 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1956
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1956 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP
J Walsh, who has been one of Southland's leading trainers for well over 30 years, gained his most important success in the straight-out trotting section when he brought Cabra home at the head of a strong field in the Dominion Trotting Handicap.
Cabra owed his success to his solidness and reliability - no trotter in the top class at the moment is as imperturbable as Cabra; no amount of bustle or breaking of other horses around him will put him off. He keeps steadfastly on the beam, and any lack of brilliance on his part is more than balanced by his pronounced stamina.
In the Dominion, Cabra was always one of the first three, and he took the lead with half a mile to go, only to be outsped racing round the top by Scotch Paree. Scotch Paree drew away from Cabra and entered the straight with such a handy lead that he was being hailed as the winner. He was in difficulties at the half-furlong, however, and Cabra, who had kept on keeping on all the while, headed him with about 100 yards to go.
Prestbury, who had broken up when in the lead at the end of three and a half furlongs, was travelling fast in second place only a head behind Cabra, and a length back third was Recruit. Recruit showed remarkable speed after two breaks - the first costing him at least 50 yards - and on the running he could be regarded as a "racecourse certainty" beaten. He trotted his last mile and a half in 3:10. Several of the field broke badly at different stages, including Centennial Star, Enfilade, Slipstream and Quick Silver.
Cabra is a triumph for Walsh in more ways than one. A few seasons ago he showed little ability when sent north to a Canterbury stable and was sent back to his owners Messrs P J Bourke and A A Matheson, of Southland. Walsh, whose patience is proverbial, has succeeded in making a star performer out of a gelding who once went in danger of being a cast-off. Cabra, an eight-year-old gelding, is one of the few Dillon Hall progeny who favours the trotting gait - another top-class square-gaiter by him was Swanee River, and Shirley Dillon promises well.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar