TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 534, 11 December 1928, Page 12

TROTTING

(By "ABAYDOS”) THE ROWE CUP FINE FIELD OF TROTTERS GOOD CONTEST ASSURED SOLID LIMIT CONTINGENT The handicap for the chief squaretrotters event of the Auckland Christmas carnival, the Rowe Cup, has led to a lot of discussion and argument, but generally speaking, with the excepof Betty Moko. who is harshly treated, little fault can be found wit.i the adjustment. Mr. Paul brought the Dominion Handicap field well together at Addington, and taking a line through those that contested the 4.34 two-mile event, the competitors on that occasion received equitable allocation. Sister Beatrice has been singled out in some quarters as leniently treated, but she failed twice at Christchurch off a 4.31 mark. Elzear won from 4.31 and followed this up by getting second off

4.25. registering the same time, and she has been left on this mark. MoneySpider after winning the Dominion Trot in 4.30 4-5 off 4.21). ran third in the Middleton Handicap off 4.27, registering a fifth outside that time for third, and he appears again on this peg. Native Star was second in the Dominion, going 4.32 4-5 from 4.30, but on the last day she failed badly from 4.29, on which mark she figures for the Rowe Cup. Trampfast (4.30) was going well in the Dominion Handicap when he struck trouble, otherwise he would probably have been in the money, while Young Blake, off 4.30, ran a solid race to finish third. This pair are on the same mark at Alexandra Park and must be hard to dispose of. The backmarkers will find a lot of trouble brewing from some of the limit brigade, and in Tiger Salve. Maxegin, Rose Bingen and Ngatira, those in the rear will find trotters worthy of the name. At this early stage “Abaydos” would select

as possibilities: Tiger Salve, Rose Bingen, Sister Beatrice, Trampfast, Native Star and W. J. Tomkinson's bracket.

CERTAINTIES BEATEN INCIDENTS AT CLAUDELANDS GREAT WAY AND TRUSTWORTHY The undeniable truth of the assertion that there is nothing certain in the racing business, was again strikingly illustrated at the Waikato fixture on Saturday, when two solid favourites in Great Way and Trustworthy were beaten out of a dividend-paying position. followers of the racing and trotting game, and particularly keen students of form, are at times inclined to look upon certain fancies as a “stone moral,” “unbeatable,” “home-and-dried” kind of proposition, with the result that in many, many cases, the “good things” come all undone. On occasions the defeat is attributable to tlio fact that the “moral” met something a bit better, which after ali is tlio most reasonable excuse, although backers at times will console themselves by grasping at such straws as “a bad traveller,” “went off his tucker,” “track didn’t suit,” and a dozen other things that crop up from day to day to try the patience and pocket of the punter. Downright Bad Luck There are, however, occasions when real downright bad luck has dogged the footsteps of the contestant, and

its numerous supporters, and this elemer.t was plainly manifest in thecas, of tho three-year-olds. Great Way and Trustworthy, at Claudelunds t> n Saturday.

Great Way was easily the best trotter in tho Introductory Held, and tho public soon sorted the Petervrai gelding out as the "good thing," and had the youngster gone any way correctly from the start, it probably would not have been a race—at least for first money. But the chestnut lost fully 100 yards at the start through refusing to strike a gait, but once on the journey lie showed the opposition just how trotting should be done Half a mile from home his backers began to realise their favourite had a chance, and when Great Way swept into the home stretch close to the three leaders, it looked a case of "co’ lecting.” Trotting faultlessly, vouns Peterwah was burying the opposition when the jubilant yells of his ba army of supporters sent tho i ro tter into the air, and their prospects ot dividend into the sea. When H K:nimont got his charge down again he made a bold bid, but there time to redeem the final mistake and the promising young square-gaiter finished fourth. Trustworthy Misfires The only possible way the three-year-old filly Trustworthy oouiii court defeat in the President's Handicap. barring a fall, she adopted brefusing to pick up her gait tm threaders had at least a break of so yards on her. and this after tits flu, had prior to the race given an exhibition of galloping for about six firlongs. After the bolting episode the daughter of Worthy Bond returned to the paddock and was hitched to another sulky, the original one beinc badly bent, and when she joined tho held again a number of her backer would probably have sold out cheaply but had Trustworthy began eorrectlv the issue would never have been fa doubt. As it was she gave Bell Dial and Lackiewood a long start hnwhen the final circuit was entered upon driver Gilchrist had the younrster in a handy position. She fin- ! S . 1 A ed "; ith \™ n . derful gameness and .although suffering - a narrow defeat covered herself with glory. The Penrose mare was the warmest favourite of T h ® < l a f; r and her backers, like those t ', nJ 1 W t y - were ce rtainly unluckv to be on a loser— if there is any consolation in that phase of the question.