TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 229, 27 September 1928, Page 14

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK MOTES.

(By ORION)

October 13, 17—Auckland Trotting Club. October 'Z'i —Oamaru T.C October 2-—Northland T.C. November 6. 8. 9—MetropoUtaa T.C. November 17. 21—Otaboba T.O. November 24—Wellington T.C. November 29. December I—ifofbury Park December B— Waikato 'J.C. December B—Cheviot T.C. December 15. 17—New Brigbron I.C. December 26—Gore 'X.C December 27.29. 31—Auckland Trotting Club. December 26—Ashburton T.C. - December 26, 27—South Wairaraiia T.C.

The nominations for the Methven Trotting Club's annual fixture, to be held on Saturday, October 6, must juat about be a record for a one-day meeting. For the eight events the entries total 326, or over 40 per race.

W. J. Tomkinson lias returned from his trip to Australia, and is again working his team at Addington. He has leased two horses, who will be raced in the Dominion. The trotter, Tonic, is a useful sort and a mare named Glideaway lias some smart performances to her credit on Melbourne tracks.

i loTie, the winner of the Solina Handicap at Aehhurton on Saturday, is a five-year-old, mare by Brent Locanda—Sally Bra?e. La*t seaeon plic starred i.ive times, but did not succeed in gaming a place. She must have improved considerably during the late autumn • and winter, because on Saturday, oIF a 3.45 mark, she went 3.30 2-5.

Mr. G. McMillan- appears to have ;rot hold of a good pacer in the Sungod — Decoy gelding Suufieli. Hβ was sent out favourite for the Rakaia Handicap at Aehburton on Saturday, and beat all but Wraokler, to whom he was conceding 24ydi3. Sunifir<h wont 2.50 '.i-5, which is a shade better than a 2.17 gait. /

Mr. H. F. iNicoll has decided to send Wrackler to Auckland next month, for the Great Northern Trotting , Derby, and it "will require something high-class to beat him. It is probable that Wrackeen will also come up, and she will be a worthy second string on the trip. Possibly Royal Wrack will accompany the other pair. He was definitely booked for the trip, but he met with a mishap recently, and there is a doubt about him being forward enough, alter spelling for a few weeks. <

The track at Kensington Park, Whangarei, which ie the venue of the Northland Trotting Club's meeting on Labour Day, haf; received a great deal of attention during the off season. In addition to a thorough topdressing and levelling, the two bad places, at the bottom of the straight and near the eix furlongs, have been returfed, and this work has consolidated well. Nominations for all eve&te at the meeting cldse with the acting secretary, Mr. A. F. Thomson, Whangarei, or with Meaera. Blomfield and Co., AuekJand, to-morrow ait o p.m.

The statement of Mr. H. Goggin, -secretary of the Metropolitan Trotting Club that a copy of the club' 3 programme was sent to J. Shaw has, of course, to be accepted, but the Auckland trainer states that never was he given a programme while at the club's office during the August meeting, nor dia he ever receive one by post. Had he done so Jewel Pointer would have still been in the New Zealand Trotting Cup. However, it is bad luck for' the connections of the horse, and it may also prove costly to the club as Shaw is. uncertain now that Jewel Pointer is out of the Cup whether he will take a tefcm eouth for the November meeting. With Jewel Pointer, Western King, Native Prince, and possibly other* freely nominated nominations and acceptance fees would have reached over £100.

The performances of Mr. H. F. Xicoll's three-year-olds by Wrack were the outstanding features of the two trotting events at Ashburton. In the Selma Handicap, Wrackeen, 'from 36yds, gradually made up her ground, and finished third, registering 3.27 4-5 for a mile and a half. Later in the day, in the Rakaia Handicap, Wrackler began a trifle slowly, but he was in front half a mile j from home, winning easily in 2.52 2-5 for a mile and a quarter, a 2.18 gait, or a fraction faster than Wraekeen's time. They were two exceptional performances for three-year-olds ~so early in the season. Wrackler. from the American mare, Trix Pointer, 1 a Trotting Cup winner. •is the ! first of Mr. Nicoll's young Wracks Ito win. though several of them have •} been placed. It more than ever apparent tliat the s*portsman made a greut purchase when he secured Wrack in America. The present lot of three-year-olds represent his first, crop of foals. They alt show great speed, combined with other qualities, which leave no doubt that they are going to develop into high-class racehorses. It is understood that the second season foals, two years old, show similar and indications point to Wrack making history on New Zealand trotting courses.

The impressive victory registered by Wrackler at Ashburton on Saturday draws attention to the fact that he is likely to play a prominent part in the Great Northern x and% New Zealand Derbies be decided later in the season, says a Christchurch writer. Wrackler- is a fine type of youngster and a,t the Aehburton meeting in April he |<ut up the New Zealand record for two-year-olds of 3.2* 4-5 for a mile and a half. Shortly afterwards Wrackler was one of the victims of an epidemic of rolde tlmt ran tkroiigh the- DurTiar Lodge stable and this affected him in his preparation for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, in wnich race he finished third to Sonoma Child and Grandlight. Bred by Mr. H. F. Nicoll at Ashburton, Wrackler comes direct frem American stock, for fcoth Wrack, the sire, and Trix Pointer, the dam, were imported from America. Trix Pointer was a good race mare, winning the New Zealand Cup in 1919 ,and the Free for All in 1922 in the. nomination* of Mr. W. H. Norton. 'Trix Pointer for several years past has been at Durbar Lodge, Mr. Nicoll and Mr. Norton having had an agreement in which they took foal and foal about. On Mr. Norton's death, Trix Pointer passed into the possession of the Riccarton stud-master, Mr. Free Holmes, but the mare will be left at Dnrbar Lodge under the agreement entered into by Mr. Norton. Trix i Pointer has had two to Wrack J and the second, now a, yearling colt, ha? been leased by Mr. Nicoll.

The appointment of Mr. Geo. Paul as handicaper to the Metropolitan Trotting Club did not come as a surprise, as it was generally expected he would be the successful applicant.