 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1963
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1963 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL
Club officials would have every reason to be jubilant when Cardigan Bay's name appeared among the acceptors for the Allan Matson Handicap, principal event on the inaugural night of night trotting at Addington Raceway. His task from 54 yards over a mile and five furlongs should not be beyond him: the main question exercising the minds of trotting enthusiasts is whether anything in front of Cardigan Bay is capable of making him go fast enough to lower the world record for a mile and five furlongs.
The stake of the race is £3500, but it will be possible for Cardigan Bay to win an additional £500. This amount will be paid to the horse finishing in the first four and breaking False Step's world record of 3:21 for a mile and five furlongs.
Cardigan Bay's time, 2:34.6, for a mile and a quarter in the NZ Free-For-All was little more than an 'exercise gallop' for the 'Pacing Powerhouse from Pukuranga'. It is many a day since a free-for-all field was reduced to such minus qualities as were Sun Chief, Vanderford and Co. from the word go last week. The further they went the more assured was Cardigan Bay's victory. Without any intention of detracting one iota from the champion's facile victory, the mountains of effort on the part of the rest of the field yielded only a mouse of competition. The alarming frailties of our free-for-all class - with one horse standing out from the remainder like Mount Everest among the Port Hills - is drawn in bold relief by the times of the minor place-getters: Sun Chief 2:35.2; Vanderford 2:35.8; King Hal 2:36.2. These are fast but not phenomenal times. Why, free-for-all horses were capable of better than that more than 29 years ago!
How poverty stricken is our top class going to be when Cardigan Bay returns north, thence back to Australia...Lordship can't return to the fray quick enough. The remainder of our top horses are very much at sixes and sevens, some of them on the down grade, some of them jaded, and only one or two with their futures in front of them. The top draw will assuredly fill up again, but it will take time. And there are so few left to hold the Cup fort...One consulation is that smart improving pacers such as Flying Blue, Admit, Kingsdowm Patch, Junior Royal, Rustic Lad, Jay Ar and Cairnbrae are among those on the brink of Cup company ...a gloomy picture could brighten overnight.
In the meantime, the Metropolitan Club may be fortunate in retaining Cardigan Bay - for its second night as well - as trotting's greatest drawcard. Not infrequently, some club officials become apprehensive about an 'invincible' champion cramping the betting. This complaint proved to have no substance in fact as far as the NZ Free-For-All last Friday was concerned - it was the largest betting pool of the day, with a combined on and off-course total of £35,231. That is big betting by any standards, and its own answer to the recurring fears of club officials that a 'certainty'in a free-for-all decimates the public's wagering. It has also to be kept constantly in mind that the champions are the horses which make the turnstiles click. 'Monopoly phobia' has invariably proved groundless.
A dominating favourite in the Free-For-All, Cardigan Bay just played with the opposition to gain the easiest of wins by three lengths. From number eight at the barrier he was in front before going 75 yards, and no other runner was prepared to challenge him for the role of pacemaker. At the three furlongs, trainer/driver P T Wolfenden asked his charge for a little more acceleration and he steaked away on his own, nothing else being capable of getting near him.
Cardigan Bay ran the mile and a quarter in 2:34.6, a 2:03.2 mile rate. He took 32.8sec for his first quarter, reached the first half mile in 63.2, clocked 1:35.8 for the first six furlongs and paced his first mile in 2:06.8. Cardigan Bay returned 58.4 for his final half mile, his last quarter being run in a sizzling 27.4sec. He received a rousing reception on his return to the birdcage. Cardigan Bay's success was his second in the race and he was second to Lordship 12 months ago.
As a result of Friday's win the Auckland pacer's stake winnings reached £49,747 15s, and he has won 36 races and been placed several times.
Sun Chief raced in third place most of the way and although no match for Cardigan Bay, he beat the others comfortably. It was his best performance for some time. Vanderford received a good run throughout, in a trailing position, one out, but could make no impression in the run to the post. He has done his share of racing for a four-year-old. King Hal did not get the best of runs and his fourth placing was a useful effort in the circumstances.
Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 20Nov63