TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 340, 28 April 1928, Page 7

TROTTING

By

“Abaydos”

notes and comments

from near and far PROVINCIAL JOTTINGS Coming Right Vanity Boy raced at Te .Aroha .as if he might be seen to greater advantage in the not distant future. A McMillan has been most patient with the N'ormiston gelding and he is now shaping as if he appreciates the efforts made to develop his speed and stamina. Cambridge may suit Vanity Boy nicely. Not Too Solid Beauty Spot has failed to makegood but the public still accords the Tau-piri-trained mare plenty of support whenever she sports silk. Again at Te Aroha the daughter of Wildmoor was made favourite in the novice class event, but she let her supporters down with a bang. When they tire of backing her she may roll home and then rhe admirers of Reg Wood’s pacer will s ay things that will not be very beautiful. Will Soon Be Ready Single Mint was again an absentee when her name was called last weekend and the FI orizel mare has not made the recovery anticipated from her mishap at Hawera. This is bad luck for owner Kelly, as he has put in a lot of time with the ex-EJpsom-trained mare, and deserves to get some return for his trouble. When Single Mint comes right she will provide the goods. Not Fulfilling Promise Regret has not fulfilled the promise he gave at Ngaruawahia and later at Hamilton, and although ho still has the happy knack of beginning in smart style, Turner’s charge has the bad habit of stopping just as quickly. When he gets over the ‘ stitch” trouble the Wild Boy gelding will stay in the lead long enough to pay a respectable dividend. Still No money A lot of nice things have been written and said about Money, but so far he has failed badly in his attempts to bring cash to the pockets of his connections and consistent supporters. The son of O.Y.M.—Drapery can be classed yvith the good beginners, but after raising the hopes of his followers each time he competes, he dashes them to the round again before the post is reached. So far Money has not been a safe investment for punters’ capital. Will Have Another Chance Rosie Thorpe was well backed and also well beaten in her only start last week-end, but getting into trouble at the get-away did not improve her prospects. When the daughter of Our Thorpe and Rosie Drift got into her stride she was giving away a lot of start, and that v/as the end of her. Rosie Thorpe may do all right whenever she hits the front, but there is nothing about her displays to suggest she will make a fight from the back. Not a Good One Another defeat has to be recorded against Great Eyre and the chestnut must be sore’— trying the patience of Jim Paul. A good beginner, the Great Audubon‘mare should be capable of getting further on the journey than her recent exhibitions show, but there is a screw loose somewhere, and she looks to be a hopeless case. Those who hold to the belief that Great Audubon mares are not up to standard mark will no doubt put her failures down to thi s theory. Twice Unlucky

Golden Park was unlucky in both her starts at Te Aroha, strikm- trouble or each occasion that she sported silk. A collision with Regret in the opening event saw C *- ' ham’s mare stopped at the end of a furlong, and in the 10furlong heat she was pulled up at the end of a quarter of a mile through Koamer coming to grief in front of her. So the public had nothing to give them a guide as to the Gold Bell mare’s form, but she may have a better run at Cambridge. Liberate'* Failure

There was plenty of money for the saddle merchant Liberate last Saturday but he was not good enough when it came to the actual business. He ran soundly enough but could make no impression on Charming Pronto and Gold Cast when thev were sailing along at the head of the field. The son of Marvin Wilkes —Yankee Lass will in all probability make his next attempt to capture a stake in harness. Why the Big Wheeze?

One of the betting surprises of the day at Te Aroha was the support accorded Harris in the saddle heat. The big St. Kevin gelding was a good sec-

ond choice, but he quickly put his backers out of suspense by jigging after the signal was given. Harris was credited with running a great half-mile prior to the fixture, which accounted lor the rush on the machine, but in a ny case it is questionable whether the big gelding would run out a sound mile. "When in O. E. Hooper’s stable

some time back Harris proved such a disappointment that the Lauriston trainer gave him away, and the gift horse was later sold for a trifle. Should Do Better Golden Grattan disappointed her supporters at Te Aroha and the mare was never sighted on the journey. The daughter 4 of Gold Bell—Grattan Maid struck trouble at the start, which unbalanced her with th'e result she made no attempt to make amends. On her showing in the saddle race at Thames the Te A warn utu - trained pacer should have disputed the final issue with Charming Pronto and Gold Cast. She may get a better spin at Cambridge. Getting a Chance Oliver Thorpe, the five-year-old son of Our Thorpe and Olivetti, owned by the Waihi light-harness enthusiast, S. Tanner, is now trained by W. T. Turner at Hamilton. He has not had the gelding long enough to effect much improvement, but if there is anything in the son of Our Thorpe W.T. will get it out of him. Unless he improves a whole lot his owner will not get much from Oliver. SOUTHERN TOPICS A Promising Pacer As was expected, Delightful was favourite for the Improvers’ Handicap at Ashburton, and he won, but only by a narrow margin. As a two-year-old Delightful was reported to be a great pacer, but he was not raced, having twice been turned out for a spell. It was evidently sound judgment, as in his first effort he put up a capital performance in finishing third to Free Advice and Writer at Addington in the Welcome Handicap. Delightful is by Happy Voyage from Tui Russell, a mare who had a fair turn of speed and was by Russell Patch from Elie de Beaumont. Delightful, w'ho looks as though he will make a good two-miler, is a well-gaited and good-mannered gelding. Poor Class Trotters Len Wood, although giving away 120yds, won the Utility Handicap at Ashburton in convincing style. It is a long time since such a poor lot of trotters was seen contesting a race of this description. It is in such races that the improving trotter is expected to be seen, but none appeared in this event, says a Southern writer. Canterbury has not got that on its own, as there has been nothing outstanding in this department in the North this season. F. E. Jones’s Success Once Double Event left the barrier nothing in the race had any chance with him in the Farewell Handicap at Ashburton. Double Event has been turned out for a long spell, and since being put into work he has been in C. Tasker’s stable. During his holiday Double Event has furnished into a solid, powerful pacer, but in his training work he has shown a lot of temper and few expected him to begin. Ridden by F. E. Jones, however, Double Event went away with the best of the field and the race was afterwards a gift to him. He may get confidence and go on to further success. On the Easy List Henry Logan gave a very poor showing in the chief event at Ashburton. His trainer was partially prepared for the bad performance, as he stated that the pacer worked out badly just prior to the meeting. There is little doubt that Henry Logan has trained off, and C. Donald has decided to give him a spell for some time. Still Expensive Rey Logan is becoming an expensive horse to his connections. On more than one occasion he has been well backed and badly failed. He was third favourite in the chief event at Ashburton, and after being well placed for a mile and a-half faded out of the contest altogether. It looks as though he may be more suited to a shorter course. A Young Triumph Trotter Blue and Gold, who started in the mile and a-half trotters’ race at Ashburton last Saturday, is by The Triumph from Kola Bell. She is a wellgrown three-year-old filly who will probably take some time to com© to her best form. In Easy Street The pacer Jack Potts, after racing well at the Easter meeting at Addington, is having another spell. C. Donald finds there is not a great deal of racing suitable for the American-bred stallion during the next few months, and has therefore decided to ease him in his work. Jack Potts will probably be called upon to do some work pre-

paratory to the Cup meeting, and he may not be raced till November.

A Touchy Sort Southland enthusiasts are saving up in anticipation of effecting a coup with the pacing gelding Liberal. He is one of the smartest pacers in commission, but is acting as if he will require an ice-pack on his head. Liberal is touchy at the barrier—a defect in his composition that has cost his people a lot of money. He may mend his ways later on and repay his connections for their outlay. Still Unreliable

The pacer Huon Denver has a fine turn of speed, and has plenty of stamina. Unfortunately he is not a good beginner, and until he goes away right is not likely to be much good as a racing proposition. When at liis best the grey can handle any going, either in harness or with the weight on top.

Just Got There Jackie Audubon is plainly not a good two-miler and the betting public seemed quite aware of the fact when he was allowed to go out 13th favourite in the Durbar Handicap, says an exchange. He was never prominent. In the Rakaia Handicap of a mile and a-quarter later in the day, he was made third choice on the totalisator, and after enjoying the best of luck in the running he struggled home a head in front of the fast-finishing Jolly Pet. Jackie Audubon was a very tired horse at the finish of the race. An Unlucky One Arran Chief was one of the unlucky horses in the Rakaia Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, for he lost ground at the start and, with half the journey covered, w&s a long way from the leaders. On the outside of the field he then commenced a good run which landed him in fourth place as the post was reached. His stablemate, Kulnine, did not begin correctly and was never dangerous. Payable Bracket

June de Oro and Joan Dillon were coupled on the totalisator in the Autumn Handicap, and the former was successful. Both pacers . are. from Driftmine, a mare by Driftwood from My Mistake, the dam of Grace Darlington, the successful stallion Sungod, Star Queen, CcJil and the trotter Lonesome. June de Oro is by Rey de Oro, and Joan Dillon by Harold Dillon.

Due Any Time Now Florrie Pointer raced right up to her best training form in the Autumn Handicap. She began smartly and was always in the leading division. She fought out a desperate finish with the winner and suffered defeat by a narrow margin. She may win a slow class two-mile contest later in the season.

Wrack's Stock Will Make Good

SHOWING EARLY PROMISE

RECORDS ESTABLISHED Special interest in the racing nt the Ashburton Trotting Club’3 meeting was provided by a couple of two-year-olds by Wrack. They carried the colours of Mr. 11. F. Nicoll, who imported their sire to the Dominion. The first of the youngsters to appear was Wrackler, a well grown gelding from the imported Trix Pointer, the 1919 New Zealand Trotting Cup winner. Wrackler finished third in the opening event, covering a mile and a-half in 3.29 4-5, the fastest time yet recorded by a two-year-old in the Dominion so early in the season. In the next race, the Allenton Handicap, the field included First Wrack, a filly from Pearlchild, the dam of several smart pacers, including Childe Pointer, Sea Pearl, and Nantwich. STYLISH TROTTER Her latest representative. First Wrack, is a trotter, and she made a record, as she is the first two-year-old trotter to start in a race in New Zealand. It was a. notable appearance, too, as she filled third place, after giving a high-class exhibition in face of many difficulties, caused by other horses round her breaking and causing her to break also. Judged on the form shown by Wrackler and First Wrack, it seems certain that Wrack is going to make a great name as a sire. Earlier in the season another Wrack two-year-old won at Westport, but was deprived of the stake, the race being run over a distance beyond the limit allowed for two-year-olds as early as Boxing Day. This was Bonny Wrack, whose dam Bonny Thorpe, a grey daughter of Lord Althorpe, was a good performer on the Coast.