 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1951
INTERDOMINIONS
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Gay Belwin's success in the Inter-Dominion Trotting Grand Final was an achievement in more ways than one. It gave trainer J Young and driver R Young the distinction of having secured the only two trotting championships at the three Inter-Dominion meetings so far held in New Zealand.
For owner, Mrs E A Berryman, it was a triumph richly earned and universally popular. Mrs Berryman has been a loyal supporter of the square-gaited horse for more than a quarter of a century, and Gay Belwin is only one of the high-class trotters owned by her. Purchased last season from M Paul, of Auckland, for £2500, he has won 10 races and £8515 in stakes.
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Trotters, particularly, were impressive, and the only regrettable incident was the mix-up of unhoppled horses in the Grand Final. Through this mix-up, caused when Highland Kilt broke, two of the prominently backed candidates, Ripcord and Swanee River, had their chances extinguished. The winner, Gay Belwin, an ex-Mangere trotter, was lucky to escape, and it was mainly due to expert handling by his driver, R Young.
Highland Kilt, Barrier Reef, Ripcord, Swanee River and Gay Belwin were heat winners, securing their places in the Grand Final. Billy McElwyn, Two Step, Single Task, Jimmy Dillon and Dictation also made the grade as place-getters. As it was arranged to have 12 runners in the final, the committee invited two others, Signal Light and Tatsydale, both of whom had been closeto the placed horses in some heats, to join the field. On the great day the publis elected the Gay Belwin-Single Task bracket as favourite, then Ripcord, Swanee River, Dictation and Highland Kilt.
As already stated, the final event was to some extent marred. Highland Kilt, the youthful trotter of the section, after an outstanding performance on the first day, broke at the start of his next two heats and settled his chances. He did better in the early part of the final, but after about a mile broke and came back quickly on Swanee River and Ripcord, to spoil their prospects as well as his own.
At the time, Barrier Reef, Signal Light, Dictation and Gay Belwin - the latter cleverly avoiding trouble - were left clear, and they filled the places, Gay Belwin scoring from Signal Light by a neck, with Dictation shading Barrier Reef for third berth. Dictation, from 36 yards behind, recorded fastest time 3.27, for a mile and five furlongs, a new trotting record.
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PHOTO - Gay Belwin scores from Signal Light by a neck, with Dictation shading Barrier Reef for third. In fifth place is Highland Kilt, and just entering the picture is Two Step. Gay Belwin's time was 3.29 3-5, and Signal Light's was 3.29 4-5. The race was marred by the unfortunate incident caused by Highland Kilt breaking and spoiling the prospects of Swanee River and Ripcord as well as his own.
Credit: N Z Hoof Beats Vol 2 No.4