TROTTING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1926, Page 7

TROTTING NOTES

(By "Vedette.")

TROTTING VULTURES.

October 16, 20—Auckland T.C. October 23, 25—OreymoutU T.C. October 25—Oamaru -I.e. October 30—Timaru U.C. November 9. 11. 12— N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 19, 20—Nelsoii T.C. November 20, 24—Otahuhu T.C. » November 20, 27—Forbury Park T.C. December 4—Walkato T.C. . December 8, 11—Wellington T.C. December 1«, 18—New Brighton- T.C. _. December 27—Ashburton T.C. December 27—Gore T.C. December 27, 28—South Wairarapa T.C. December 27, 28—Westport T.C. December 28, 30, 31—Auckland T.C. December 39—Winton T.C.

It is a remarkable fact that adverse comment, or criticism of any existing order, whether it be constructive rather than destructive, is never wholly popular. Praise deserved or otherwise is taken as a matter of course, but censure never fails to find its mark. The few remarks penned about the state of affairs in trotting at Addington received some very wholesome'backing by a colleague of the pen, but an anonymous writer, "Onlooker," in the official organ of trotting takes both my colleague "Miles" and myself to task. "Miles" 'has so completely shattered the criticism of the anonymous one that there is little left to which one can reply. Hia accusation of writing without the book has been rather a boomerang in the face of facts and figures which prove at least a decline of monetary interest in trotting, weather and all in. There is one section of "Onlooker's" letter which cannot pass, viz., "It ill-be-comes a Wellington visitor to Christchurch to criticise his hosts in their favours handed out." The inference from this paragraph is one to bo resented by every straightforward critic, but it is just as certain that the hospitality extended by. officials of racing and trotting clubs is meant in no way to tie the hands or misdirect the pens of racing journalists when fair and honest criticism is necessary. The responsible people at_ the head of affairs know that free criticism and publicity are the 'sheet-anchors of the game. It' was not intended to refer to the above subject again, but by the mail came a letter from a very prominent man in trotting circlas. He writes:—"May I congratulate you on your article re the falling oft' of public interest in trotting in Christchurch. Should you comment on this again I beg to offer.you one or two suggestions. The Speedway Handicap (second day) being the race with the best horses in New Zealand competing, and which created by far the most interest during the meeting, was run in semidarknesg, being put on the programme the last race of the day. Mirny people had left the course previous to this. The Lincoln Handicap, one mile and a quarter, run on the same day and the same distance for second-rate horses, was worth £450, whereas the Speedway Handicap for the best horses in New Zealand was worth £400." These are matters for the Programme Committee of the Metropolitan Trotting Club to consider. It is difficult for anyone to justify the arrangement of stake money, and the complaint is a fair one. No doubt the high-class mile and mile and a quarter races are put on the programme as the eighth race in order to keep all the people on the course until the end. This they fail to do, and anyone who has studied the psychology of a racecourse crowd knows that the real patronß of the totalisator would stay to the bitter end and bet if the last race was contested by a field of goats. It is not a good policy to ask owners to race their best horses at the tail end of the day and in semi-darkness half an hour behind schedule time.' The British-bred pacer, Airman, made a successful attack on the flying mile record of 2min Msec at Hylands Pavk, Romford, in July. Capitally paced by Miss Prim, Quo Vadis, and Gipsy Love, says an exchange, . Airman covered the quarter-mile in 32sec, "half-mile lmin ssec, six furlongs lmin 37 2-ssec, and mile in 2min 10 4-ssec. The American - horse Peter; Chenault

was on the Manuka from Melbourne, and went on to Lyttelton by that steamer yesterday. Nelson Derby appears to be doing good work at Addington in company with the straight-out trotter Napland. Mr. J. L. Webb has purchased from Mr. JJ» M. Morten the well-performed pacer Kohara, by Cathedral Chimes from Bright Alice. He will remain in J. Bryco's stable, and he may be racing for his ne.T owner at t.ie New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Meeting in November. The mishap which occurred to Jack Potts recently has proved rather serious. The leg is under veterinary treatment, and his chance of being ready for spring racing seems rather remote. Waitaki Girl showed signs of soreness after a work-out at New Brighton this week. It is hoped the trouble will not be serious, but the news is not reassuring at this stage of her Cup preparation. Some years ago, owing to the presence of foot and mouth disease in the United States, New Zealand imposed an embargo which included fodder, fruit, etc., coming from that country. The embargo on these products will be lifted on 18th September, after which it is expected that Californian fruit, etc., will again appear in New Zealand markets, in which it formerly exercised a big influence, especally in the citrus section. Incidentally, the lifting of the embargo is likely to facilitate the importing of United States horses into New Zealand. Horses were not prohibited under the embargo, but the restrictions on United States fodder made their shipment difficult. It will now be practicable to ship horses from the United States to New Zealand, and it is understood that an early result will be the importation of many trotting horses to. Canterbury. The three recent arrivals from Australia, Deanwood, Parkwood, and Dixie Fox, in P. Riddle's stable, are all doing useful work at Addington. Delavan's Quest looks to be the most forward of P. Riddle's team, and the Australian bred pacer is in capital condition. In the course of his remarks at the annual meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club, the president, Mr. B. S. Irwin, said the institution of a Free-for-AH had met with general approval, despite differences of opinion about starting. This attitude towards the highest class of racing is particularly pleasing, especially when viewed in contrast with the retrograde action of the Auckland Trotting Club.