 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1936
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1936 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP
A third successive win in the New Zealand Cup and a mile against time in 2min 0 2/5sec were Indianapolis' contributions last week to trotting history.
Both are records, and while the former will stand for a long time, the only horse likely to better the mile record in the near future is Indianapolis himself.
His third Cup win was achieved under difficulties. The conditions were all against him, he did not receive the best of runs, and he was forced to cover more ground than any horse in the race.
Half a mile from home he ran into a spot of trouble, which sent him to a tangle, and turning into the straight his task appeared hopeless. Red Shadow had a break of several lengths on Barton's horse and the race looked to be over. Desperate driving on Jack Fraser's part, however, saw Indianapolis gather in the leader and scramble home. It was sheer determination and grit which scored.
While his win price was exceedingly small and his place supporters received back slightly more than three quarters of their money, which was another record, this time in low prices, his victory was well deserved and highly popular.
To use his own words, George Barton was very, very thrilled. To "Truth" he stated that there had never been a race which he had so desired to win. The money end of the business was pleasing, but it was the fact that Indianapolis had done something no other horse had ever achieved and had set a record for future generations to better that really mattered. "Jack drove him admirably, I think, and it was absolutely great," he concluded.
Red Shadow ran a great race in the Cup, and at one stage Jimmy Bryce appeared to be sitting pretty. However when tackled by Indianapolis his finishing effort was weak and lacked fight. At the same time, he had the others well beaten in conditions that suited him down to the ground. War Buoy, third, was always in the picture but failed to show any speed when it was most needed.
Conditions were almost perfect when Indianapolis made his attempt on the mile record on Thursday, and with an ounce of luck he would have reached the two-minute list. That he was able to get within 2/5 of a second of that time, pulling a sulky not regarded as suitable for the job on a two-mile preparation, and after a gruelling race in the Cup, tells its own story.
The two efforts told their tale, for he was well and truly beaten on the last day, when he lined up in the Free-For-All. He showed no inclination to take his place at the start and going off slowly, he never looked likely.
It is probable that he will be allowed to freshen up and that he will make another attempt to join the two-minute brigade, and then he will take a hike across the water. His owner stated to "Truth" that he had promised the South Australian people that he would go, though trainer Claude Dunleavy was not keen on taking, or sending the horse, he would keep his promise.
In the meantime Indianapolis has two records which he will hold for a long time.
Credit: NZ TRUTH 18 Nov 1936
YEAR: 1936
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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As in 1934 & 1935 Indianapolis won the Cup. Refer to both years for comment.
On the second day of the 1936 carnival, three-times NZ Cup winner Indianapolis made an attempt to break 2:00 over a mile. He missed the magic mark, taking 2:00.4, but broke his previous record by a second. The galloping pacemaker is Cleaner, ridden by top jockey Jimmy Ellis.