NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1931, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(EY i'EANGATIRA").

[TRENTHAM'S TRIUMPH

NEARLY EVERY BIG RACE

RECORD HARD TO BEAT

Trcntham is not customarily regarded it* a satisfactory centre at which to prepare horses for early spring racing, but good fortune lias certainly attended, the efforts of its "crack" performers over the past -week-end. At Bllerslie, Historic <lead-heated for tlio principal handicap inn the first clay, and, from all accounts, '■was most unlucky not to enjoy the honours solely. Then on JMonday another Trentham. representative, Lady Pain, accounted for the meeting's other main open prize. At Randwick on Saturday Autopay scored brilliantly in the Epsom Handicap, and on Monduy Concentrate would appear to have been a certainty beaten for the Metropolitan, in which he was second only a head behind .the winner, one of the outsiders of the field. Surely this would be a wonderful record for any jtraining centre! It may be argued that these horses did their final work in other centres, but it cannot be refuted that the foundation Was laid during the winter at Trentham. Concentrate and Autopny wore ready to and actually did race within a few days after landing at Sydney. Historic and Lady Pam left on their -northern ti'ips in racing trim, and although neither won first time out each was in. need of very .'little extra tuning up and gained more benefit from a run than flora any additional track work. AUTOPAY'S GREAT WIN. Autopay's. was probably the most rejnarkable return, for when he loft for Sydney few were willing to accord him more than a remote chance in the Epsom, •the real mission of the trip. However, he •was in his stride at once, and though he did not win till his third attempt, he yraa decidedly unlucky in the running of the second race he contested. How unlucky he must have been has since been shown by the -way he mastered his fields ■jn the Camellia Stakes, Hawkesbury laying Handicap, and Epsom Handicap. It is notable that he is only the second horse Bent from New Zealand that has struck sufficiently brilliant form to triumph in Australia's principal mile race of the spring. Riecartou produced the first in Nightmarch, and now Trentham has taken its turn. Of the, horses shipped across to Sydney this season Concentrate was the.one to be allowed a really first-class chance of capturing a worth-while prize. Those who !had watched his winter preparation at Trentham knew that he was going to be a hard horse to' beat in the Metropolitan, and'so he truly proved. If the race •were run another dozen times Strength •would probably not once again be in front of him at the finish. H. B. Lorigan has had the luck against him for over twelve months in big races, and the hoodoo has apparently not yet been laid. In the Metropolitan he.has had a most exasperating run of fortune, for Concentrate -was fourth.two years ago at his first attempt, was. fourth again last year, and now. rings up a second at his third essay. Concentrate has entered his sixth year, but Strength is two years older, so that Concentrate's day may yet arrive, next year or the year after. At least it is certain that no Australian critic will in future dare to dub him "just an old plodder." Tha wins of Historic and Lady Pam at Ellerslie were no less meritorious than the performances registered by Trentham horses at Randwick. Historic has had a fine record in the Mitchelson Cup. Two years ago he won with 9.7, he was second ■With 9.13 last year to Seatowri, to. whom lie was according 221b, and he won again on Saturday with 8.9. Then on Monday he ran another fine-race under 10.3 to finish fourth. When he failed, however, there was another Trentham representative on hand" to "carry the banner first past the post, Lady Pam rising to the occasion and holding all her challengers at bay. Historic and Lady Pam were the centre's ■ only two open performers at the meeting. ■ ■ "• ' - ALSO BEST YOUNGSTER. The fine showing made by Trentham horses: did not stop with these four efforts, as the two-year-old Tankard, who scored in the Musket Stakes at Ellerslie on Monday, was only recently' transferred to- Te Awamutu after having been completely prepared for early racing by H. Telford at Trentham. Tankard was on the eve of being sent to contest the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui when Telford lost him as-a result of his being sold, and in his two races in the three weeks since he has been very easily victorious. It is safe to assert that he is tha best of the youngsters yet to have been. produced this season, and had he been entered for the two-year-old classics in the north he would probably have won them just as easily as ho has the handicaps. None of the horses mentioned were raced during the winter, so that all had to be worked into form. Trainers have had bad weather to contend with, certainly, but the worst weather did not arrive till towards the end of July, Much of , thp initial work had then been accomplished, and there came subsequently the necessary short breaks of fine days for the polishing off. Perhaps it is that trainers at the centre have had to be so much on the alert to seize every opportunity that has come that has assisted so much in the recent magnificent run of success. The honour of the accomplishment, in fine, is not restricted to one or' a few. stables, for every horse that has shared in the record has been prepared by different hands. T. Pritchard is responsible for Autopay, S. J. Reid for Historic, G. .Tones for Lady Pam; and H. B. Lorigan for Concentrate. The real tuition of Tankard was done by H. Telford. The result has indeed been a veritable triumph for keen, earnest, and conscientious work Bgainst the innumerable difficulties of the winter season.