 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1930
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Maurice Holmes & Wrackler's owner Harry Nicoll |
In 1930, 5-year-old gelding Wrackler made his rivals look second rate when he ran away from Author Jinks and Jewel Pointer for Maurice Holmes, who had turned 22 only a week earlier. While the margin was four lengths, it appeared Wrackler could have won by half the length of the straight if asked.
The son of Wrack and Trix Pointer had been top class right from the start, winning the NZ and Great Northern Derbys, and later when the handicaps became too tough, switched to trotting and won the Dominion, a remarkable and unique feat.
Breeder/ owner Harry Nicoll, his private trainer Don Warren and Holmes also won the Derby that day with Wrackler's sister Arethusa, who beat a field of 20. Holmes was suspended for six weeks for causing a melee in the event, but was still the season's leading driver with 35 wins, a feat he would repeat on 17 further occasions.
Another highlight was Ces Donald training the quinella in the Dominion when the Author Dillon gelding Writer beat Kempton. They all had their thunder stolen somewhat on Cup Day though by a new star in Harold Logan, an 8-year-old who recorded his 10th win from his previous 12 starts.
Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03
YEAR: 1930
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1930 NEW ZEALAND CUP
HEATS
The form shown in the heats of the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday has not made the solution of the final one whit easier, in fact, it rather serves to confuse matters.
FIRSTLY, Kohara, from the same mark as Wrackler, went almost 3 1/2 secs faster than Wrackler, which also had to be punched out at the finish. In addition to this we have to consider that almost every horse to compete in the final will be improved by the race in the heat. Perhaps the greatest improvement can be expected of Logan Park, as he looked great when he was stepped out on Tuesday. He was saved for a late run, but just when he started to put in his run he was forced wide out on the long bend and had to be checked, yet at the finish he was coming with great dash. Wrackler also will be improved by the race, and will lose none of his friends in spite of all the excuses that can be made for the rest.
Kohara won his heat by sheer staying power, only heading Terence Dillon in the last few yards. Terence Dillon had pulled hard in the early part of the race which compelled his driver to take him over some extra ground. Jewel Pointer always improves with racing, and King Pointer lost a good deal of ground at the start, yet finished on well.
The best performance of the day was registered by Author Jinks, for he lost at least 60yds at the start and finished quite a good fourth in his heat. Logan Chief reached the final only by reason of the fact that he hugged the fence all the way, and he does not appeal as the winner of the final, the first four horses of which may be Logan Park, Wrackler, Kohara and Author Jinks.
When the field went away in the First Division of the Cup, Author Jinks and Padlock refused to strike a gait, while King Pointer was slow to move. Jean McElwyn, Linkman and Harold Thorpe raced in line for three furlongs. Half a mile covered saw Kohara in front, followed by Terence Dillon, King Pointer and Jean McElwyn. Before the mile post was reached Terence Dillon was in front and continued to bowl along followed by Kohara, King Pointer, Harold Thorpe, Imprint and Author Jinks. The order was still the same when the straight was entered for the last time. Once straightened up, Kohara ranged up alongside Terence Dillon with King Pointer and Author Jinks putting m their claims. Terence Dillon appeared to be going easily at this point, but in the run to the post Kohara beat him by half a length, with King Pointer two lengths away third. Author Jinks was close up fourth, followed by Harold Thorpe and Imprint. Linkman, Talaro and Jean McElwyn were well back, while Padlock was pulled up before going half-a-mile.
Logan Chief was first to show out in the Second Division, followed by Travis Axworthy, Wrackler, Jewel Pointer and Kingcraft. Kingcraft had gone to the front at the end of the first half, followed by Logan Chief, Travis Axworthy, Jewel Pointer and Wrackler. Wrackler ran into second place at the mile post with Logan Chief, Travis Axworthy, Native Prince, Jewel Pointer and Daphne De Oro handy, and Logan Park last. The latter made a move half-a-mile from home, and Kingcraft was first into the straight with Wrackler and Native Prince alongside him. Jewel Pointer and Logan Chief were handy. Wrackler finished on best, and in a hard finish won by two lengths from Logan Park, with Jewel Pointer third and Logan Chief fourth. Then came Native Prince, Daphne De Oro and Kingcraft, with Travis Axworthy a long way back last.
Providing the weather keeps fine the clocks will be running hot when the select eight leave on Thursday afternoon, and the final summing up is for Logan Park, Wrackler, Kohara and Author Jinks.
FINAL
Wrackler Paralysed Opposition With Late Run
Although the qualifying heats in the New Zealand Cup contest promised that the final would be a real thriller, it has to be written of the 1930 event, as it has been written of so many before, that it was a disappointing race.
Wrackler unwound a run as they came into the straight that left the others anchored, and from then on it was not a race, with Wrackler simply jogging in. Disappointments started early in the race when Logan Park was left so badly that he was pulled up. King Pointer galloped off and lost so much ground that when he did strike his gait he was behind Terence Dillon from the twenty-four mark, and that horse had dwelt a little. Author Jinks was favored by a moving-in start, but that was of no use to him, as he broke up after going off, and he lost so much ground that he went to an apparently hopeless position.
Jewel Pointer soon took up the running, followed by Kohara, Logan Chief, Wrackler, Terence Dillon and King Pointer and this was the order practically to the home bend. King Pointer struck more bother early by getting a bump, and he went to a tangle, but he was with them again soon, and down the back he gave his supporters a thrill by coming with a strong run on the outer that looked like taking him to the lead, but another bump broke him up and put him out of court. At this stage, three furlongs from home, Jewel Pointer was still in
the lead and going nicely; Kohara was alongside, apparently full of running; Terence Dillon was working out for a run and was still on the bit; Logan Chief was throwing out signs of distress, and Wrackler was shaping up to put in his claim.
Within a furlong an altogether different complexion had been thrown upon the matter. Before they had completed the home bend Terence Dillon dropped the bit and was beaten. Bryce became busy on Kohara, but that horse, could not raise a kick, and Jewel Pointer was feeling the pinch, so Wrackler's run, started just as they swung into the straight, found not one horse fit to go a yard with him. The race was over with such dramatic suddenness that it left the spectators spellbound, although they revived sufficiently to give Wrackler a rousing reception as he, romped home the easiest of winners. The rest were so thoroughly distressed that Author Jinks, from an apparently hopeless position, came with a wet sail to be just as easily second as Wrackler was a winner, and credit must be given to Author Jinks as a real horse, as well as to English horseman J. Young, as a patient horseman and an excellent judge of pace.
No one to witness Wrackler's paralysing run would wish to deprive him of all the credit due to him as a super horse, and probably one of the greatest stayers to ever grace the track, but still the prevailing note struck was disappointment that Logan Park did not get away and thoroughly test the winner. That he would have done that was demonstrated on the final day of the meeting when he won just as pointlessly as did Wrackler in the Cup, and Logan Park was timed to come his last mile and a-half in 3.10 3/5 as though such an effort was a joke.
Credit: NZ Truth 13 & 20 Nov 1930