to have that honour. He departed before the real start of the computer age and it would be fair to say he was the last of the great office administrators from the simpler "golden age".

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Aug 2016

RACING HISTORY INTERDOMINIONS

CHRISTCHURCH - POT LUCK

Continuing and frustrating postponements through rain which dogged the carnival, a furore over a change of gear on the horse destined to become New Zealand's greatest sire and a clear-cut Championship win on poins for a famous mare despite going under in the Grand Final were memorable features of the first Interdominion Series in New Zealand - at Addington in 1938.

In common with Perth and Brisbane, trotting in Christchurch had in very early times been held on a cricket ground - at Lancaster Park from 1886 - by cricket enthusiasts to raise funds for their foremost love. About five years earlier Robert Wilkin had laid the foundation for the sport by importing from America the Kentucky-bred stallions Berlin and Blackwood Abdallah, the yearling colt Vancleve and six broodmares. The venue soon changed to Addington, where the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club held the first meeting in November, 1899, with stakes totalling £2140 and investments £10,695. The first New Zealand Cup was run at Addington in 1904 (won by straightout trotter Monte Carlo) and by 1938 the Metropolitan Club was ready to stage New Zealand's first-ever four-day meeting for the Interdomions with total stakes of £9700 and a Grand Final purse of £2350.

Rain, badly affecting the six-furlong clay track, proved a nightmare for officials, forcing "the Met" to make four postponments during the carnival. Originally set down to start on Easter Saturday, April 16, the first set of heats were run on Wednesday, April, 20. The second round was to have followed the day after, but was postponed twice until the Saturday, while the third day was held on Tuesday, April 26. Then the Final had to be put of from the following Saturday until Wednesday, May 4. Scheduled to be run over eight days, from April 16 to 23, the meeting wound up extending over a fortnight.

But, despite these upsets, all the ingredients were there for some splendid racing, with a good selection of worthy visitors from Australia to measure strides with a vintage assortment of New Zealand's best. And the racing as it unfolded proved of the highest order. The 1936 and 1937 Grand Champions Evicus and Dan's Son were both on hand from Australia, not to mention Icevus (a well-performed brother of Evicus), J P Stratton's Kolect, Melbourne-trained Joy's John (third in the Adelaide Grand Final a year earlier) and the gallant West Australian mare Lady Childewood.

Such was the strength of the New Zealand force, however, that of these only Evicus (who after finishing last in the Adelaide Grand Final had been trained in New Zealand for some time) made the Final, in which she was never in contention. Points were allotted in the heats on the basis of 6 for first, 2 1/2 for second, 1 for third and 2 1/2 for fastest time of the first four home. The allotment in the Final was 7, 2 1/2, 1 and 3.

First blood in the 10-furlong round went to the bonny four-year-old mare Parisienne, who in the deft hands of trainer Roy Berry started from 12yds and came from the back in slow going to beat Evicus (12yds) by two lengths with favourite King's Play (12) next, then Roi l'Or, hero of a hundred battles, fourth from 36yds.

The second heat was affected by accidents, and 1937 NZ Cup winner Lucky Jack (who was to win the Cup again in 1939 after finishing second in 1938) was among those put out of contention. The winner was Ces Donald's candidate Plutus by two lengths over Joy's John (George Gath).

Supertax, a fine pacer of the era for George Mouritz, came off 36yds to beat Blair Athol (Fr) and Ladt Childewood (12yds) in the remaining heat. Here John McKenzie's American import U Scott, a ruling favourite, made a hopelessmess of the start before catching the field, running upo to third on the turn then wilting out.

Supertax and Parisienne moved well ahead on the points table with 17 apiece following clear wins at a mile and a half on a holding but drying track on the second day. Pot Luck, no danger on the opening day, was runner-up to Supertax in the hands of Maurice Holmes, while smart Auckland visitor Nervie's Last (F J Smith) with 12yds start from Parisienne, failed by half a length to hold her out, with Evicus a good third. Lucky Jack won the other heat for Roy Berry by a neck from Blair Athol.

The going was similar for the two-mile heats the third day, and again Parisienne and Lucky Jack prevailed, but, to the ire of many in the crowd, the third heat, the final event of the day, provided an all-the-way win for the Free Holmes-driven U Scott over Pot Luck and Supertax.

After U Scott had badly muffed his starts on the first two days, owner John McKenzie (later Sir John) has sought permission on the third day to race the horse in a closed bridle instead of an open one. Mr McKenzie ordered U Scott back to the stalls and threatened to scratch the horse when refused this request by chief stipendiary steward Fred Beer and the judicial committee. Under the rules of the day, a horse that started more than once at a meeting was required to wear exactly the same gear unless the express consent of the stewards was given for a change. The stewards reconsidered; U Scott made a late appearance on the track and won. He was greeted with a hostile reception, mainly from people who had altered their choice of bets under the impression that he would be scratched.

A protest by the Pot Luck camp against U Scott was dismissed after dividends were held up until the following day. It cost Mr McKenzie the winning stake of £525. He had stipulated he would pay this amount to the Returned Services Association if the stakes were awarded to him. U Scott got £100 of that back by taking the lap prize awarded to the first horse past the winning post the second time round with six furlongs to go in the Grand Final. But after leading to the straight he was under pressure and dropped out.

He was a good racehorse, however, and his 11 wins and six placings from 30 starts in New Zealand as a pacer after taking a matinee mark of 2.11 trotting at two years in America, earned him, in days of microscopic stakes, £2055. This was nothing to what he was to accomplish as a sire and broodmare sire, however, and today the son of Scotland and Lillian Hilta is famous throughout the trotting world for his accomplishments at stud.

Roy Berry had to choose between his stablemates Parisienne (top points scorer with 23) and Lucky Jack (second equal in the table with Supertax on 17) as his charge in the Final. He opted for Parisienne. Plutus and U Scott (8 1/2) were next on the points table ending the qualifying heats, at which stage Pot Luck - a wayward type and hard to manage, so that the early slow pace in the heats had told on him - had only 5 points.

A great crowd turned out despite the overcast weather, and on a good track the whole Grand Final field of twelve went off correctly. U Scott, on reaching the front fairly early, set a muddling pace before sprinting up for the lap prize. At this stage Parisienne, squeezed back early, began moving up from second-last. She had the crowd on its toes as she chased U Scott and Nervie's Last (Jimmy Bryce Jnr) into the straight. However, just when it appeared this grand mare was on her way to a clean sweep of the series, Pot Luck - shuffled around in the race but cleverly and patiently handled by Morrie Holmes - pulled out and with a brilliant final spurt outsprinted Parisienne to the line by two lengths. Stan Edwards with Blair Athol was third, only a head from Parisienne, with Jack Pringle and Supertax next, just ahead of Lucky Jack. The last-named, in the hands of Lester Frost had been badly checked near the three furlongs when travelling like a winner. Parisienne was a clear-cut Championship winner with 28 1/2 points over Supertax (18), Lucky Jack (17) and Pot Luck (12).

Bred in Auckland by George McMillan and raced by Mrs D R Revell, Parisienne was by the imported American horse Rey de Oro. Her sire had topped the New Zealand sire's list in the two previous seasons and was also to subsequently twice top the broodmares sires' list. Her dam, Yenot, by the imported Harold Dillon from a mare by the famous Rothschild, was a fair performer who won saddle races in Westport and Greymouth. Yenot was to found a fine family, with the line through Parisienne (dam of the brilliant La Mignon, in turn the dam of Garcon Roux and Roydon Roux) the strongest branch.

Educated by one of New Zealand's best-ever jockeys, Hector Gray, before being handed to Berry, the handsome chestnut Parisienne, 15.1 hands, won the Sapling Stakes at two and at three the New Zealand and Great Northern Derbies. Following her Championship win she in 1939 became world's champion pacing mare with a race record of 4:15.6 for two miles. When she embarked on her equally successful stud career her racing record stood at 16 wins, 10 seconds, four thirds and two fourths and £6766 in stakes. She was widely acclaimed the greatest of her sex to have raced in New Zealand as a four-year-old, and one of the top mares of all time.

Pot Luck, a sturdy five-year-old son of the imported Walter Direct horse Jack Potts (nine times New Zealand's leading sire and six times leading broodmare sire) and the Harold Dillon (imp) mare Hope Dillon, was trained and driven by the then 29-year-old Maurice Holmes for another capable horseman Bert Stafford, then publican at the Carlton Hotel in Christchurch. Stafford, long a trotting dabbler, had bought Pot Luck for £400 from New Brighton breeder J D Smith after the gelding had finished second in the Riccarton Stakes as a three-year-old. While still three Pot Luck carried on to win six races for Mr Stafford, including the inaugural All-Aged Stakes at Ashburton. He was later to win a Wellington Cup and had 18 wins and 33 placings worth £8092 on the scoreboard when retired as a nine-year-old. Ironically, Pot Luck was ninth on the score table with 12 points after winning the Grand Final.

The heats carried stakes of £750 (£525 to the winner) and the Final was worth £2250, of which Pot Luck collected £1500. Parisienne received £450 and also £250 for the highest aggregate of time points, which with her heat wins boosted her earnings to about £1800 -roughly the same as Pot Luck's full share of the spoils.

Australians Joy's John (Victoria) and Lady Childewood (Western Australia) had gained a few qualifying points, but did not stay around for the last day of the meeting, when Joy's John would have been able to contest the Final.

The great Indianapolis, off the winning list since he won his third successive New Zealand Cup in 1936, took a consolation race from 60yds, with the crowd cheering the old favourite home, in the hands of Doug Watts. Lou Thomas won the other consolation with Glenrossie.

Credit: Ron Bisman & Taylor Strong in Interdominions the Saga of Champions

RACING HISTORY HORSES

LAWN DERBY

LAWN DERBY FIRST TO GO TWO MINUTE MILE

New Zealand saluted her first two-minute pacer last week when the tremendous crowd on the final day of the Cup meeting rose on its feet to give the Australian speed merchant, Lawn Derby, one of the greatest ovations in the history of the sport.

Lawn Derby's attempt against the record was regarded by many as little more than an exhibition of unhoppled pacing, but when he reached the end of the first quarter in 0.28 3/5 and the first half-mile in 0.57 3/5, the crowd began to get to its feet.

With six furlongs gone in 1.27 4/5 and the achievement of something never before seen outside America in sight, the Addington fans let loose in a truly amazing fashion.

Outside the demonstration winessed when Harold Logan won the Free-For-All in his "final appearance" two years ago there has never been a scene on Addington to compare with Lawn Derby's reception. The hoisting of 1.59 2/5 for the full journey was the signal for renewed outbursts, and the mobbing of horse, owner, and driver.

New Zealand has waited a long time for a horse capable of such speed, and last Friday will be a day that will never be forgotten for those fortunate enough to see Lawn Derby in action. Even had he failed in his objective, Lawn Derby would well have been worth going a long way to watch. A bright bay carrying plenty of quality, he is a pacer in every meaning of the word.

Boots, hopples and overcheck know no place in his wardrobe, and he moves with a precision that is attractive to an extreme. In short, he is the finished article, and he could not be improved upon as a pacer.

Conditions were as near to perfect as they could be on Friday, but given similar condition again there is little doubt that Lawn Derby would improve his 1.59 2/5.

Driver W J O'Shea was at a great disadvantage in that he is practically a stranger to the track and the various posts. The result was that his horse was asked for too great a speed in the first half-mile. The first four furlongs in 0.57 3/5 would have found most horses even of Lawn Derby's calibre, collapsing, and no greater proof of his wonderful speed and stamina could have been given than his final half in 1.1 4/5. More favourably rated, he would have reached, or bettered, 1.59.

The Aussie will now remain in New Zealand for several months, making a further attempt over a mile at New Brighton next month, and possibly at Epsom over the Auckland Cup fixture. He should be a wonderful attraction in both centres.

He is the greatest pacer ever seen in New Zealand or Australia and there is little need to say more than that.

Credit: NZ TRUTH 16 Nov 1938

RACING HISTORY HORSES

QUITE SURE

One of the more surprising successes at the stud in NZ was Quite Sure, a double-gaited horse imported her in 1938 by Miss Julia Cuff, then based in Southland. The Peter Volo stallion stood for some years in that province and his last years in Rakaia when Miss Cuff moved north.

Although most of his best offspring were trotters Quite Sure actually took his best lifetime mark of 2:01.8 pacing, though his sire, a son of Peter The Great, was a champion trotting stallion as a yearling and each season through to four years. Quite Sure's sons and daughters had mixed reputations but properly handled gave great results to patient trainers.

For a stallion whose offspring generally needed time to show their best, Quite Sure made an instant impact. From his first crop came 26 individual winners of 102 races. They included the juvenile champion Walter Moore, another top pacer Special Force and many others. The best known is the almost legendary Certissimus who, Even Speed and all, is probably the best young trotter this country has ever seen.

Certissimus had a tremendous action and in a tragically short career (he died from an accident as an early 4 year old) he became a wonder horse, returning one scintillating performance after another in the war years. Another champion trotter from the sire's early crops was Will Cary, the first trotter in NZ to better 4:20 for two miles and a Dominion Handicap winner.

Quite Sure's first winner was Bomber, trained by Bill Doyle at Leeston. Bomber went on to win a Dominion Handicap, and Bill has another cause to remember the stallion for he later leased and trained Gold Horizon. A lot of people will tell you that Gold Horizon's equal as a trotter is yet to be produced in NZ. He won more stakes than any other of his gait either here or in Australia at the time and won more than 20 races though the Dominion eluded him.

There were numerous other grand trotters by Quite Sure. Jimmy Dillon won 16 races and held two Australasian records. Blue Horizon was a mighty trotter, also holding records for some years, and he numbered the Ashburton Cup among his many wins. Then there was the brilliant, but unsound Toushay, holder of the 1¼ mile record for a number of years and winner of the Trotting Free For All. Sure Gift was another topliner and with Fairy Dell gave Quite Sure wins in the Trotting Stakes.
Ripcord was another champion trotter by Quite Sure, winning over all distances against top company and holder for a while of a world record over 11 furlongs. He won 11 races in all. Like another top trotter in Super Note, by Quite Sure he had some success at stud.

There were a number of other top horses by Quite Sure. Included among them were Copper Trail, a good Southland pacer and winner of the Gore Cup, Sandy Duval, Rerewaka (NZ Trotting FFA), Karnak (who beat a handicap field at two years), Stuart Lee (who won seven successive races), Imperial Trust, Monagh Leagh, Minora, Quite Happy and Quite Likely, holder of a two-year-old national mark over a mile for fillies. His best pacing son however was Whipster who won eight races until injury terminated his career. Whipster was a successful sire of Massacre, Don Hall and Glint among others.

Quite Sure also had considerable success as a broodmare sire. Quite Sound produced a top class trotter in Rock'n Robin. Glamour Girl was the dam of Flying Maiden and Halberg who won 15 races between them, Flying Maiden being the dam of current top three-year-old Cool Cat. Pleasure Bay is a Quite Sure mare assured of undying fame through her grandson Cardigan Bay. Ballyhaunis was the dam of Jennifer who has produced eight winners at stud and Sure Romance was the dam of Royal Mile, a juvenile trotter of great speed who held the national mile record for a time. Quite Evident, who won five races herself, was the dam of eight winners including Call Boy, who won nine including the Great Norther Derby, and Farlena an Australasian record holder and winner of four including the Sapling Stakes.

Little Doubt, a daughter of Quite Evident, produced six winners including For Certain, an Oaks winner. Maid Myra won five and was the dam of Pohutukawa, winner of 11 races in this country, and Cosy Del produced five winners and is grandam of Balgove. Karnak was the dam of five winners including Scimitar, winner of nine, and Ruer, who is the dam of the champion Australian trotter and sire Delvin Dancer. Credere was the dam of Deodatus, who won seven including the Trotting Stakes, and Salamis produced several winners including Sally Walla and Similas, the dam of Viking Water.

Luronne produced Ascot King a top Australian winner. Sporting Edition was the dam of Spring Edition, who won seven and produced five winners. Quite Contrary is the grandam of Ripper's Delight, Ilsa Voss and Rip Silver. Other good winners fron Quite Sure mares include the juvenile champion Vivanti (winner of the Oaks, Sapling Stakes, Welcome Stakes and holder of several records), Lassoloc winner of seven, Rascal five wins, Knighthood six wins (at either gait), Sure Charge winner of 11 (trotting), Dourglo, Prince Garry and April Hall, the dam of six winners.

Quite Sure sired 254 winners all told of 891 races and $705,749. In his second eligible season he was ninth on the list and remained in the top ten until 1954. His higest placing on the overall list was third in 1948-49, his offspring winning nearly $83,000. Other sons of Quite Sure made their mark at the stud including Desmond's Pride, a brother of Certissimus who himself served a few mares as a colt with success, Concord and Rest Assured.

Some trainers were not keen on Quite Sure's stock and Bill Doyle, who had more success with them than most explains why: "They could be very flighty and hard to handle," recalls the Leeston sportsman, "and didn't take kindly to harsh treatment. But once they were sorted out they were top horses and especially top stayers."

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 8Jun77

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Alf Lawrence owner of Morello & Maurice McTigue

1938 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Australia's two best pacers, Logan Derby and Lawn Derby, were on hand in 1938, but the latter was hardly a chance in a controversial 20-horse field from 60 yards.

The event proved a triumph on debut for Methven's Maurice McTigue, who shot along the rails with the moderately performed Morello, which he trained and drove for Mr A J Lawrence, to beat Lucky Jack and Logan Derby.

But it was the majestic Lawn Derby who stole the show at the meeting when on the last day, he time trialled in 1:59 2/5 to become the first 2:00 horse outside America.

Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1938 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

For those who admire the genuine, solid and reliable racehorse, we can do no better than recommend Logan Derby. The Australian pacer is one of the safest and gamest yet introduced to Addington.

He was a good third in the New Zealand Cup, and there was merit in his placing in the Olivier Handicap, but his true worth was revealed on the last day, when he recorded 4.14 4/5 - a two-mile record for a horse - to fill second berth in the Louisson Handicap.

Later, he capped his performances by winning the Free-For-All in no undecided manner from the best Canterbury could produce against him. He ran his last mile here outside one horse all the way in 2.5 3/5 and fought on like a bulldog, to stamp himself a 24-carat racehorse.

A lazy goer, he has to be asked twice to turn on any speed, but he is a great beginner, will race anywhere in a field, and never makes a mistake in the running.

There was no prouder man in the country than owner Barnes after the Aussie's success in the Free-For-All and he had every right to feel elated. His horse is a model of the highest order.

Credit: NZ TRUTH 16 Nov 1938

RACING HISTORY FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1938 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

SMITHS QUICK THINKING PREVENTED HOLOCAUST IN TROTTING CUP

Another New Zealand Cup has come and gone and the latest, having much in common with its immediate predecessor, was one few would encore. It was not a race as we understand the word - just a mad scramble with ability in any department counting for little. Lady Luck was in full charge, and outstanding qualities in both horseflesh and horsemanship were wasted talents which could not be brought into play at any stage of the two mile journey.

Trouble started with the release of the barrier, when Rey Spec, Bonny Azure and Ginger Jack - a third of the limit horses - refused to get into action and caused more ducking and dodging than any debt collector ever did. In ordinary circumstances the field would have settled down quickly, but there could be no settling down here.

With 20 runners, all of which had to be within reasonable distance of the leaders, it was beyond all expectations that there would be any real order. Horses went where circumstances put them, and drivers were puppets. Some were given hopeless positions close, or comparatively close, to the inner rail; others were forced to commit their Cup hopes to the deep by being made the outside edge of the moving mass. Not that it mattered a great deal which was their lot. The programme committee's idea of a suitable limit had effectively removed all prospects of good judgement entering the question.

The few drivers who were placed where they could alter their positions were frightened to advance or retract and all had to stay where they found themselves. For the greater part of the journey they were like an uncomfortably packed collection of sardines waiting for someone to produce a tin opener.

As was only natural, this scrambling and crowded field could not go the full journey without an accident. At a stage when desperate positions called for desperate measures, Fred Smith met trouble which caused the inner wheel of Ironside's sulky to collapse. In "Truth's" opinion the club should present Fred with a gold medal. Had Fred attempted to stop his horse, as instinct must have prompted him to do, there seems little doubt that Addington racegoers would have witnessed one of the worst smashes in the history of the sport.

One of the leading division and third from the rails, Ironside was hemmed in with no chance of escape. The collapse of his wheel came when he could not go ahead, pull out or pull up. Fred took one look behind him - the New Zealand Cup field must have presented a pretty picture to him at that stage - and his course of action was decided for him. With his broken wheel ploughing up the track, Fred did his best to keep Ironside at full speed ahead. With the leaders going at 2.8 gait, full speed was impossible, but he slowed down sufficiently to allow the scrambling field to flow around and past him without disastrous interference to any. Had Ironside stopped suddenly or had he been allowed to take the swerve his broken wheel would natuarally tend to give him, the Addington officials would have had all the material on hand for a first-class nightmare.

It is to be hoped that with this incident came the awakening that the indescriminate preference for quantity of a questionable class over quality of an undeniable class cannot, and never will be, a sound or sane policy. The race from start to finish, could leave little room for debate on this question.

In spite of everything, there had to be a winner, and Morello emerged from this scramble the apple of Lady Luck's eye. And he deserved his victory. He went away well; did his work like a tradesman and when he was asked a question in the final quarter he came away in a manner that left little doubt that he was built of the right stuff to survive the day and the conditions. Always handily placed, he enjoyed no luck, either good or bad, in the running, and it has to be admitted that his finishing run carried the hallmark of class.

At the same time, he was fortunate that the conditions attached to the Cup allowed him, a pacer assessed on 4.27 when nominations closed, and one which had failed to prove his merit in numerous opportunities, to take his place in the field. He had done little to justify his inclusion here, and this is his seventh season of racing, but the result proved his connections had solid grounds for their faith in him when they accepted the Club's invitation to parade. Although there are people who will claim that Morello had no right in the field, the Club stretched its imagination and the conditions to attract horses not regarded as being in town-hall society, and all had an equal right to share in the spoils.

Lucky Jack was definitely unlucky not to have made this his second Cup. Like all the backmarkers, he was made to work overtime to get handy to the leaders, and he was forced to cover a ton of ground. When Ironside got in the wars, Lucky Jack was sent back, and he had to start all over again. He finished gamely, but the cards were stacked against him, and he had to be content with second money.

The Aussie, Logan Derby, acted the gentleman and ran a solid race for some of the minor money, while Ginger Jack came from an impossible position to have his number hoisted in fourth place. With a decent beginning it looked as if the latter must have been the winner. Pot Luck, another to begin slowly was right up, while Parisienne, pushed off the face of the earth all the journey, was next and far from disgraced. King's Play, Plutus, Rocks Ahead, Evicus and King's Warrior all went well to a point.

A break at the straight entrance cost Lawn Derby any chance he held. Up to that stage he had put in some great work from the back of the field and he looked like putting in a claim when he left his feet.

The hard luck stories that followed the Cup would fill columns, and none of them had to be invented. There could be nothing but hard luck for the majority of the runners in such a field.

As a race it was a failure, and as an indication of worth in horseflesh it was a farce.

Credit: NZ TRUTH 16 Nov 1938

CLUB HISTORY

DEVELOPMENT OF FACILITIES
In November 1938 a sub-committee of NZMTC and Canterbury Park waited on the Hospital Board for an extension of the lease.