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New Australian Mile Record , BY SALYATOR Comparatively little news comes from the Antipodes these days because, as the seasons, as familiar to us, reverse themselves at "the under side of the world," this is the Australian winter and it is "nothing doing" save at the merry-go-rounds. The interregnum at the great racing plants is now on. The season of 1923-24 closed some time ago and that of 1924-25 will not open for two or three months, when the spring and summer meetings will be held during what is fall and winter with us. Australia, like the rest of the world, seems just at present destitute of truly great performers. Eurythmic has gone to the stud, Beauford is broken down, Gloaming has practically closed his career, and no horses of their calibre have reappeared to take their places. In consequence the sport there has been lacking in those thrills that only contests between titans can produce. In the closing days of the season recently ended, however, there was one performance of unusual interest. Tins was the lowering of the Australasian mile record, over the famous Randwick course, Sydney, New South Wales, on April 18 last, from 1:36 to 1:36 by Whittier in the Doncaster handicap. The performance was a truly brilliant one because of the conditions that marked it. Whittier, duo to his victories in the Victorian Derby and Caulfield Cup, as well as other notable events of past seasons, was called upon to take up the steadying impost of 131 pounds and take his chances in a field of twenty-one starters. Few people had confidence in his ability to come through, but he did so by half a length, after a severe stretch duel with the speedy filly, Trimacre, of the same age, which had up but 110 pounds. BLOOD LINES INTERESTING. The previous record of 1 :36 for the Antipodes was established over the Canterbury course, at Auckland, New Zealand, by Thespian, three years, 114 pounds, on December 28, 1921. In Australia, owing to the difference in the seasons, ages are differently, reckoned than with us. Whittier rated there, the day of his performance, as a four-year-old, though foaled in 1919, but next fall will rate as a five-year-old. His blood-lines are interesting, and are as follows : f .m ,f , f Traquair. . . J Hampton Portland...! Atalanta I Madam Goldfinch c 5 a Illuminata S3 f Isonomy J-o f Bobadil -J Pilgrims I Progress .d .Sle J f Robinson J5 J Ta f f ra il Crusoe Giovanria B st- simon A Ayrshire.... g ., H fPositanoor r. J Electric Lit S Itouge Croix I CJlolandry J Nordenfeldt g .PHgrims rStCI Ueloise Ircss.... jnet. I Madcap Wallace Emmie Bred in England. Woorak has been considered in Australia a sire of sprinters only, many of the most brilliant seen there in recent years have been by him, but Whittier, by his Derby and Cup performances, has approved his stamina. His record mile demonstrated that he also possesses the paternal heritage of extreme speed. He typifies the blend of Australian and English blood handsomely and, carrying the fashionable Hampton top-line, goes collaterally to Isonomy, St Simon and Bend Or, with "crosses to Nordenfeldt and Wallace, two of the grandest stayers and weight carriers ever bred in Australia, the latter a son of the mighty Carbine ; while the sire of his dam, Bobadil, was in his day about the best miler in the Antipodes. Previous to Whittiers effort in 1:36VI, the best mile ever run in Australia proper was 1 :37, by Cetigne, seven years, 128 pounds, over the Flemington course, Melbourne, November 6, 1919, and equaled at Randwick, October 2, 1920. by Greenstead, six years, 132 pounds. It will be seen that Whittiers performance was a, truly superior one, compared witli these. The American Racing Manual for 1924 gives all miles run in this country up to January 1 of the present year in 1:37 or better and, according to it, no horse has ever beaten 1:37 with more than 130 pounds up. The nearest approach was by Lucullite, which as a four-year-old, in 1919, ran a mile at Bel-mcnt Park in 1:36 under 130 pounds. Kai-Sang, three years, with 133 pounds up, ran his mile in 1:37 flat at Belmont Park in 1922. Considering the fact that the Randwick course, like all those in "Australia, is a turf course and that at Belmont Park, like all American ones, a prepared or "dirt" course and, on that account presumably a shade faster, Whittier appears to have a distinct advantage. This is especially true when we reflect that he defeated no less than twenty other horses, giving lumps of weight to practically all of them. FAST MILE IN THIS COUNTRY. The fastest mile raced in the U. S. A., in 1924 to date of writing, is the 1:36 registered by Mad Hatter at Aqueduct, June 21, ne being eight years old and with 127 pounds up. As lve won "going away" it is possible that an extra four pounds might not have stopped him, though his margin over Rialto was but a neck. The antique son of Fair Play and Madcap had previously to his credit a mile in 1:36 with 129 pounds up, as a six-year-old, at Belmont Park in 1922 and must be reckoned one of the most capable milers that we have seen when in the mood to display his wares, which, unfortunately, is frequently not the case. jiile upon this theme mention should also be made of Naturalists mile in 1:36 flat, under 129 pounds, at Belmont Park in 1920, he then a six-year-cld, and John P. Griers in the same time, at Aqueduct, in 1921, he being then four and carrying 127 pounds. And again Naturalist shone in a mile in 1:36 at Saratoga, in 1920, with 128 pounds, and six years old. It will be seen that the milers of America and of Australia are close together, both in respect to speed and weight-carrying capacity, and it is these two lands that more attention Is paid to the time test than any other. In fact, there is no ether in which it is so carefully recorded and constantly figured in all estimations of form. Owing to the disregard of it in England one of the "relics of barbarism" which the turf there still hugs, and probably always will, fondly to its breast nothing in the way of data on English milers is quotable, and the same thing is true as regards those oE other great racing countries.
