TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 358, 19 May 1928, Page 7

TROTTING

(By

"ABAYDOS.")

TRACK GOSSIP ASHBURTON REFLECTIONS NOTES AND COMMENTS Coming Meetings I The Oamai u fixture is being held toI day. The next gathering in the North Island will be that at Hastings on June 4. | Taranaki’s Date j It has been decided to make application for April 6, 1923, for the date of the Taranaki Club’s next annual meeting. Trainer for Wellington B. Jarden will leave this week to take up his new quarters in Wellington. It is stated that he will have a* useful team to start with, provided by his new patrons. Best Are Best. Trotting clubs appear to be waking up to the fact that it is more profitable to have a tight class with a select field than a loose one with a big field of horses spread all over a track, and with the majority anywhere but at the winning post. Not in the Box j The tliree-year-old filly Dice, by Happy Voyage, looked certain to earn third money in the Selma Trot Handicap, Ashburton. She was allowed to stop at the end, however, and she finished fifth. After the race the stewards fined her driver £3 for not driving his mount out. Letter From Perth A private letter received from W. Kelsey, who is now in Perth, states that he sold the pacer Hoon Hay soon after his arrival. The ex-Canterbury horse was started by his new owners soon after purchase, but suffered defeat by a very narrow margin. Kelseystated that his other horse Trenand, so far would not race at all well on the Perth track. Cleared Out The win of Audubon Dad in the Rakaia Trot Handicap was one of the j easiest that has ' been seen on the Ashburton track for some time. He was out in front from the start, and he was travelling so comfortably in the straight that it looked as if the winning margin could have been increased to anything his driver desired. He started favourite, and on this form he may score again soon in much better company. Promising Youngster. Lindbergh, who was in the field for the Rakaia Trot Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, is a two-year-old gelding by Arthur Dillon from an Antonio mare. He is, therefore, inbred to Harold Dillon, who sired Antonio as well as Author Dillon. Lindbergh is engaged in the Sapling Stakes, but he is not sufficiently matured to show good form yet, though he has shown a good turn of speed in his work at Addington. A Question of Diagnosis The report that the Ashburton owner, Mr. H. F. Nicoll, had some members of his team laid aside with strangles is incorrect. Several of the horses have had severe colds, but the more serious trouble has not attacked them. All of them are on the improve now and they have resumed work, after a spell of three weeks. Mr. Nicoll hopes to have two representatives in the Sapling Stakes at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting next month. Should Fly The two-year-old pacer Hinkler, though an acceptor for the Rakaia Trot Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, was scratched later. He is by Nelson Bingen from Sympathy and thus is a half-brother to Rose Marie, a three-year-old filly who has not, so far, lived up to her reputation, though she is improving. Hinkler is engaged in the Sapling Stakes, the two-year-old race to be decided at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s winter meeting next month. What They Want At this week’s meeting of the Canterbury' Owners and Breeders, it was decided to endeavour to have the following remits put before the Trotting Conference in July: (1) That a horse be handica.pped as a maiden until it has won a race; (2) That a horse shall not bo handicapped slower than its best winning performance over that distance; (3) That the minimum weight in harness races shall be list.; (4) That the constitution of the Trotting Conference be altered to allow the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association to be represented at the Conference. Death by Violence On April 21 the head of a horse was washed ashore from the Derwent, near where other remains of a horse were found a few days ago, says the Australian “Trotting Record” of May 2. It was described as an aged animal, but its sex could not be determined. The horse, .it was stated, was in good condition when killed recently-, and apparently it came by its death by violence, as it had the mark of a heavyblow on the head. The Tasmanion police consider the find important and appear confident that they will shortly be in receipt of information that mayhave some bearing on the Little May mystery. This mare was recently spirited away after being successful at the New Norfolk meeting. Pacers for Meat In an article on trotting in his own country a French authority truly remarks that in spite of carefulness in

breeding, trotters will produce pacersl The gaits have much in common, and the two will never be separated. A French trotting enthusiast, M. J. Ihlen, who is at present on a visit to Australia, states that he recently bred a beautiful lilly who was a natural pacer, in spite of the fact that she was bred to trot. After trying all means to convert her to a* trotter, in a country where pacers only possess a meat value, he was reluctantly compelled to sell her to a butcher. This filly, who would have captivated the heart of any New Zealand or Australian horseman, phovided steaks lor French breakfasts. Dunedin’s Classic At a meeting this week of the Forbury Park Club, Mr. Greenslade submitted a report from the programme committee. Me said that the committee had carefully considered the question of whether the Sires’ Produce Trotting Stakes should he. continued. The committee had come to the conclusion that the race should be placed on their programme next season. Arguments for and against had been submitted, and it has been felt that a metropolitan club like theirs should have at least one classic race on its programme during the year, especially as it was for straight-out trottei's. The committee recommended that the race should be continued. The chairman said the club had received congratulations from all over New Zealand for its courage in putting a classic race on its programme and for keeping it there. The race had not been a financial success, as compared with a handicap race, which might have replaced it, but with the number of trotters coming on he thought it would ultimately be shown that the club was well advised in keeping the race on its programme. The committee’s recommendation was unanimously adopted. Forbury’s Finances The chairman of the Forbury Park Trotting Club submitted a detailed statement regarding the finances of the recent meeting. He said that the totalisator turnover was £4.830 (last year £5588); privileges, £146 (£156); gate money, £1,144 (£1,191); race books, £2S9 (£350); entries and acceptances, £1,232 (£1.225). The stakes given this year totalled £4,800 and last year they amounted to £5.000. Summarised the position was that there had been a decrease of £758 14s 6d in the totalisator returns for the two meetings, privileges had decreased £9 12s 6d, gate money £47 14s, and race books £6l 8s Bd. Entries xxnd acceptances bad increased by £7 10s. The total decrease was £869 19s Bd. The meeting showed a profit of £64, as against a profit of £466 for the winter meeting of 1927. Mr. Coughlan said there was a large drop in the race books. Mr. James Mitchell: That fs the result of the issue of the racing tips book. The chairman said that on the balance sheet it looked as if the club had been wise in reducing the stakes. Mr. Barton said that it was on the first four races on the second day that the big drop had taken place in their totalisator returns. Mr. Coughlan said that the returns were down in every race. This was proved to be the case by the figures produced by the secretary, Mr. C. R. Caffin. The discussion then ended.

TROTTING FIXTURES

May 19.—Oamaru T.C. June 2-4.—Canterbury Park T.C. June 4.—Hawke's Bay T.C. June 9.—Ashburton T.C. June 23-27.—Auckland T.C.