Six Possibilities for Big Event

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 175, 14 October 1927, Page 6

Six Possibilities for Big Event

N.Z. TROTTING CUP CANDIDATES IN DEMAND TF performances are a guide to success, Talaro should be the ruling favourite for the New Zealand Trotting Cup. He was third in last year’s contest and won the Auckland Trotting Cup. In these events he did not travel sufficiently fast to warrant him being far back in the coming big heat, although he has a fourth placed time record of 4.24 3-5. From a speculator’s point of view, however, one must take notice of the time he recorded when he filled fourth place in the President’s Handicap at the Auckland Club’s summer function. In that race he was officially timed to

do 4.24 3-5, and while it would have been unfair to have allowed that performance to sway the handicapper, the cold fact remains that Talaro did compass two miles in 4.24 3-5, and the fact of him being on 4.27 in the; next New Zealand Trotting Cup shou'ld persuade backers to be on him. MUST HAVE A GREAT CHANCE It is all very well for students of the game to estimate several candidates to go faster than Talaro has done, but the longer one is associated with the game, the more readily one prefers to be on the horse that has done a certain time, rather than the horses that are going to do it. It is surprising, then, in face of this to find that ever since the appearance of the handicaps (and even before) Cardinal Logan has been the ruling favourite, and when his performances are compared with those of others engaged it is difficult to understand the reason,, WHY CARDINAL LOGAN? Perhaps it is another instance of booming a candidate because he is a member of a cute stable which several have prophesied has held the horse out for the big-moneyed event. Cardinal Logan is an undeniably good horse, and he is down to compete with the best in the land. Last season he annexed the Dominion Handicap at the Otahuhu Club’s summer meeting on a fast track in 4.29 1-5. Prioi* to that he followed Kohara home in the Courtenay Handicap at Addington, putting 4.28 4-5 against his name. In the Trotting Cup he is on 4.27, so he has got to improve 1 4-5

sec on anything he has yet done to run up to the time he is assessed to do. So how can he be a moral? PRINCE POINTER In 1926 Prince Pointer beat all but Ahuriri in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, after making all the running. On that occasion he wound the watch up to 4m 26 2-ss, only to reduce his time still further when the black pacer ran second to Jewel in the Fergusson Handicap at the Otahuhu Club’s spring fixture.. In that contest his time was posted as 4m 225. So from 4m 23s none can decry his chance. Last year he put up a sterling essay on a hurried preparation. Provided he is given a judicious course of training, he can be expected to improve upon anything he has done previously, and that he is going on the right way was demonstrated when he won the Cup Trial at Wellington. GREAT BINGEN Great Bingen certainly has been given a chance, for during the past season he finished third, going 4.19 2-5, and fit and well he will do it again. In the race to be decided during November he has been handicapped to do 4.21, so :if he repeats his 4.19 2-5 the others will have to be hard at it all the way to beat him. There is no denying that he is an out and out champion, and a well-known Auckland enthusiast who returned last week from a trip to America informed “Abaydos” that he saw nothing in that country to beat the New Zealand cracks. BLACK ADMIRAL Backers cannot afford to overlook Black Admiral when sorting up the Dominion’s principal event. He is on a 4.26 mark, and has a winning record of 4.26 2-5 and a second place certificate in 4.25 2-5, the latter being accomplished when Escapade effected her sensational victory at Addington,

establishing the fresh record for square-gaiters of 4.27 1-5. Black Admiral was given a good rest after his Easter achievements, and he signalled his return to the active life by running a very creditable second to Prince Pointer at Wellington. He will improve a good deal in the intervening weeks and promises to .be a really fit horse in November.

Black Admiral proved a sound proposition last season, winning £1,300 in stakes. His connections are sanguine that he will get the lion’s share of the £3,000 event in November. SEA PEARL Then there is that good mare Sea Pearl, owned by the Auckland sportsman Mr. Geo. McMillan. Last season she credited her owner with £3,030 in stake money, being second to Talaro, who won £3,455. But she has not been so handily treated as Talaro in the big race. In the Auckland Cup Talaro gave the mare 12yds and a beating. Later she annexed the Otahuhu Cup and the second day was second to Cardinal Logan. In that race she registered 4m 26 2-ss, which is her outstanding effort to date, and in assessing her at 4m 26s the handicapper has not given her any of the best of it. Taking a line through other candidates, she might easily have been put on 13yds behind, and if one really knew what happened when she was being handicapped they would bet that the adjuster tossed up whether he would put her on 4m 26s or 4m 275. Sea Pearl’s luck must have been out, as she is on 4m 265. She is extra good, and although her task looks mountains high, her numerous friends will stick to her in November.