TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 7

TROTTING

for Sale The Auckland owner, Mr. George Mc- . Han whose horses are trained In ..Louth, was evidently tired ot perwith Dillon Wilkes and Cole f o r both those pacers are reported "be on the sale list. A u.tralia's Leading Sire Recent advice by the last Australian mail credits the well-known sire Don Pronto with being at the head of the fires’ list 80 far thia season with 21 wins. Included in the list is Charming Bells, sire of Buz Buz, who is racing , t Thames to-day; Direct Wilkes, who sired Direct Morning; Childewood, to whom we are indebted for Concliffe and Globe Derby, well-known in these parts, each having had success in a good way -with some of their progeny. Came With a Reputation Since Joe Aspro was brought across from Sydney he has not lived up to the reputation that came across with h im, though in one or two of his races he showed a glimpse of what may be termed future winning form. After a spell Joe Aspro has onpe more been hoppled up, and is now in serious training at Ngaruawahia. The Auckland winter meeting should see Joe Aspro once again doing battle, though the chances are that he may race before then. Off to Western Australia The four-year-old pacing mare Nazlmova, by Nelson Bingen, has been sent to Perth, West Australia, and she makes the sixth—and, if rumour has it correctly—the seventh to leave these shores recently for that city. Nazimova should find the class of performer she meets there more to her liking than was the case in New Zealand, and it would not be a surprise to see her winning more money there than she did in the Dominion. Champion Stakes Candidates All things going well in the interim, the southern trainer Roy Berry will have two pacers to represent him In the Champion Stakes next month. Patsy Phegan and Haydock are now receiving a solid preparation in view of their engagement, and both are expected to run well. Although it is perhaps too early to comment on this classic event, the South Island representatives will need to be at their best to dispose of the Aucklander, Great Peter should he contest the event, for last years Derby winner stripped fit and well, and will beat more than beat him. Fond of Colds Luvan has an unhappy knack of contracting a cold a few days prior to a meeting, and as a result was not a competitor at Thames this afternoon. When accepted for at Te Aroha,

" I ll ' was withdrawn. nfain,° ,3 ? velo P ed yet another complaint. Luvan is a mare of a rather [L ei 7;2 U f disposition and the least thing t 0 upset her - As she is L ‘2 A ’ Jullan ' s Stable at tdlershe (where one or two gallopers are just recovering from colds), and witn such changeable weather experienced during the past week Luvan’s connections perhaps did the right thing in not travelling her. Support for Stipendiaries ♦ 4* a conference of the West Australian Trotting Association and delegates from affiliated clubs, the president, Mr. James Brennan, stated that the standard of racing had improved to a considerable extent through the judicious government of the committee. Mr. Brennan urged the delegates not only to support their clubs but also their handicappers and stipendiary stewards. Such support would "tighten up the reins” and rid the sport of those individuals who were ever ready to take advantage of any laxity in the rules. This cleaning out would allay any suspicions on the part of the public, and consequently attract larger attendances. Mr Brennan’s address, more particularly in reference to support being given stipendary stewards, is one that could be well adopted in New Zealand, for at many meetings stipendary stewards have carpeted erring reinsmen who have committed glaring offences, but when brought before the honorary stewards the usual few words “no action taken” has been the verdict Frequently not even a caution has been administered. If our honorary stewards in future give the necessary support to the stipendaries, it will not tighten up the rains, but have the reverse effect as far as the driving of some well-known reinsmen is concerned. By doing so those in whom the control of the sport has been vested will gain the confidence of the betting public, which is lacking in enthusiasm at present. Eeager Purchasers After Western King’s good showing when he won the Epping Thousand, going 4.32, it was not surprising to hear that offers were immediately forthcoming from sportsmen in New Zealand to effect his purchase. A prominent Auckland owner has asked for a price to be put on Western King, and patrons of the light harness sport in these quarters will no doubt hope that the sale eventuates. From such information to haad at present the chances that Western King will become the property of an owner in the Dominion seems very remote. Western King is closely related to the Otahuhu Cup winner, Machine Brick, and in the same ownership, that of Mr. Aubrey, of New South Wales. Mr. Aubrey, when h© is fortunate enough to secure a good performer, is loth to part with it, and should a sale be effected the price will have to be substantial. When Machine Brick came into the limelight in Australia many offers were forthcoming to secure that brilliant per-

former, and one Australian well m Au v ckland went as high as four figures, but could not induce Mr tQ , make a deal- Machine .fcJrlck was leased, however, and won ah'?.?, f^oo” 10 In fact ’ he secured about; £IOOO on his trip to Mew Zealand, and also a good sum in Australia since being leased, and as he is a grand proposition as a sire ho would nave been a cheap horse at four figures. If Western King has shown Mr. Aubrey as much promise as Machine Brick did in his early career, then it may be assumed that should a sale take place his buyer will need to have a lo.ig purse. Prince Pointer Back Again two mile performance (4.19 2-5), the black pacer Prince Pointer had registered a great run over two miles in which he covered the distance in 4.22 Pointer went that time at tne Otahuhu spring meeting he was hailed as one likely to bring about the downfall of Great Bingen, and their next meeting was keenly awaited. At the Auckland summer fixture they clashed, and while Great Bingen livened np to his name Prince Pointer failed badly. Prince Pointer on that occasion w-as not himself, for despite the fact that ho showed a marvellous burst of speed at one stage of the race he was never doing it too kindly, and when Great Bingen ranged alongside he cried enough. Their next meeting was at Northlands in a r*ile and half Free for All, and there, though again beaten by Great Bingen, Prince Pointer was seen in a much more favourable light, for he ran the champion to a short margin, going 3.16 1-5, but had Great Bingen not tangled at the start the distance separating the pair would perhaps have been much. more. After that display Prince Pointer was given a spell for about two months, and has now been recommissioned. Many enthusiasts will keenly await the day when the bonny black will be seen fit and well carrying silk to measure his strides against Great Bingen, and no matter where they meet a good number will journey from fields afar to witness the contest, which should develop into a thriller. Going By The Watch A southern writer credits Native Chief with going 2.5 4-5 from post to post in the mile Telegraph Handicap at tho New Brighton Royal meeting, and winning in a jog. Native Chief’s time was officially recorded as 2.8 2-5 nett, and as he started from 36 yards behind, his gross time would be 2.11 2-5. If the time (2.5 4-5) as stated by the southern scribe is correct, then Native Chief (who is reported to have dwelt on the mark) took 5 3-5 to reach the mile starting point 36 yards ahead. Twelve yards to the second is the basis on which handicaps and times are framed, but in many cases horses on marks set to cover more than the advertised distance of the race very seldom for the first sixty yards or more cover the ground *at that gait. When Great Bingen staggered timekeepers at the Auckland summer meeting in putting up a world’s grass-track record of 4.19 2-5, he lingered on the mark and was very slow hitting his straps for most of his handicap distance. The question now is what he would cover two miles in from a flying start, when a comparison is made from the time it took Native Chief to go his first 36 yards, while in Great Bingen’s case he had to travel 108 yards further than two miles. Great Bingen met with trouble during the contest and had to run wide to reach a position in the

straight. The time Great Bingen—as fit as he was at the Auckland summer meeting and on a fast track—would accomplish would probably leave a doubt in the minds of many as to the accuracy of the timekeepers’ watches. Riddle to Train Gallopers For many months we have read that the well-known South Island trainer Peter Riddle has decided to relinquish his business and return to Australia. It is understood that Riddle will act in the capacity of trainer to the Sydney owner, Mr. Percy Miller. Peter Riddle is now awaiting the completion of the sale of his property and he will then bid adieu to Maoriland. There is no getting away from the fact that the light harness sport in New Zealand owes a great deal of its popularity, particularly in Auckland, to Riddle, for since he visited Auckland about five years ago with the Cup winner Minton Derby and brought other grand performers across in Sheik and Delavan Quest, a large number of galloping enthusiasts who had never previously witnessed trotting and pacing went to Alexandra Park to see this "wizard of the ribbons,” as Riddle was termed by many, and they then realised how fascinating was the light harness sport, with the result that attendances have grown in a large way over the past few years. While not wishing to create the impression that Riddle’s horses and his ability to handle the reins is responsible for the increased attendances at Alexandra Park, still he is entitled to some measure of credit, for there is no getting away from the fact that numbers of present-day patrons were ignorant of the fact that such good racing would be witnessed at Epsom prior to Riddle’s visit, and he and his performers have drawn good crowds. Though Peter Riddle has not had very much success during the past year or two, he has left a good winning record behind him, some of his best wins being with Minton Derby, who won the Auckland Cup; Sheik, who accounted for tfie Canterbury Park Champion Handicap, New Zealand Cup and Otahuhu Trotting Cup. Riddle won also with Orion and Delavan Quest, besides steering winners of other events. Sportsmen throughout the Dominion will wish Riddle every success with his training of Mr. Percy Miller’s gallopers —Windbag is one—and will hope to see him turn out many more cup winners.