TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 7

TROTTING

(By

NOTES AND COMMENTS SPORT ON THE CONTINENT GREAT PROGRESS RECORDED y ? ars the light harness fc»poi t has been increasing in popularity on the Continent, while rapid progress and great improvement in the breedof stock has taken place. The continued importation of highclass American sires is in a large measure- responsible for the advancement recorded. AUSTRIAN SEASON OPENED 'l he opening of the Vienna spring meeting took place in May, with a very large crowd in attendance. The footing was in the best of condition and big fields were the order. Among the nine events carded, the International Race was the main number, which was contested by 11 classy trotters, all bred in Austria and Hungary, and speculation on the totalisator was exceptionally good. FAVOURITE BEATEN Elso, the noted four-year-old Hungarian colt, was made favourite owing to liis fine showing during the recent meeting, but he was slow in going away and was pocketed during the progress of the race. So he could finish second only, while Coriolanus won the race in

rather sure style. The Derby winner of 1924 established a new track record for a dash event, registering 2.11§ for the English mile, reducing the record of Don Chenault, who in 1914 had I trotted a 2.12 gait. NON-DERBY CANDIDATE WINS Seven four-year-olds took the word n the Alexander Stoehr Prize for .5,000 shillings. Six of them are to start in the Derby and one not entered in the big classic —won the race. It was Babam, fleet daughter of Ispan, 2.161 (son of The Zoo. 2.09). and Helvett, 2.233 (grand-daughter of Caid, 2.071). owned by Mr. C. F. Bertl and trained and driven by Leo Fischer. : Babam had not the least trouble to win from Agnes. Darling 11. was third and Leu fourth. DERBYITES SUCCEED Two four-year-olds that are entered in the Derby finished in front in the Meran-Prize, which went to Darling 11.. son of Baka. 2.093- Darling 11., driven by George Wiltshire, trotted 2,300 metres at a 2.20 J gait, with Agnes, ch f by Ryerson, 2.323, out of Olsza, 2.30, by Caid. -driven by John Raymer, very close up at a 2.201 gait. ANOTHER CLASSIC COLT Another of the probable Derby starters won the Wola Prize. It was the black colt Allegro, son of Bohun. 2.1 S (sire of Baka, 2.093). Allegro, who is trained by Edward Benyon, won at a 2.223 gait' over 2,200 metres, driven by F. Irrsiegler. BROOD MARE SUCCUMBS Quarisa. an unmarked daughter of Onward Silver, 2.051, and Corinne, 2.145. by Robert McGregor 2.171, after producing a colt foal by Baka, 2.092died the next day. The mare was 21 and an excellent brood mare, as she has seven to her credit with records of better than 2.30 in Austria. Quarisa was the property of Mr. Oscar Trebitsch, Vienna, who owns a big studfarm at Katzelsdorf, near the Austrian metropolis. SPORT AT PRAGUE The Czeclio-Slovakian season opened at Prague on March 6, with the First Vti ndicap as the main number. The race went to the nine-year-old horse Gschwind, by The of Fingula, by Directum Kelly, 2.08}. Gschwind, driven by his owner, Mr. K. Kolbenschlag, won at a rate of _.-7 3 over 2,100 metres. HUNGARIAN SEASON OPENS ■Budapest opened the Hungarian trotting season March 6, with tlie

Spring Handicap as the feature. Trainer George Novak won the event with the four-year-old colt Obsitos, son of Ossory, 2.143, and Lidike, 2.362 (she by Directum Kelly, 2.08;, out of Lidi H„ 2.305, by Happy Promise. 2.16.1). Obsitos trotted 2,200 metres at a 2.28 gait. GREY GOES FAST The Berlin-Mariendorft track opened its gates in March. Rain had made the footing deep and tiring. Of the eight events raced, the Prize of Eibsee proved the fastest, going to the grey horse Willy A., who won at a rate of 2.235 over 2,200 metres. Willy A. is a son of Royal Reaper. 2.115, and the Russian-bred mare Alle, is trained by G. Jauss. and was driven by the latter’s son. NEW DANISH RECORDS At Denmark on May 5, Double King established a new Danish record by trotting a mile in 2.153. Later in the same day the American-bred trotter Harrison Dillon got to the end of a similar journey in 2.125, which is the fastest record ever trotted in Denmark in a race. The Danish Trotting Club is now anxious to encourage a horse that will set the record at 2.10.