TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 8, 31 March 1927, Page 6

TROTTING

Bookmakers Preferred One wonders what Australian sporting scribes would write if some of the totalisator turnovers which we are experiencing in New Zealand were recorded in Australia. A meeting held this month in Tasmania was reported to be very successful, for the totalisator returns were £4,566 3 ss. whTle at another meeting (also successful) £ 583 was invested on the machine for the day. Returned to Form The Sydney pacer. Spring Bells, recently returned to form after a run of unplaced performances, and starting at a double figure price accounted for the Epping Handicap, defeating among others the good pacer Western King. Spring Bells is from the brood mare Springheel, who left Lord Nejbean and Bpz Buz. now trained at Alexandra Park, and also that great horse, Globe Derby. A Disappointment When Marionette, trained at Man-*-gere by F. Cutts, won last season at Epsom, she was reckoned of sufficient class to pay her way in good style within the next few months. Since then Marionette has not succeeded in improving as well as was expected and has evidently gone off. Mother and Son In the Hikutaia Handicap at Thames one of the competitors was a. six-year-old mare. Golden Grattan, while in the Turua Handicap Peter Grattan was a competitor, and his breeding was given as by Peter Moko from Golden Grattan. As both these pacers are owned in Mangere, one may presume that mother and son were competing at the same meeting—not a very frequent occurrence. Peter Grattan is three years old, which means that his dam was the same age when she produced him. For Hawera One or more Southerners intend paying a visit to the Hawera meeting at Easter time, and it is on the cards that A. Wilson will be present with Vera’s Doll. Though not a champion, Vera’s Doll has been unlucky in several races, always meeting something a little too good for her. The class engaged at Hawera, though not very select, is nevertheless good, and on form if Vera’s Doll is successful the win will not be easily achieved. Still, an owner is not going to travel from Christchurch to Taranaki unless his competitor has a good chance, and on that score it would be just as well to place a tick alongside Vera’s Doll for future reference. To be Spelled If a-ny pacer has earned the right to enjoy a spell it is Sea Pearl. Prior to the Auckland spring meeting owner Mr. G. McMillan stated that if Sea Pearl did not accomplish 4.33 or better to qualify for the Auckland Cup he would give the mare a rest. Sea Pearl qualified for the big event by going 4. 32 4-5 and depriving herself of a holiday. Since then Sea Pearl has been most consistent, finishing second in the Auckland Cup as well as accounting for the Otahuhu Cup and registering other good performances. Word comes from Christchurch that after the Easter meeting there Sea Pearl is to be given a let up. Handicaps and Times Though Machine Gun won the Timaru Cup nicely he had to go 4.31 2-5 and put up the second best time for that event. The fastest time for the race was registered by Waitaki Girl last year, who accomplished 4.27, and it looks as if that time will take some beating. Of course Machine Gun was handicapped to go the distance in 4.33 and he improved 1 3-5 on that time, but if Machine Gun was fully extended to win even the tightest handicapped horse in the race would not have beaten Waitaki Girl’s time, for the backmarker in the event was set to do 4.30, and to have beaten Machine Gun would have had to improve 1 4-5 seconds, which meant going the distance in 4.28 1-5. A Costly Horse When Kolmar was purchased for a large price, it was thought that his new knew something in laying out so much cash. No doubt prior to the sale Kolmar might have given some good trials, but if his present form is a x guide then he is a very expensive trotter. Admittedly Kolmar has the speed, but he is too fond ol' showing that he can gallop as well as trot, and generally finishes well back. Trainer W. Willetts must be disgusted with Kolmar, and evidently is pleased that he trains, not owns, him. Disappointing Performers To own a pacer that coul.. our champions hustle over a mile or mile and a-quarter, but who has repeatedly failed, must be annoying. The connections of Woodvale have persevered with that fellow for several years, and though he has on occasions got among the money he must still be well behind. Woodvale has speed to burn, but very seldom will he utilise it, and he does not do his best to leave the mark at a correct* gait. Still once or twice he has been caught in, a good mood, and just when he has had a winning chance interference from others has placed him out of commission. It would be pleasing to report a victory for Woodvale, for besides that pacer another stable-mate in Fungus has also proved costly, and their owner

is deserving of success for the money and attention he has lavishly spent in following ’’ light harness sport. Pluto's Promise W. J. Tomkinson should do well with Pluto, whom Southern scribes are ticking off to turn into something above the average. Pluto is a four-year-old gelding by Denver Huon from Princess Dolly, and as he has struck early fomn there is no reason why he should not improve with age. As a rule anything that Tomkinson gets does not take very long to earn a winning bracket, and like a number of others in the same stable Pluto will probably be given a chance to prove his worth at Auckland meetings. Well Spoken of Sydney writers are loud in their praises of Some Rock, the free-legged pacer who has been most consistent of late at the Richmond and Epping (New South Wales) meetings. Despite his previous good showings earlier in the ! month, Some Rock was allowed to out at what is termed a good prio« Australia, most punters conside that he could not concede starts • ing up to 114 yards. Some Rock by the small margin of half a head, and ! had to go one of his best races to do so. Some time ago it was considered likely that Some Rock would pay a visit to Auckland, but the trip did riot eventuate. There is plenty of room for good performers in New Zealand, and as the stakes in this country are far and away bigger than those in Australia, Some Rock’s owner may consider the advisability of ' giving his pacer a chance- to earn further distinction by making the trip to New Zealand. A Good Record After Direct Wood had been purchased in New South Wales and imported to New Zealand last season, she immediately began to show that she possessed the required speed to win money, and in five starts had notched one win, two seconds and a third. So far this season Direct Wood has proved a disappointment, and at the recent Waikato meeting failed to produce anywhere near last season’s form. On the score of breeding Direct Wood possesses good blood, being by Admiral Wood from a dam by the Americanbred Direct Way. Her sire, Admiral Wood, was got by Wildwood Jun., well remembered in New Zealand, from D.1.C., by Young Irvington from Flora, by Berlin, who sired among others Almont and the champion Fritz. Direct Wood’s dam was got by Direct Way, who sired Adelaide Direct (2.6 2-5) and well over a hundred winners. A good strain of blood comes to Direct Wood through Admiral Wood’s dam, D.1.C., for her sire, Young Irvington, was got by Irvington, a son of the famous Hambletonia (10), who probably laid the foundation stone of the light harness sport in America.

GRASS TRACKS

WORK AT MANGERE TRAINERS MOVING OUT The Otahuhu Club’s new property at Mangere is one of the finest in New Zealand, and the time when the club will hold its own meetings there is being looked forward to my many followers of the sport throughout the Dominion. At present the training tracks are in good order, while the grass course bears a very even surface. Since the Mangere tracks were thrown open to trainers that district became at once very popular with those engaged in the education of trotters and pacers, and a number shifted from other districts and settled down at Mangere. The reason no doubt that the Mangere course is so popular is on account of the concession granted trainers in permitting them to use the course proper , on the eve of a meeting for final workouts. A few weeks ago T. Roe. who was domiciled at Avondale, shifted his large team to Mangere, and now W. Willetts has journeyed from Cambridge to settle down at Mangere. There are several more trainers contemplating transferring their quarters to that district, and the close of the present season should see a large number of horses stationed at the new location.