 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1951
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1951 DOMINION HANDICAP
It is doubtful if trotting - or racing of either gait for that matter - has ever reached a higher level than that provided by the field for the Dominion Handicap at Addington on Friday.
With the exception of a few defaulters at the start, Precaution, Belmoral and Bulls Eye included, and Tatsydale's break with less than a furlong covered, there were few mistakes on the part of the well-matched field, and from start to finish they trotted themselves to a virtual standstill. The only one who had anything left at the finish was the winner, Barrier Reef, who gathered in the tiring duellists, Gold Horizon and Highland Kilt, over the final furlong. The cut-throat tactics of Gold Horizon and Highland Kilt round the home turn helped to make the race, although depriving both of victory.
It was real racing, with a closely-packed field providing an exhilarating spectacle, particularly when the backmarker Tactician, racing four out, drew up to the leaders with three furlongs to go, only to be left standing when Highland Kilt and Gold Horizon got down to serious business and threatened to slip away from the field at the two furlongs. It was here that Barrier Reef came into action, and just when Gold Horizon had taken Highland Kilt's measure, Barrier Reef issued an undeniable challenge and won by two lengths.
To emphasise the extent to which the whole field stopped, Barrier Reef's last quarter took 32 3-5sec slow for the final section of any race, and Dictation, who had to give ground a long way from the finish and was only sixth, was privately timed from post to post in 4:15 1-5. The first half was reached by Highland Kilt in 68 4-5, mile in 2:13, mile and a quarter in 2:45, mile and a half 3:19, mile and three-quarters 3:48.
Barrier Reef has had only three races from W J Coates's stable for a fourth in the Wishful Handicap at Oamaru, and wins in the Worthy Queen Handicap on the opening day of the Cup Carnival, and the Dominion Handicap on Friday. Barrier Reef was previously trained by H J Smith, who gave up training two months ago. Smith trained Barrier Reef for several good wins, including a heat of the last Inter-Dominion Championships. Previously noted more for his speed than stamina, Barrier Reef proved himself a grand stayer in the Dominion Handicap. As the sectional times will show, it was a very truly run race, and Barrier Reef won most resolutely at the right end. He has now won ten races and his winnings have reached £7465.
Foaled in 1943, Barrier Reef is a brown gelding by U Scott from Rocks Ahead, a high-class pacing daughter of Happy Voyage and First Water, who established one of the Dominion's best winning families. Rocks Ahead is also the dam of the pacer Navigate, winner of more than £10,000 in stakes ,and other winners in Master Mariner, Rendezvous and Global Village, the last-named a trotter with a reputation for speed at least equal to that of Barrier Reef, but who is far from solid. Barrier Reef is owned by Mrs M Rice, a daughter of the late F McGill, of Wyndham, who bred Barrier Reef. The winner's sire, U Scott, was represented by previous winners of the race in Lady Scott, who dead-heated with Will Cary in 1944, and Fantom, 1945.
It was a big betting race, the total investments reaching £26,713 10s. (win, £11,269 10s; place, £15,444).
For two years running the time for the Dominion Handicap has been faster than the NZ Cup. Last year Chamfer won the Cup in 4:17 1-5 and Dictation the Dominion Handicap in 4:16 2-5. This year Van Dieman's time in the Cup was 4:19 4-5 and Barrier Reef registered 4:18 2-5 in the Dominion Handicap.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 14Nov51