 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1950
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1950 DOMINION HANDICAP
Dictation's winning run in the Dominion Handicap was momentous in every way. He not only spreadeagled the field in the Australasian winning record time for a trotter of 4:16 2-5, but also put up the phenomenal figures of 3:09 2-5 for the last mile and a half, time which compares with the performances of some of the greatest pacers that have raced in this country. The only time that Dictation's figures have been bettered by a trotter in this country was when Fantom was placed in 4:16 on the same track last year.
There were only three horses in the race at the finish, Dictation, Ripcord and Single Task, and Dictation was more than equal to the challenges of the other two from the home turn. On this occasion Dictation trotted solidly throughout, and his outstanding effort was not lost on the public, who gave him a warm ovation.
"The time may not be far distant," said Mr C S Thomas during his speech to the presentation of a trophy to the owner-trainer-driver of the winner, J Wilson, "when our best trotters are once again racing against our best pacers in the NZ Cup. There is no thrill," he declared, "like a race amongst the best trotters," and went on to pay tribute to the excellence of the performances of Highland Kilt and Dictation that day. He referred to the brilliance of Dictation's two records at the meeting, his mile and a quarter in 2:38 3-5 on the first day and his new winning record of 4:16 2-5 on Show Day. "This Club has pursued a policy of catering for the trotter and will continue to do so," said Mr Thomas, who then called upon Mrs Thomas to present the trophy to the owner.
Wilson bought Dictation as a yearling for £100. He picked him out of several in a paddock. Wilson remarked during his reply to the presentation of the trophy that for years "other people have been getting the cream" of his training of trotters. Wilson has certainly been one of our most successful trainers of trotters over a long period and richly deserves his fortune with Dictation, who was, in his own words, "a handful from the day I broke him in." He had never knocked the horse about, otherwise he could not have gone far. No horse which is doing its best deserves to be whipped," said Wilson.
Other good trotters Wilson raced were Quincey Thorpe and King Oscar back in the twenties, and later Ordinance and Calumella. He educated and first raced Acclaimation, and laid the foundation of her eventual champion's calibre.
Dictation is by Josedale Dictator (imp), from Seal Globe, by the Australian pacer New Derby from Thelma Axworthy, who traces back to Thelma.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 15Nov50