 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1927
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1927 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL
Due to the display on the part of New Zealand's greatest pacer, Great Bingen, the Free-for-All was a very disappointing contest. Great Bingen took fright at the start and galloped a furlong and a half before he could be induced to strike his gait. By that time the field was well on its journey and he had no chance of making up his ground.
The winner, Native Chief can-canned at the start, lost several lengths and then had the race won at the head of the stretch. It wasn't a race at the finish, Native Chief winning easily in the slow time of 2.11 1-5. He really went in 2.8. That is from the time he left the starting peg.
Bell Harold and Loganwood loafed over the first half-mile which took 1.8 to cover, hence it is easy to understand why Native Chief gathered them so easily. In the straight, Peter Bingen put in his claim for second money and got it without doing any damge from a record point of view. Great Hope went away badly. Had Bonny Logan been able to have got clear m the straight she would have made the finish more interesting.
Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 17 Nov 1927