TROTTING NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 224, 21 August 1937, Page 14

TROTTING NOTES.

SLOWLY-RUN RACES, APPEAL TO DRrVERS. (By "Square-gaiter.") The times recorded in the principal races on the first two days of the Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting compared with those of tho Jess valuable events, excited a good deal of comment in Christchurch (says an exchange). Before the running of the National Handicap, the drivers wero assembled in tho committee room and addressed by Hon. W. Hayward, M.L.C., who described as nothing short of a scandal the pace set for tho first mile and a-half of the August Handicap and tho King George Handicap. He said the club would take action to overcome a state of affairs that waa bringing the sport into disrepute with the public, and he appealed to drivers to stage a contest worthy of the class and not >to resort to jogging. Ho made a comparison between the times in the principal and the improvers' races, and said unless there was some improvement, the club would be forced to concider a. reallocation of the prjza uaoaejr.

Successful In Last Drive. J. S. Shaw, who was recently appointed stipendiary steward, finished his career as trainer and driver last Friday at Addington. 110 made an appropriate exit from this branch of the sport by driving Tempest to victory in the Farewell Handicap.

Aptly Named. Sea Gift is aptly named, as Bho was practically given away as a filly. When two years old she was sold for £4 10s, and later for £25 to J. Bryce, who won a race with her, and later sold to her I present owners, Messrs Archer, and McIFarlane, for £250, at which price she has proved a rare bargain, for in their colours she has won over £2OOO in stakes. Sea Gift’s dam, a Paul Iluon mare, did not race, and after Sea Gift began to shape like a champion, her dam was located in a milk cart at Lower Ilutt. She is now being bred from again, while her daughter continues to show that, even in these days of highly-specialised breeding, “Cinderel las” can still climb to the highest class. Durbar Lodge’s Yearlings. Probably the most impressive yearling at Durbar Lodge, Ashburton, is a gelding by Wrack from a Matchlight mare (says ‘‘lrvington”). Ho has an appearance which immediately attracts favourable attention, and, although ho is not big, he has a great deal of quality, and carries himself well. On the other hand, a sister to Indianapolis is of a good size, but she may not develop into a quality-looking mare, giving the impression that she is more likely to run to bone and brawn than beauty. Of great interest is a filly by Louis Direct, lmin 58jsec, from Aretfiusa. The last-named, one of the greatest juvenile and four-year-old performers we have ever seen, was sent to Australia to ' be mated with Louis Diroot, but the foal is not outstanding in appearances, being small. At the same time she carries the hall-mark of select breeding, and, while sha may never be big, her dam demonstrated that lack of size is not a bar to greatness. A sister to Gerfalcon and Bittorsweot, and fillies from Gatwick and a Logan Pointer inure, both by Wrack, com pleto the list. Durbar Lodge has seldom failed to produce a good two or three-year-old performer, and with the material at present coming to hand, there is every prospect of the stud’s maintaining a fine record.

A Crack Juvenile. The threeyear-old, Sandusky, will have his next race in tho Grey Lynn Handicap at Auokland on August 28, and judging by his form in the Sapling Stakes there are few who wouid pick a horse to beat him over a mile and a half. From 12 yards behind in a 3min 38sec class, Sandusky appears to dominate the field.

The Hawera Club. Tile Hawera Trotting Club has a pleasing annual report to present to members at tho annual, meeting. For a number of years past this club has pursued a most progressive policy, and owners have done their part by extending increased patronage, resulting in a very high standard of racing. The profit for the year amounted to £948 2s 3d, tho greatest recorded since the establishment of the club. The net taxation derived by tho Government from the club’s operations amounted to £2105 19s Bd, an increase of £759 10s 6d over tho previous year.