Trotting in Germany

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 205, 18 November 1927, Page 6

Trotting in Germany

AMERICAN BLOOD PREVAILING Auckland Enthusiasts See Sport MR. H. C. NICHOLLS’S IMPRESSIONS

Mr. H. C. Nicholls, the well- j known all-round_sporting enthusiast, of White Lodge* Henderson, has kindly handed us a programme of the Altonaer (Germany) trotting fixture, together with a view of the track, and other details which will be of interest to SUN readers. During their tour of the world a little while ago Mr. and Mrs. EL C. Nicholls, both of whom are keen and ardent admirers of the light harness sport, which they also patronise liberally, paid a visit to Germany, and were the guests of the Altonaer Renn trace) Club at its big trotting carnival, which they found decidedly interesting. IMPRESSED WITH THE TRACK Mr. Nicholls, was greatly taken with the new track laid down at Altonaer,. which is a suburb of Hamburg. In conversation with “Abaydos,’' the owner of Nelson Tasker and Co. said the course had just been completed in time for the fixture, the only thing

missing being the railery of the course, but the inside was flagged for the initial meeting. The track, which is of dirt, is seven furlongs, 30 feet wide, banked at each end fully seven feet to the outside. Between each race the circuit is harrowed, and well sprayed, the latter being necessary to keep down the dust. LENGTHY PROGRAMME The programme, of which the writer has a copy, is certainly an attractive one, and provides plenty of entertainment and excitement for the great army of fans, who follow the sport with great interest. Eight events are carded, but the main item—championship von Bahrenfeld—is run in four “stechens” (heats), which gives eleven events for the function. The purse for the championship—which, by the way, is a handicap go—is 12,000 marks (£ 600, and the distance 1,609 metres (about 1,743 yards), which the winner ran consistently round about 2.101.

The other events are worth from £BO to £IOO, and are run over 1,300 to 2,800 metres, and include two-year-old and three-year-old contests. Trotting, said Mr. Nicholl, is the most popular form of sport in Germany. During his stay in the country he witnessed several days’ racing, and estimated the daily average attendance at 15,000 people. The races do not commence till 2.30 p.m., but the excellent sport continues on toward nine o’clock, in what is called the long twilight, and it makes a pleasant and enjoyable outing. HANDICAPS AND STARTING Discussing the handicapping, and starting of the German sport, Mr. Nicholl said all horses are handicapped on the yards system. No barriers are used, all the horses being placed behind their respective marks, and at the signal walk up to their peg, and away they go! The visitor did not view this method of dispatch too favourably, on acocunt of the number of false starts, due to some of the drivers moving up too quickly. One thing in its favour, added the Henderson sportsman, is the fact that no horses get left, and thus it created better racing from the public point of view, both speculative and spectacular. TOTALISATOR ONLY Speculation at the German fixtures is by totalisator only, investments being accepted from five shillings upwards, and a bet can be made for either first, second, and third, or first horse only. It is worked on a different system

from New Zealand in regard to closing ; and balancing. The machine closes ; automatically when the starter presses ! a lever at the post, but if a false start j is recorded the tote opens up immedi- j ately, and continues business, which | is accepted till the field is finally sent 1 on the journey. All the events on the trotting cards in Germany are for square-gaiters only, but Mr. Nicholls was led to believe that the day is not far distant when j a few pacing events will be scheduled. ( Mr. J. Mills, the leading trainer in the Rhineland —who, like the great majority of the good horses seen in action, j is American—informed the visitor j that pacers were being educated in dif- : ferent parts, and some of the. clubs I were considering the advisability .of I encouraging the hoppled horse by including one or two events in this de- ; partment on future programmes. AMERICAN BLOOD Referring to the “correct card,” it was most noticeable the tremendous American strain running through nearlv all the competitors. “America,” said Mr Nicholls, “has undoubtedly made trotting in Germany, and placed it on a high plane. Furthermore, the game is deep-rooted in the country, and will make still further advancement.” That there is no scarcity of trotters around Hamburg was plainly evidenced bv the fact that one event was run in two divisions, with 37 starters In the first and 43 in the second, making 80 final acceptors. The principal race of the day was won by a four-year-old horse, Peter Speedway, who won the four heats, to get the thick end of the walletPeter Speedway is a son of Peter the Great, from Alice Ford, trained by P. Schonrock, a successful reinsman. Florentiner, a son of Black Jim, was second, having gained most points of the' remainder; and St. Roberts, by Lord Roberts, stablemate of the winner, was third. The three-year-old heat was annexed by Quadrant, by Peter Duffy from Lady Sherry, and the winner of the two-year-old test was Ehering, by True Ring, his dam being Mib Toots. TRACK REMODELLED M£. H. C. Nicholls. who has a private course at Henderson, on which Nelson Tasker, Billy Carbine, Harry Mack, and some maidens are prepared and educated, has since returning from his tour had the track remodelled and enlarged. The turns have been banked in similar fashion to those of the Altonaer track, and already the enterprising sportsman has found the alterations beneficial. That his capable trainer and horseman. A. Ayres, is getting good results from operations on the Henderson track is proved by the splendid condition in which the handsome Nelson Tasker is landed at the fixtures, where he Is always a general favourite with the public.