 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1905
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1905 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP HANDICAP
The stake of the race remained at £310. The winner was Allendale Stock Farm's Birchmark (D J Price) with General Lincoln second and Vickery third.
"There was nothing sensational about the race," state the files. "Birchmark was regarded as a horse above average."
There was much more of an international flavour to the Cup in the early years than there has been ever since so it was only a matter of time before it was raided.
The second edition was won by Birchmark, a 5-year-old bred in America, owned and trained in Melbourne and driven by the renowned Australasian "sportsman" Dave Price of Ribbonwood fame.
The gelding began from the front and ploughed through a very muddy track in 5:17 3/5, which will forever remain the slowest time on record.
**'Ribbonwood'writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 25Oct44**
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Birchmark, off the front mark and the race favourite, ploughed through mud and slush to win the second New Zealand Cup. The heavy track unsettled most of the competitors, but Birchmark, always noted for his staying ability, was able to handle the conditions better than the rest. His winning time of 5:17.6 remains the slowest recorded in the race.
Birchmark was an American-bred gelding, owned and trained in Melbourne, and was one of a group of horses sent to Christchurch for the November racing by Lou Robertson, an expatriate New Zealander who had driven Royalwood in the inaugural New Zealand Cup. Robertson had crossed the Tasman to Australia, where he had taken up new training headquarters. Much later he switched his attention to the gallopers, and trained the 1935 Melbourne Cup winner Marabou.
The 1905 Cup carnival was raced over the customary days, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, November 7,9 and 10. Good weather on the first day brought a record attendance to Addington and, despite the extra totalisator facilities provided, amenities were taxed to the hilt. Lord Elmo beat Monte Carlo and Boldrewood in the Metropolitan Handicap, but was not a Cup contender. On the second day intermittent rain and a strong southerly wind made conditions unpleasant. Discoverer won the Christchurch Handicap by a neck from Marian. Both were Cup hopefuls, but it took them five minutes to race the two miles, so they gained little support. Birchmark was not a starter either day.
The cold southerly remained on Cup Day and heavy showers turned the track into a quagmine. As expected in such conditions, horses and drivers were sorry sights
after their events, returning to the birdcage covered in mud. The programme was a mixed bag. Of the eight races, five were in saddle and three in harness. There were two races over a mile, two over a mile-and-a-half, three over two miles and one over three miles, which took an incredible 8:24.6.
In the early spring, Cocoanut beat Verax in the August Handicap, Marian won the Midwinter Handicap, and Birchmark became the first of several National Cup-New Zealand Cup winners. The track that day in August was also in bad shape after heavy rain, so Birchmark was a ready-made favourite.
General Lincoln (Andy Pringle) and Monte Carlo were the next-best supported of the 10 starters. Dave Price (of Ribbonwood fame), who was driving Birchmark, had him in front from the start. Marian and Discoverer both broke and lost their chances. Birchmark led past the stands and, the first time round, was two lengths in front of General Lincoln and Verax. He still had a useful lead well into the second mile. In the back straight Birchmark broke his stride and Andy Pringle pushed General Lincoln into the lead. The pair were followed at 12-length intervals by Verax, Vickery and Monte Carlo. Birchmark recovered his lost ground and quickly surged past General Lincoln, beating him to the winning post by three lengths. Vickery (Manny Edwards) struggled into third place, 50 yards away. The others headed by Verax and Monte Carlo, were unable to handle the bad ground and were well beaten.
The trotter Verax was the season's top earner with £434.
**Bernie Wood writing in The Cup**