 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1944
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1944 NEW ZEALAND PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP
Pacing Power's grand finishing run to wear down Loyal Friend near the finish and win the NZ Premier Sprint Championship at Addington on Saturday, brought the crowd to it's feet.
Pacing Power had been an unlucky horse for well over a season, and this victory was well-deserved compensation for some bad luck that attended his efforts in big contests. In the 1943 Cup he was the victim of serious interference, and in this year's Cup he had to race on a track that scarcely suited him as well as the fast, dry track he was successful on in the Sprint Championship.
Pacing Power is all horse. Previously his leading role had been that of a stayer, but on Saturday he outstripped the best sprinters in commission, and no matter whether some of the chanpions stood on the mark or not, a championship is a championship calling for good manners and solidity in a horse, as well as speed and stamina. Pacing Power has all these attributes in liberal measure, and, only now six-years-old, he may yet inscribe his name on the roll of NZ Cup winners, because he has not been over-raced and may be just reaching his prime.
He certainly has the right back-ground because he is a descendant of famous Thelma, whose blood will be found in the pedigrees of previous Cup winners in Wildwood Junior(1909 & 1910), Author Dillon(1918), Lucky Jack(1937 & 1939) and Marlene(1940).
Full Result
1st: G Lancaster's PACING POWER. Trained & driven by R B Berry, Yalhurst.
2nd: A J Wilson's LOYAL FRIEND. Driven by F G Holmes.
3rd: B J Wilks's DUSKY SOUND. Driven by L A Maidens.
4th: H W Drewery's JOAN CONQUEST. Driven by J B Pringle.
The winner won by a head, with three lengths back to third.
Times: 2:38 2-5, 2:38 3-5, 2:39 1-5.
Also started: Bronze Eagle bracketed with the winner; Fine Art bracketed with the third horse; Gold Bar; Happy Man; Haughty; Integrity; Indian Clipper; Ronald Logan bracketed with the fourth horse; Parshall.
Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 15Nov44