TROTTING STARTING GATE AT HAWERA SUCCESSFUL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28264, 30 April 1957, Page 4

TROTTING STARTING GATE AT HAWERA SUCCESSFUL

The flying start for the Flying Handicap at Hawera last Tuesday proved a great success and fully justified the time and work spent on the idea by members of the committee of the club. Instead of allowing the field to line up as best it could—as was the case in the Rattray. Stakes at Addington on April 6—a mobile starting gate was used and the field got away in good line at the first attempt.

The gate used was the idea of Mr D. Osborne, and was built by Mr R. Taylor, both of whom are employees of Mr J. R. Mortlock, a steward of the Hawera club. Two 14ft metal arms were attached to a four-wheel drive utility vehicle. This gave a spread of about 35 feet. The field was taken back to the mile and a quarter start, and the 10 starters jogged up behind the starting gate. The speed was gradually increased, until the vehicle was travelling from 15 to 20 miles an hour one furlong before the actual start. The horses were right upon the gate and almost in line. The speed was further increased until about 60 yards from the starting point the horses were travelling at almost two-minute speed and still they were almost in line. The vehicle accelerated about 15 yards from the start and drew to the side of the track within 60 yardsBefore the vehicle drew away from the field, the starter pulled a lever and the two arms swung in and locked against the sides of the vehicle. Much of the credit for the successful start must go to the president of the Hawera club (Mr A. J. Corrigan), who is also a member of the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference. He was on the vehicle and supervised the speed at which it travelled. Mr Corrigan had also spent much time in discussing with the drivers in the race what was expected of them. Practice Runs All drivers and horses in the Hawera race were given as many practice runs as they wanted behind the gate. The gate was available on the Friday before the meeting opened and again cn the Sunday before the race. Many horses not engaged in the Flying Handicap were given a run behind the gate. Maiden pacers, trotters, and intermediate-class horses tried the gate and in all instances near-perfect starts were obtained. The fine start was acclaimed by the crowd, which applauded as the field raced up to the starting point. Drivers who took part in the race all expressed apprpval of the starting gate, and felt that if flying starts were to become used extensively, a starting gate, such as that used at Hawera, should become mandatory. The finish to the race was fought out by Brahman, which drew the outside of the field, and Earl Marie, which started from the second line behind the horses which drew No. 5 and No. 6 at the barrier. Brahman was a little slow away. The arm of the starting gate did not reach the outside of the track and he was pulling hard. As the first bend was reached immediately after the start, C. S. Donald steadied Brahman, and he was almost 30 yards away when the field settled down. Brahman quickly improved his position, with Earl Marie coming from behind him at the furlong post to run him to a neck. With the Hawera race proving

! such a great success, it is certain that other clubs will next season i have races with flying starts. It is understood that already a number • of clubs have made approaches to i borrow the Hawera gates for such races. ’ Faro Case ' Charges arising from the positive swab taken from Faro after , he had won the Vedette Handicap ’ at Cambridge on March 30 will be : heard in Auckland tomorrow. By ‘ Gamble from Afterglow, Faro is ; raced in partnership by his 5 trainer, L. V. Poynter, of Sand- ‘ ringham, with Mrs C. C. Poynter. J Dalene Pulled Up » Dalene was reasonably handy [ to the leaders with about three r furlongs to run in the Beach » Handicap at Forbury Park on j Saturday when she stopped to a p walk in a few strides. Her trainer (D. L. McGregor) told the stir pendiary stewards that Dalene j was suffering from a throat ailr ment, and she would not be raced : again. A four-year-old mare by ’ Light Brigade from Doonholme, she was raced by Mr G. Cameron, ’ of Dunedin. . General Sandy : General Sandy, which disap- . pointed in his two races at the ; recent Addington Easter meeting, . has been sent home to his Tapanui . owner, Mr R. Hamilton, for a t spell. The Sandydale stallion » won at his first three starts from C. C. Devine’s stables, his wins including the New Zealand Pacing Stakes in November at Addington. General Sandy will probably be ; prepared for the New Zealand r Cup next November. . Broke When Handy , Fifth Brigade looked almost cer- ' tain to reach a place when she ' r was trotting comfortably about r the furlong post in the Dunedin ’ Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday. However, she broke and : dropped right out. Fifth BriJ gade did well to work into such s a handy position as she started ' from 48 yards, and had to contend with a big field. The first time > she is reasonably placed in the ? handicaps, she should go close to • winning. j Plans for Caduceus 1 Caduceus, which won the £5OOO I Lord Mayor’s Gup at Harold Park ! on Friday night for the second j year in succession, will probably have one further start at Harold t Park before returning to New Zea- » land for a spell. This would probj ably be in an-invitation race next > Saturday night, said his partI owner (Mr D. R. Moore) yestert daya Caduceus’s win on p?iday advanced his stake earnings to almost £30,000, of which just more than £17,000 has been won in " New Zealand. On his present s trip to Australia he has had 10 ' starts for seven wins and three placings, and he has earned more s than £6OOO in stakes.

Entries For Timaru

“The Press” Special Service TIMARU, April 29. Nominations for tne Timaru Trotting Club’s winter meeting on May 18 are:— WELCOME HANDICAP, of £225; 3min 56sec class; one mile and five furlongs.—Amelia, Astrol, Attract, Avon Lad, Cinderella, Coming Down, Combine, Composite, Crookstown, Dalmatian, Disdain, Ebony King Ebony Scott, Egyptian Rose, Estelle Hamesh, Home Mail, Ida Rey, Judear, Kaboon, Kauranui, Maiora, Marawiti, My Turn, Namjung, Procrastinator, Scotch Mist, Simplicity, Single Pete Superway, Tara, Thumberlina, Welbarn. Young Atlas. MEMBERS’ HANDICAP, of £225; 3min 56sec class; one mile and five furlongs.—Aspadale, Becky Medoro, Black Peter, dßrawl, Castellan, Clifton Volo, Copper Sand, Craignair, Ebonite, Fernside Lad, Freeway, Final Say. Focal Point, f'yvie Queen, Gay Alabama, Gay Craig, Glenila Lass, Glissando, Haugthiness, Huntaway, Irrigation, Lady Lustre, Lucy Manette, Our Bridget, Prompter, Quare Times, Question, Red Antrim, Red Rover, Regal Cappy, Rovindale. Sandflight, Spring Rey, Sudden Change, Teremoana, Te Rangi, Wimpy, Wye Princess, Young Sister.

IMPROVERS’ HANDICAP, of £300; 3min 52sec class; one mile and five furlongs (to be run as two races).— Banquier, Ben Lee, Buckaloo, Buren, Chappelet, Chupra, Compeer, Commander Spangle,, El Misti, Fair Dillon, First Lady, Fame, Flaroma, Fontoni, Fontenoy, General Advance, Gold Cloud, Gold Deoro, Golden Leader, Hunter’s Luck, Husky, Horatio, Impressario, Irish Idyll, Irish Wit, Keff, Lady Attack, Lady Vai, Lincoln Fair, Light Blue Long Range, Marshall Dale, May Hall, Mighty Loyal, Mulgrove, McGimpy, Nadjehda, Placid Girl, Prime, Prometheas, Radar, Rene Lou, Rimu Lass, Sandy Direct, Siberian, Solemnity, Scrooge, Stellar, Surie Queen, Super Attack, Toby Hall, Te Rangi, Timber Miller, Tonga, Utoss, Weekender.

PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, of £600; 4min 40sec class; two miles.—Adoration, Catamaran, Capull, Clyde, Dunfern, East Dome, Fair Lead, Genghis Khan, Gentry, Girl Brigade, Globetrotter, Gold Moana, Hazel Grattan, Johnny Guitar, Lady Nelson, Lexeter, Lord Mackworth, Macklin, Maharaja, Mendip Song, Next Time, Omega, Ronella, Royal Crown, Signor, Simalas, Sir Tatton, Spaxton, Starwise, Toucher, Zagar. STEWARDS’HANDICAP, of £300: 3min 53sec class; one mile and five furlongs.—Armenian, Assure, Astrol, Avon Lad, Bay Queen, Cat's Luck, Coming Down, Composite, Coronet Lass, Dalmatian, Dan’s Wonder, Front Rank, Garadale, Gentle Anna. Happy Haven, Home Mail, Indianna, Indian Queen, Jean Able, Judear, Kilmartin, Lothario, Maraschino, Mercury Light, Native Chord, Nirvana, Procrastinator, Rapuwai, Random’s Pride, Rosyth Sandfly, San Jacinto, Te Waihopai, Uleen, Unlikely, Wakeful, Young Atlas, Sheffield’s Beauty, Sure Maggie, Swiss Admiral.

MAY HANDICAP, of £325; 2min 53sec class; one mile and a quarter.— Achates, Amazon, Auditor, Blazing Sun, Bonny Venture, Catamaran, Chappelet, Court Talk. Cobina, Crimson Star, Dalene, Dismiss, Disraeli, Drastic, Ebony Hall, En Avant, Final Glow, Finestra, Fourth Edition, Francora, Globetrotter, Gold Deoroi Johnny Guitar, Lord Balfour, Lady Nelson, Make Way Marchons, Marchina, Maxwelton, Nikova, Nona Grattan, Okawe, Palmarie, Quibble, Quite Probable, Rey Derby, Shantung, Skydale, Spaxton, Trojan Wainoni Loyal, Zetland. FAREWELL HANDICAP, of £500; 2min 49sec class; one mile and a quarter.—Arriba, Blue Jay, Clemency, Colossal Queen, Dryden Lad, East Dome, Icedrift, Kyle Nurse, Lexeter, Lord Mackworth, Nipalong, Overdrive, Parable, Responsive, Showdown, Spaxton, Stylish George, Suzendy, Starwise, Te Hana, Upward, Victory Nelson, Vierosa, Welsh Heir, Western Son.