TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 128, 20 August 1927, Page 6

TROTTING

(By “ABAYDOS.”) FORBURY PARK AND OTAHUHU CLASH

CANTERBURY OWNERS SHOW PREFERENCE FOR AUCKLAND The decision of the Forbury Park Trotting Club to adhere to the orig- \ inal dates for its spring meeting takes it into the same troublesome waters that partially submerged its spring fixture in past seasons, says a Southern writer. There is no denying the fact that the big stakes offered by the I Otahuhu Club appeal to Canterbury j owners. SOUTHERNERS SUFFER Statistics show that the Forbury Club’s spring fixture has suffered much through clashing with the meeting at Auckland. It is not only the fact of perhaps seven or eight horses going from Canterbury, but the trainers, who when away at Auckland cannot attend Forbury with other representatives of their stables. And it is plain that where trainers cannot personally attend to the racing of their horses they leave them at home. PREFERENCE FOR THE NORTH Canterbury owners have shown preference for meetings at Auckland, where they maintain that they can win more with one horse than they can with three or four at Dunedin. So it is obvious that by holding its meeting at a period when trainers cannot supervise the winding-up portion of the preparation of horses that could race at Forbury, the Southern officials are standing in their own light. SUITABLE DATES It was thought that when the Wellington Trotting Club had relinquished October 1 that the Forbury Club would seize the opportunity of holding its spring function on September 2S and October 1. These dates would have been suitable to owners and trainers in Southland, Otago and Canterbury. an d would not have clashed with anv meeting. It is a pity that the Forbury Club has slipped back into a position that lias proved unsuitable to many associates of the sport, and unprofitable to the club concerned. The Otahuhu fixture eventuates or. October 19 and 23, while the Forbury Park dates are October 25 and 26L

as well in it as any of those he is opposed to. He is a good strong type of horse and is a natural jumper. His stablemate Royal Form also does a litle steeplechasing, but he does not stay really well and is not quite the type of. steeplechaser that Zircon COMICAL’S FAILURE Ivapuna and Vice Grand, are coming on might be fair sorts next season, though neither looks to be in the champion class. Tuki is getting on in years -and might not be as good next season as he has been in the past. He still jumps very safely and his ability in that sphere will always stand to him. Crown, Coin, who might have been a really good one over the big country, is dedd, and Comical has not been persevered with to the end of the season. No doubt he will be out again in the field next year and it is hoped that he is given a good course of hunting before he does reappear, as that is the sort of treatment that would be highly beneficial to him. Comical, however, does not seem to have the solidity to ever become a really great steeplechaser, and it is a bad record that he lias gone to the rest paddock with this year. The record is that he did not once in all his starts complete a steeplechase course. He fell at Wanganui in his initial attempt, when made a hot favourite for the Wanganui Steeplechase, he could not get round Ellerslie either in schooling or in a race, and he could not get round Trentham, which is not as trying as Ellerslie. as it has no hill for the horse to climb during the race. It was any odds, therefore, that he would not have got round the Grand National course, where the jumps are much stiffer than at either Ellerslie or Trentham, so a wise policy was decided on when the resolution was made to send him back to Hastings to freshen up for next season. NEXT SEASON SHOULD BE GOOD As to whether there are any good ones coming on, that is hard to say so far in advance, but there should be no lack of material for the next season. Beau Cavalier is only a young horse as steeplechasers go, and we should see plenty of him in the years to come, if he escapes the mishaps that sometimes bring premature ends to the career of the jumper. Scamp and Cartoon have yet to show of tlxeir best, and there is little doubt that when they are ready to show' it, it Hvill. be a good best on the part of edch. Particularly Scamp, who is a fine big horse, a free galloper and a fairly good jumper. Then there is Zircon, who will be up with the best if he can stay. He has the pace, the ability to .carry weight, the liking for the W’inter going and is a natural jumper. Will he stay when seasoned? If that question is answered in the affirmative, Zircon is a good steeplechaser for the season to come. Maunga and Charlatan will be better next season than they were this year, and there should still be a decent race to be got out of Peter Maxwell, if not out of Tuki. Yes, there will be plenty of good steeplechasing next season.

MEETINGS TO COME August 20. —Pakuranga Hunt- Club. August 27.—Taranaki Hunt. September 2. 3.—Marton J.C. September 8. 10.—Wanganui J.C. September 9.—Egroont-Wanganui Hunt <at Wanganui). September 10.—Otago Hunt Club. September 1 4.—Dannevlrke R.C. September 15.—Dannevirke Hunt. September 24.—Ashburton R.C. September 24. 26. Avondale J.C. (at Kllerslie). September 24. 26.—Napier Park R.C. September 29. 30.—Geraldine R.C. October I.—Hawke's Bay J.C. October 6. Manawatu Hunt Club. October 6.—Kurow J.C. October 1, 8 —Otakl-Maor! R.C. October 8. 10.—Oarnaru J.C. October 8. 10.—Auckland R.C. October 13. 15.—Whangarel R.C. October 13. 16.—Dunedin J.C. October 15.—Carterton R.C. October 19, 20—Cromwell J.C. October 22. 24—Wellington R.C. October 22. 24—Waikato R.C. October 24 Waverley R.C. October 24. 26—Gore R.C. October 24-—Waipawa Cty R.C. October 29. 31—Thames J.C. October 24—N Canterbury R.C. October 27. 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club October 29—Masterton R.C. October 29—Banks Peninsula R.C.