NOTES AND COMMENTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 250, 12 January 1928, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

AFFAIRS QUIET AT EPSOM ROUND THE STALLS Things generally are of a quiet nature at Alexandra Park, trainers being mainly content to potter about with their charges before winding them up for the Otahuhu Club’s engagement next month. Others will not be required till the following month, when some of the country fixtures claim attention. Feeling the Pinch The hard tracks are playing up with Lord Nepean and the game little pacer was very sore coming oft the track on Tuesday. F. Young is having a bad spin with his team, of which the son of Ribbonwood was the white hope, but unless he makes a good recovery the prospects for a stake at the Otahuhu fixture will not bear a very rosy hue. Gone Home Again H. Kinnimont has sent the big awk-ward-gaited Anselm home to the Waikato. The Nut Ansel gelding did not come on the right way. Some days he would show encouraging form, the next time out he would not repeat the good work. In his races Anselm did not display the dash that brought him into the limelight last season. A. McMahon is now in charge of Gold Jacket, and the son of Gold Bell is in good shape to tackle his tasks at the next fixture. Harry Kinnimont put in a lot of time with the black pacer and was unlucky in striking such hot company at Epsom during the Christmas carnival. With less select opposition Gold Jacket should pick up a stake. Back to Toil Black Gold, the full sister to Gold Jacket, has returned to work at Alexandra Park, after a brief respite, during which she paid a visit to Mr. B. P. Edwards’s fine American horse, Worthy Bond. The daughter of Gold Bell — Lady S. will now be prepared for the country circuit. One of These Days W'rigley is bowling along in good style for trainer C. G. Lee and despite recent failures the son of Florizel cannot be written down as an absolute dud. If he has a go one of these days in keeping with his track work the opposition will know they have been to the races. Hardy Annual Van Rich has taken no harm from his Christmas racing and the sturdy little pacer is bright and perky and ready to take the gloves off to all and sundry at the Otahuhu fixture next month. The Van Coronado gelding is a hardy customer and it should not be long before he is led in a winner. Florent is looking none the worse for his exertions at the recent carnival, where the son of Florizel found the opposition too warm. . It was suggested in some quarters that Florent had trained off, but no fault could be found with his condition. He went just as fast as possible on his mark, but King Pointer, The Shrew and Native Prince, who were in receipt of start, were just as speedy. Still Going Strong Dave Arnott is persevering with the aged gelding Huon Grattan and the Grattan Abbey gelding is standing up to his work like a Trojan. He will be kept up to the collar in view of the saddle heat at Otahuhu, but it will not be an easy race to land, as several good saddle horses from Taranaki and Manawtu are preparing for an attack. Hard Luck for Tom There is nothing wrong with Red Star, and had it not been for his gear coming adrift in the Tramway Handicap at the Auckland fixture the others opposed to him would have known this. T. Maxted has put in a lot of time with the Harold Rothschild gelding and he should pick up another prize in the not distant future. W. Clifton is hard at work again on Dad’s Hope, Halgana, Master Councillor and a maiden trotter. The quartette is in splendid condition, which reflects every credit on the painstaking mentor, who deserves to break it for a win soon. Clifton is famed for getting his charges in the pink, and when he was previously supervising Uncle Bert had him in such forward trim that he soon won a race when taken over by owner-trainer Lynch.

Tough Old Soldier Colonel Thorpe is looking as bright ; as a morning star and appears to relish the early tasks allotted him by trainer Lee. The son of Our Thorpe hits out merrily on the track, but so far has failed to give it a go when the colours are unrolled. One of these days the Colonel will advance at the “double" and there will be a large salary for someone. Coming on Nicely Explosion has gone on the right way since his adventure at Whangarei, and when the ex-Hawera colt is asked to put on a number cloth again he will be a better horse than when he was up north. In his latest track essays the chestnut is moving nicely and it will not take J. Shaw long now to tune him up. Wanted a Change Uncle Bert is doing road work and this should suit the old chap down to the ground. A spell off the track is just what the Gold Bell gelding was looking for and when he again reaches Alexandra Park he will appreciate the change by going right. Uncle has his likes and dislikes, and too much track work forms one of his latter peculiarities. Napland is the latest addition to H. Kinnimont’s Royal Oak string and the son of Petereta—Dreamland should not be long now in striking something like his true form. When right this fellow can trot solid and has a lot of pace. If he comes to hand as anticipated Harry should soon be able to salute the man in the box. Not True Form Mulwaree went slightly off colour on the eve of the Auckland fixture and this accounted for the roan’s indifferent showing. In his first essay he was always prominent and a furlong from home looked like collecting, but faded at the pinch. He did not improve with the race and was not sighted in later attempts. He will freshen up and soon be on deck again.