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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 7 (December 1, 1930)

Happenings About Which Little is Heard

Happenings About Which Little is Heard

In view of the efforts being made to secure transport of race-horses by road, instead of by rail, it is well that the owners of race-horses should know some of the difficulties and risks experienced by those who sometimes have been tempted to desert the rail for the road.

A case in point is that of Messrs. Alexander & Dixon, who on 7th October last, railed six race-horses from Ellerslie to Napier. These were conveyed by the 7.40 p.m. express from Auckland to Palmerston North, and thence to Napier by the Wellington-Napier express which arrived there about 5.0 p.m.—less than 22 hours being occupied on this 450–mile journey.

For the return journey road travel was experimented with by the route via Taupo, but about three miles south of Tarawera the float ran into the channel of the road and, owing to its falling on its side, the horses had to be unloaded and walked to Tarawera whence they were reloaded. Both owners, it is understood, have made up their minds against using road transport in future, and since the above date they have utilised rail transport for the conveyance of their horses.

On the other side of the Tasman the Trainer of Phar Lap secretly transferred this wonder horse from Caulfield to Geelong on the morning after his recent Melbourne Stakes victory. To do this a road motor float was used. But when bringing his charge back by the same means for the Melbourne Cup race, “The Bulletin” remarks that engine trouble was experienced on the journey, and proceeds: “Geelong is 50 miles from Melbourne, and if the engine trouble had been very bad Phar Lap might not have reached Flemington in time for the Cup.” Presumably Trainer Telford will also be reluctant to take a similar risk in future when the ever-reliable train service is available.