Summer Fixture at Hutt Park

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 223, 9 December 1927, Page 7

Summer Fixture at Hutt Park

HIGH CLASS HORSES ENGAGED

THE second fixture of tlie Wellington Trotting Club for the 1927-28 season eventuates at Hutt Park to-morrow when a good programme of events, which will be contested by high-grade horses, is to be submitted.

. The various light-liarness fixtures held during the season at Petone by the Wellington Trotting Club are extremely popular with Southerners, particularly Canterburyites, and at each meeting a goodly portion of the prize money finds its way to the other island. Wellingtonians do not mind this, as they recognise readily that the success of the functions held at Hutt Park is practically dependent upon the sportsmen and horses from across the Straits. Very few North Island horses claim an engagement at Wellington and the field for the principal event, the New Zealand Gold Trotting Cup, is comprised wholly and solely of horses owned or trained in or around the Cathedral City. This, however, will not in any way curtail the Dominionwide interest in the fixture, an interest that is encouraged and stimulated by the fact that the actual racing and results are broadcast from Wellington. Good classy fields are engaged in most of the events to-morrow and the club is assured of a splendid meeting, while patrons will be well catered for with the exciting sport. The bells on the machine will be set ringing as a signal for speculators to make their investments in the

HUTT PARK TRIAL HANDICAP Of £150; 3.4 limit; 1J miles. Sir Author . . Lt' Nor-wester . . Lt Golden Morn . Lt Bankhead . . . Lt Welcome Pearl Lt Shirley Pageant .... Lt McKinney . . Lt Theckla Boy . Lt Neerson .... Lt Henry Tracey Lt Mary Brown . . 48 Bell Somerton Lt Donard .... 60 Homelight . . .Lt

This is an event where the issue will be practically decided among the front line contingent, a dozen figuring on this peg. Bankhead and Neerson have been racing recently and getting minor placings and with anything like a decent run will be in the final argument. When they last met Bankhead had a slight advantage in the handicap and finished in front of Neerson, and the meeting under present conditions be-, tween the pair should be interesting. Pageant is a promising novice and the distance will suit this pacer down to the ground. Bell Somerton and Homelight have some guide to work on, while Sir Author and Golden Morn are a likely pair. The two at the back, Mary Brown and Donard, will have a difficult job to get through such a team, but the latter may repeat the excellent performance of Daphne de Ora in September. The popular selections, however, may be BANKHEAD, PAGEANT, NEERSON. Square-gaiters who prefer a medium journey will parade for the NAINAI HANDICAP Of £200; 3.36 limit; 1| miles. Hardy Native Star . . 86 Grattan .... Lt Swiftbine ... 36 Little Nelson Johnnie .... 32 McKinney ... 48 Lady Fan ... 24 Tamerlane ... 60

A small field of seven will contest this heat, which despite the paucity of numbers will provide an interesting contest. Hardy Grattan is a hardy annual and usually makes a respectable showing at the Hutt, but he should be held safe by Little Johnnie, who is a. fair sort over this distance. Johnny also has a liking for the grass track at Petone, which is a bit more in his favour. Lady Fan has threatened for some time to get on the winning list and only requires to go solidly to make a close finish. Native Star is a good mare, but seems better suited by a longer journey. Swiftbrine is fresh from his dual victory at Forbury Park and will have a lot of friends, and Nelson McKinney is trotting in great style over 12 furlongs. Tamerlane has not raced since his brilliant victory at Addington in August, but he is always one to be reckoned with. There should be solid support for LITTLE JOHNNIE, NELSON McKINNEY, TAMERLAN E. What promises to be one of the largest fields of the day will be harnessed up in the RAILWAY HANDICAP Of £200; 3.36 limit; li miles. George the Wee Gus .... 12 Fourth .... Lt Item 24 Royal Exclusive ... 36 Authoress . . . J_,t Vestas 36 Tetanus .... Lt Logan King . . 36 Nor-wester ... Lt Patsy Phegan . 36 Steel Wire . . . Lt Syringa .... 36 Jackie Lincoln Huon . 48 Audubon ... 12 Dillon Gold . . 60

Of the five on the front, Royal Authoress has been racing consistently of late and will come in for a good deal of support and George the Fourth must find the company to his liking. Tetanus, a member of Berkett’s string, is a daughter of the record dividend holder Wairoa Belle, and won a race last season at Blenheim. Steel Wire if dressed in his best will prove a tough one. Jackie Audubon is a promising pacer and must be kept in view, and Wee Gus is said to be showing good form. Item can bob up at times, but Exclusive is a good useful s.ort and will be at home over this course. Vestas only wants to do it right to bid the rest “Au revoir” and Logan King if* he is back to his best would give the most of them a headache. Then there is Patsy Phegan, of whom big things were expected last year and he may prove this season to be all that was claimed for him. Lincoln Huon and Dillon Gold have pace to spare but do not always pile it on. They are a hard lot but the public will perhaps fancy ROYAL AUTHORESS, JACKIE AUDUBON, PATSY PHEGAN. Those interested in the meeting of the top-notchers will now wend their way to the enclosure to see the speed kings parade for the NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP HANDICAP, Of £SOO and £IOO Gold Cup; 4.34 limit; 2 miles. Pan Yan . . . Lt Bonny Logan . 36 Stunt Artist . . Lt Harold Thorpe 48 Menember . . . Lt Logan Part . . 48 Silk Thread . . 12 Fight Ever . . 48 William the Ahuriri 108 . Great 24 Ten solid pacers all well-known to the speculative public are scheduled

to decide this issue and the limit trio. Pan Yan, Stunt Artist and Menember will have their regular friends. The latter on the strength of his race in th© Bollard Memorial last September when he was just topped off by Money Spider, will get most support here. Silk Thread is owned in Wellington and his connections would like to win the big event, and if D. Withers has the imported horse at the top of his form the others w r ill know where they have been by the time the post is reached. But all those entered appear to be held in safe keeping by William the Great. The Great Audubon gelding has come on a lost since he beat Gold Jacket and other good ones at Aelxandra Park, a performance he followed up by a good win at Addington, off 24yds, such brilliant horses as Jewel Pointer and Author Jinks, both on 60yds finishing in the places behind him. Both won later at the fixture and Jewel Pointer has done wonderfully well since.

Bonny Logan is staying on and is nicely placed. Fight Ever, Harold Thorpe and Logan Park, who are on the next line, are a nice trio. Fight Ever is not going away as he should and Harold Thorpe was not doing things right at Christchurch last month. Still he will run a solid two miles. Logan Park is of the dashing type and provided he goes off smartly will be the hardest to kep from getting the big end of the wallet. Ahurui is where he will require to be in his best to get up, and he should be in the firing line when it comes to business. The in-, vestors may vote LOGAN PARK, WILLIAM THE GREAT, HAROLD THORPE. The presentation of the handsome gold cup over and dividends collected, attention will be turned to the SHARPE HANDICAP (Saddle) Of £200; 2.1 S limit; 1 mile. Epigram .... Lt Caprice .... 24 Ajax Lt Bingen Lad . . 36 Pointalena ... 12 Hue Coronado . 48 Kotuku Jack* . . 24 Logan Chief . . 72

This is an evergreen and popular contest with patrons at Hutt Park and the eight contestants are capable of putting up a stirring battle. Epigram and Ajax will hop off the front and if the latter was back to form the others would have the hardest part to do. Epigram is an improving pacer and only requir.es to strike a gait quickly to make things decidedly interesting. Pointalena has consistent form as a sound recommen-

dation, which is worth a lot these days, and Kotuku Jack is well overdue. He only requires to be O.K. to cause a rush for the machine. Caprice won nicely at the Hutt in September, but failed recently at Alexandra Park. Despite this set-back the mare is a good one and will be hard to dispose of. Bingen Lad is a fair sort in saddle, and Logan Chief has a fine turn of speed and those in front will not need to dwell on the journey. General opinion may lean toward POINTALENA, CAPRICE, EPIGRAM. The pacing division will now have a spell and the trotters will try conclusions in the WILPORD HANDICAP Of £250; 4.43 limit; 2 miles. Miss Leda ... Lt Swiftbine ... 36 Hardy Native Star . . 36 Grattan . . . Lt Nelson Little McKinney . . 48 Johnnie ... 12 Nourmahal ... 60

Miss Leda and Hardy Grattan will represent the local district and while both are capable of making a decent showing, they should find one or two behind them getting on their heels before the full distance is completed. Little Johnnie is a sticker up to a certain point, and he may be now able to pull out the extra slice. Katute is always Considered a better mare over a shorter journey, but as she has been left in the two-mile for preference, it points to the roan staying on better. She is not always too reliable in her races. Swiftbine will be in the boom and lie should add interest to the contest, but the hardest of the bunch to stop will be Native Star. Last year she won several races on end, twice defeating that good trotter Great Change, and has already opened her winning career this year, when she landed a two-mile heat at Petone. Nelson McKinney will do .better at a lesser distance, but Nourmahal, who is in form, and should stay better this year, will be handy when the box is reached. The favourites promise to be NATIVE STAR, SWIFTBINE, NOURMAHAL. With the trotters out of the 'way, pacers will again take charge and get ready for the. MTDDLE-CLASS HANDICAP Of £250; 4.50 limit; 2 miles. Crusader .... Lt Logan King . . 24 Donard .... Lt Patsy Phegan . 48 Tetanus .... Lt Chimer .... 48 Rose Logan . . 12 Vestas .... 48 Jackie Lincoln Huon . 60 Audubon ... 24 Dillon Gold ... 72 Glenaray ... 24 A useful field will face the starter for this heat, and off the front is the ancient Crusader, who a few years back was a good handicap winner. Donard is. a likely sort and should go a good race, providing he can pull out the extra distance. Tetanus has an earlier engagement and Rose Logan is one that must command respect. She put up an attractive performance at Grey mouth in October. Jackie Audubon and Logan King are handily situated and the latter at one time could see out a good two miles. The distance may trouble Patsy Phegan, but Chimer should be handy when the box is reached. Vestas is a genuine two-miler and as he will have a chance of getting under way without much difficulty, will prove a hard horse to beat. Both Lincoln Huon and Dillon Gold can get the journey, but the public will

probably fancy VESTAS, ROSE LOGAN. CHIMER. The end of the perfect day will appear in sight with the ELECTRIC HANDICAP Of £353; 2.46 limit; li miles. Hu* Coronado Lt Queen’s Own . . 24 Logan Park . . Lt Logan Chief . . 21 Talent 12 Ahuriri .... 36 Brentloc .... 12 Bonny Logan . IS Fight Ever . . 12 Prince Pointer 60 Black Admiral 24 Eleven solid pacers will try conclusions in the final flutter, and of the pair on the front Logan Park appears best, and should he dodge a penalty, he will be a tough proposition for those at the rear. Talent is a dashy sort and can cut out a merry 10 furlongs, and has run some good races on Hutt Park. Brentloc is at times brilliant and in this field should be able to get well into the picture. Fight Ever may not begin quick enough to have a fighting chance, but Black Admiral will be a hard head over this journey. Queen's Own and Logan Chief are both smart at the distance and Ahurui must be getting somewhere near his best now. Bonn3 r Logan’s brilliancy may be somewhat impaired as a result of her distance essays, but Prince Pointer should have freshened up after his Cup exertion and dm pull out a great 10 furlongs. The popular selection mav finally read BRENTLOC. BLACK ADMIRAL, PRINCE POINTER.