AUCKLAND TROTS

Evening Star, Issue 20057, 24 December 1928, Page 11

AUCKLAND TROTS

[Special to the ‘ Stau. 1 ] ' . ■■•'AUCKLAND, December 24. The Auckland Trotting Club’s three days’ summer ■ meeting will open on Thursday. The first tilt backers will have at the machine will be in the Introductory Trot. Twenty have accepted, and the most likely to get backing are Etta Cole, Commander Bingen, and Billy Carbine. It is safe to predict that Great Peter will be in strong demand for the December Handicap, with ; good support also for Bankhead and Ricardo. The Auckland Cup is the second richest prize in the dominion. This race has been reviewed from time to time to time, and there is no necessity again to go into it at length. Ever since the handicaps appeared Prince Pointer has ruled imposition of favourite. Next to Prince Pointer the local candidate Gold Jacket is fancied. Cardinal Logan is a horse that might do anything. Padlock, who was a strong favourite for the New Zealand Cup after the handicaps appeared, 'has lost caste by his failure to make a showing in that race after a mile and a-half had been covered. Another horse who is ticked off to race much better next week than he did at Addington is Terence Dillon. Machine Gun, the only one on the limit, is not in the boom. Queen’s Own is a good mare, but the opinion is that the company is just a shade too good, although she may spring a surprise. Imprint has not raced well for a long time, but the fact that J. Bryce (who has a happy knack of winning important races) has allowed Ahuriri to drop out of the Cup and is rfelying on Imprint will cause the latter to get attention. Kohara is a horse which may win. Jewel Pointer is not fancied, despite his great record. Ja'ck Potts is one of the bekt pacers in the dominion, but not too lucky. Peter Bingen, the New Zealand Cup winner, is now trained at To Awamutu. Trainer A. E. Adams stated he would not be ready by Thursday. The only other in the nice is the champion, Great Bingen. A wonderful pacer, he is set a task which only a super.-horse could successfully accomplish. When the machine closes there should be good money for Prince Pointer. Imprint, and Kohara.

For the Parnell Handicap there is a good field of second-raters (4.34 class). Although Audacious on 48 may be very hard to beat, backers will probably prefer Free Advice, Glideaway (who won a number of races before coming to New Zealand), and Goldman. At least half a dozen will get solid backing in the Grandstand Handicap, and final choices may be Evelyn Locanda. Invader, and Derby Lynn.

Next to the Auckland Cup, no race on Thursday will create such interest as the Rowe Cr?s 'limit 4.35), for straight-out trotters. With the exception of Mc~=v.y Spider, all the best trotters of the dominion are in the fiel 1 . Most support is likely to go to Trampfast, Sister Beatrice, and Young .pHce. f ~*i’here are only ten in the St. Heher’s Handicap, hut all have shown ability to run a mile and a-quarter. Although the bracket, Native Prince and Jackie Audubon, will be in demand, it must be remembered the pair are on 60yds behind, and many will accordingly prefer Wharepiana, Nelson Tasker, or Dalmeny. , . , The first day s programme will wind up with the Akarana Handicap, for which Glideaway, Bankhead, and Luvau may be the best supported.