NOTES AND COMMENTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 529, 5 December 1928, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

CLAUDELANDS CARNIVAL IN SIGHT POSSIBLES and probables One of the most popular trotting fixtures in the Auckland Province, and one that always provides a large measure of keen, exciting and interesting sport, is the Waikato Club’s December function. Good fields, representative of high quality contestants in both the pacing and trotting sections, are a usual feature at Claudelands. and the card to be submitted next Saturday will prove no exception to the general Hamilton rule. Laplander, who put up such consistent performances at Epsom recently, is now domiciled at Mangerc, being under the care of that pastmaster at the game. Sid Groat, who is keeping the Harold Dillon gelding up to the collar in view of his Hamilton engagement. The Canterbury representative, after going 4.31 and 4.30 2-5 each day of the Otahuhu fixture for second money, cannot complain of any hardship in being asked to go off a 4.33 peg in the Mark Memorial. Still in the Picture Vanity Boy won the novice event at Whangarei “on his ear,” going 3.3 S off a 3.43 mark. Later in the day the McMillan delegate finished third in the ten-furlong handicap, in which he was penalised 36yds, running the journey at approximately a 2.21 to tno mile gait. The son of Normiston appears on the end of the 3.37 mile and a-half at Claudelands, and should show the way home. Another From Wellsford Bell Dial failed to get any money at Whangarei, but the easy limits made her task rather difficult, although the Wellsford mare ran two solid races. The shorter limit of the improvers’ class at Claudelands will bo in Bell Dial’s favour, and from the 12yds mark she should prove a big nuisance. Like her sister, Gold Dial, the brown mare is a sound pacer without the gear, and off the front of a 4.50 two-mile unhoppled race Bell should ring out to some tune. Chance of a Lifetime Old Profiteer has been given a chance at last to get his name inscribed on the winning roll of honour, and if he can see out a 12-furlong journey should make things interesting in the race for novices at Hamilton. The Gold Bell gelding secured a second and third at Whangarei in mile heats, going fast enough to say that off a 3.37 mark in a mile and ahalf, or 2.57 J peg over ten furlongs, he must have a chance. Any way, good luck to the old pacer if he can score a long overdue victory. Raima Coming Right Raima’s form on the opening day of the Otahuhu fixture was too bad to bo taken as any indication of his ability, and- the sturdy little trotter proved this to be the case when he stepped away on the final day to finish a good third to Ngatira and The Tartar. As the Nelson Bingen gelding improves with racing, it is quite safe for his numerous admirers to anticipate that his turn is not far away, and Bill Head should have a good show of .driving a winner at Hamilton next week-end. Once to the right gait and Raima seldom looks back. Solid Old Trotter Mutu’s displays at Alexandra Park during the progress of the Otahuhu meeting were suggestive of an early winning certificate, and although the old chap is 72yds behind in the Hamilton Trot he will play a big part in the decision of the contest. The Te Awamutu- trained gelding is one of the solid type, and does his best in the capable hands of “Darkle Broughton, who understands the Ghoa* gelding to a nicety. If Mutu repeats his Epsom form, the opposition will find it hard to get the prize. Bingen Spiers, who was the lo ?king young horse seen at the Corrigan homestead last Easter, a bu y er owing to the elevated” reserve, has been ,n act,v ® work For some time past under the charge of the veteran trainer Jim Bullock. The sen of Nelson Bingen—Miss Spiers is a double gaited customer, but at present he is being kept to the was not accepted for the Introductory Trot at Hamilton, in which J. R. Corrigan has the trotter Cervine engaged. Te Awamutu Bubble P ub^c will not have forgotten the big Akenehi bubble which loomed on the trotang horizon last season quite suddenly and which burst like a pricked balloon to the chagrin of a large section of the knowing ones. The Peter Moko filly was evidently showing her party something satisfactory as she was taken all the way to Hawke’s Bav but failed to make expenses. The grey trotter next appeared Epsom but made no showing at all. Many of her supporters will wait and see how she shapes in future again before rushing m to back her. In Good Hands The aged gelding Golden Hope was a long way from being ready when he was saddled up at Whangarei, but even Gien he finished up a good third to Warplane and Profiteer. Since then the Golden Bobby gelding has been up under the care of the painstaking Epsom trainer, C. G. Lee, and he is fast moulding the aged pacer into good shape. Golden Hope may have seen his best day but if he has a winning kick left in his composition “Togo” is just the one to extract it, and he has hopes of doing so shortly. Will Take Things Easy Since putting the opposition to shame in the Introductory Handicap at Alexandra Park recently, the trotter Direct Action has gone on the right way, and Fred Gilchrist is determined to get the best out of him and make “"i H stayer. Considering that the Don Pronto gelding had only been in four weeks, after a lengthy holiday, he did remarkably well to tramp 3.37 3-5 at Epsom. When hi* mentor gets the ex-Australian down to hib best form hb should wdn more money for his party. Next autumn ho should be O.K. One To Reckon With The Wildwood Junr. geldipg Lackiewood is nicely placed in the race for unhoppled horses at Hamilton next week and if Bill Thomas has the black fellow polished up for the occasion he will give the opposition something to do. Since last seen in public, the Ngaruawahia trotter has done a good deal of work of various descriptions including ploughing, drawing wood, and acting on week-ends as the gig horse

to take the family out. The area square gaiter thrives on this allotniem and he will strip a fit horse whe“. T l his popular owner decides to start him Solid Customer The Florizel gelding Floraline is solid stamp of trotter that usually pi-vt up a fair share of prize money 'durini the season. Last year A. B. Carlev. trotter opened his account early j,v winning a twelve furlong heat decisively at the Auckland sprine fixture and later on at the Thames meeting the son of Florizel showed a fine dash at the end of a two mile troto win by a head. At Te Aroha Floraline off a 4.46 peg made a bold attempto win the big trot, but failed to reach Gold Star, who won from the 4.52 per If Floraline is ready for the fray next week he will add a lot of interest to the unhoppled items. Although Bingen King b n ly arrived from Gisborne the day before the final Otahuhu card was contested, after anything but a smooth passage, the black pacer ran a very creditable race in the saddle heat in which Goldman showed the way home in 2.12. When the son of Native King—Kirwee has been -a while under J. Shaw’s care again he should not be long in striking t'op gear and giving his backers another good spin for their money.