TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 42, 12 May 1927, Page 6

TROTTING

BY ABAYDOS NOTES AND COMMENTS FROM NEAR AND FAR CAMBRIDGE HAPPENINGS His Luck Nearly Changed Had Tom Maxted’s Red Star found his feet smartly in the Stewards’ Handicap on Saturday there was every prospect of him returning a dividend. It. was evident, however, the farrier’s luck was still out, and the delay on the part of the pacer at the post was the. cause of Tom only receiving the minor portion of the stake. Half a mile from home there were still half a dozen running in front of him, but once in the straight Lee .sent the Harold Rothschild gelding along. a*nd putting in a vigorous finish Red Star got within a neck of the winner at the judge’s box. Not a Stayer [Nelson Tasker was given a great chance in the Cambridge Cup by his admirers, and when the Nelson Bingen horse hit the front at the mile peg, some of them were beginning to work out the dividend. Half a mile from home he still looked to have a chance, but when Rock Hinton and Respect raced past Ayres could not hold on and Nelson Tasker faded right out over the final stages. Nelson is a dashy customer over a short journey, but does not impress as a stayer. Made It Interesting The old gelding Rua Pere, who was given a good show in certain quarters for the Cup last Saturday, made a creditable display. At the end of a circuit Gee hit the front with his geegee, and the son of Gold Bell* was doing it that well that the hopes of his 80 odd supporters rose, and they espied prospects of a big dividend. Although displaced along the back Rua Pere stuck to his guns till the straight was reached, where the exertion told on him and he finished several lengths away. In a Handy Position

The withdrawal of Festive Morn from the Cambridge Cup \yas evidently the signal for a rush to be on the stable mate, Lady Dunmore, the Specialist mare being the next best supported after Respect and Rock Hinton. When the mare was noticed in a handy position at the six furlong flag, she was being mentioned as the likely winner, but when the two favourites cleared out, Lady Dunmore was unable to go with them, and she finished out of the placings. Long Overdue Pearl Fisher, who lias been anything but a payable proposition for his connections was prominent in both his essays on Saturday till the turn for home. Here the Waverley gelding found it impossible to foot it with those who were fighting out the issue, and he finished close up to the placed division each time. T. Richards may yet have a stroke of luck with the aged chestnut. Too Bad to Be True Festive Morn’s form at Cambridge was a sad blow to the mare’s numerous backers, and taking a line through her previous performance! it was too bad to be true. The free-legged pacer had not sported silk since winning at the Otahuhu meeting in November, but her condition on Saturday evidently satisfied the public, as she was entrusted with a big parcel. She never at any part of the journey flattered the hopes of her admirers, and finished even further from the front division than when she started. SOME FORBURY FORM Some Improvement When the adjuster placed Great Bell on a 4.46 peg in the Improvers’ Handicap for the unhoppled brigade at Forbury, just to show how much she had improved, the daughter of Great Audubon—Myrtle Bell defeated a good field of trotters in real tradesman-like fashion and carved out the journey in the smart time of 4.42. Great Bell is only five years of age, so she has a very promising trotting future before her. She was piloted at Dunedin by that prince of trotting horsemen, Jack McLennan. Landed At Last

Wee Patch, who created somethingin the nature of a.sensation when she landed the Tahuna Trot at Dunedin on Saturday and paid a price in the vicinity of half a century,* did not have much form to recommend her to the public. Two minor placings last year and a few outs this season were the portion of the daughter of Bon Patch, but when she did arrive she made up for past failures by bringing home a substaontial parcel for her owner. Sick of the Game Backers stuck to Queen’s General in the saddle heats at Forbury each day, but the grey mare stuck to the mark and let her numerous supporters down. This is the third time in succession that the ex-Buller pacer has misbehaved at the peg, and it appears as if the daughter of the King’s General —Sylvie has gone sour on the game. Prior to leaving the Coast, Queenie was a brilliant beginner, and it is passing strange that she should have developed a tendency to refuse duty since crossing .the ranges. A Speedy Customer After sailing home in front of the field at Forbury in the mile harness heat on the opening day, Logan Holme was placed on the concluding day on a 2.14 mark, but the Logan Pointer gelding showed his appreciation of Mr. Brinkman’s consideration by leading a field of smart sprinters home in 2.12 1-5. McLean’s five-year-old is now on a tight mark, but it is possible the best has not been seen of him yet. A Nice Pacer

The Harold Dillon filly Asset made amends at Dunedin on Saturday for her failure on the opening day, and the manner in which McCreanor’s bonny little pacer scored in the big field served to give the public a real taste of her qualities. Her driver, J. N. Clarke, managed to get Asset clear of the melee, which occurred when No Fear fell, and after that the rest was plain sailing. The daughter of Harold Dillon—Petrova will go far at the light harness game, and Asset will in all probability visit Auckland in the Spring.

Back to Form That good piece of trotting machinery, Money Spider, is quickly coming back to his best form, and showed up prominently at Forbury Park. The son of Lprenes Todd was a firm favourite on Saturday, but a bad fault during the journey made the difference at the finish to his owner of £l7O stake money. Money Spider appears in the big handicap at Oamaru on a

4.34 mark, and should let the pacers know he is in the field, if his connections decide to take it on. GENERAL TOPICS J. Bullock, who trains Mr. J. R. Corrigan’s string of pacers and trotters at Hawera is keping his charges up to their work. Included in the team are Shirley, Audubon, Hostess, Mary Audubon, Sister Beatrice, Carbine Direct, The Tiger, Great Change, and the promising three-year-old Nelson Bingen—Ena Bell colt Explosion. The Southrn mentor intends bringing several members of his stable to the Auckland meeting next month.

Another Probable Visitor Master Cute, a pacer by Jewel Chimes from Cute, is now under the care of the Normanby trainer S. Smith, and since signing on with the stable has shown a vast improvement in his manners. Latest reports from the dairy district state that Master Cute, who previously was “iffy" at the barrier, is now one of the smartest beginners on the track. Smith has a few others on his active list, and is contemplating making a raid on the stakes at Alexandra Park in June. ard To Give Up

Although it was rumoured that the Southern light harness enthusiast, P. H. Green, was likely to quit the game for good after Easter, he still has several horses in work, and at Blenheim last week-end drove the Hal Zolock mare, Item, to victory. During his career as a trainer of trotters and pacers Green has met with a fair measure of success, and as he is keen on the sport, he will find it difficult to sever himself from the popular pastime.

Making Good The three-year-old St. Kevin—Edna gelding Kevinbrae, who disappointed his connections at the recent Wanganui meeting, was taken over to Blenheim last week and materialised at the first time of asking. Kevinbrae is trained at Palmerston North by one of his owners, E. L. Breed, but was steered to victory by W. Hughes, who is well known in this province as the trainer-driver of Bicolour. With a bit of age the St. Kevin gelding may fulfil the expectations of his connections.

A Pair at Waverley Hue Coronado, the speedy son of Prince Coronado—Hue Daphne, who went wrong last season and was given a lengthy spell, is again among the actives at Waverley. His ownertrainer, H. Higginbotham, also has a promising young pacer in work, by Man-o’-War—Molly Chimes, which wiil be known to racegoers as Sailor Boy. Good judges express the opinion that bailor Boy will lead the opposition a merry hornpipe when he tackles his first heat in public. Under New Colours Bingen Starr, who was purchased on Saturday, last by Mr. Campbell Johnson, is a seven-year-old daughter of Nelson Bingen and Muriel Starr, and raced in the colours of the Cambridge light harness sportsman, Mr. A. McMillan. The mare was handicapped on a 4.40 mark for two miles at Cambridge, but was not accepted for. Bingen Starr will soon be shining again, and her new owner should not be long in getting some of the 520 guineas paid for the mare back again.