Trotting Mix Up Still Caused By Ringing In

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 751, 26 August 1929, Page 13

Trotting Mix Up Still Caused By Ringing In

Bruce Identical With Imperial Thorpe CLEANING UP THE SPORT By ABAYDOS Since the ringing-in some five years ago of the high-class pacer Willie Lincoln as Eulius and Look Out. which resulted in five persons being disqualified for life, the trotting game has been apparently free from such incidents in New Zealand, but another stir has been created recently by the Bruce- Imperial Thorpe case. There was a time in the history of the light-harness sport in the Dominion when “ringers'* appeared on the scene with a frequency that grave the game a bad flavour, but the keener control and closer supervision of the pastime of more recent years has confined the “crook” methods to the more cheeky and daring section. The cleaning-up process which took place in 1024 when several of the bolder money-makers essayed to “put it over’’ the unsuspecting public with Willie Lincoln had a. purifying effect, and except for the PromenadeCiathered Gold incident in Australia in 1927. the New Zealand trotting turf I has not been disturbed to any extent i with corrupt practices. The vigilance of the authorities, I however, has been again rewarded, 1 when the connections of the pacer 1m- ! perial Thorpe, after a certain amount of success in the Southland area, made bold to display their “goods ’a t Addington, as a result of which it has been disclosed that Imperial Thorpe is identical with the one-time fairly successful pacer Bruce. Not Ideal “Ringer’* That the latter was not the ideal horse for “ringing-in** purposes is proved by the fact that Imperial Thorpe was not the moral anticipated on a few occasions, but this does not in any way condone the offence. The parties concerned have now been punished by law', and it will naturally follow that their associations with the sport they indiscreetly attempted to soil, will he non eat. The vigilance shown by the powers that be. and the manner in which justice has been dealt to the wrong-doer, nhould have a fur ther effect on cleaning up the game and act as a deterrent to anyone similarly inclined. Bruce's Record Bruce is an aged bay gelding by Logan Pointer from Trixie Mac, a

daughter ot‘ General Mac, who won a handicap at Tuapeka as a three-year-old in 1916. When Bruce reached a similar age he was unplaced In his first five starts, and then ran second in a 13-furlong event at Timaru for Mr. A. C. Watson. registering pretty good time. His next start was at Ashburton in June, when from 60yds behind in h. 12-furlong heat, and 11th favourite, he was steered to victory by F. G. Holmes in 3.33 off a 3.37 peg. Peter Bingen, also a three-year-old and a warm favourite, finished third, the pair being separated by Royal Arcade. During the 1924-23 period Bruce, then owned by E. J. Smith, started 11 times but only paid two dividends, being second at the Metropolitan summer me# ting over two miles and winning a mile and a-half heat at the Ashburton winter fixture. The tollowing season the Logan Pointer fielding won three races in IS starts, his first success being # at Greymouth in October, where he tramped 12 furlongs in 3.31 1-5. In December Bruce won a mile at New Brighton in 2.18. but the following month at Forbury Park he dead-heated with Brentloc over the same distance, clipping his time down to 2.14 2-5. When the 1926-27 season was ushered in Bruce missed the saddle item on the opening day of the Addington National Carnival, being at a long price. The second day saw him favourite in the saddle race and home he came in 2.16. On the final day he again scored in a similar contest, tramping 2.15 2-3 from a 2.13 mark, and paying a remunerative figure. Although he started eight times •afterward during the season. two thirds was the best the Logan Pointer pacer could record. Bruce made his last. appearance in public in the Au Tie voir Handicap at the Canterbury Park winter fixture on June 3, 1927. being unplaced off a 2.12 mark. According to recent happenings Bruce next aooeared on the scene • s Imperial Thorpe, and while he secured a share of stake money, the ultimate result shows that the “shrewdies’* have fared badly. How Imperial Thorpe Fared Imperial Thorpe is returned in the JJBte ter mrn :l bay gelding by Our . Thorpe from a Prince Imperial mare, w ho raced last season as a six-vear-°ld. Hfs first appearance according to the records was at Ashburton last June, where he finished third to Golden Author and Lough Neagh in the Trial Handicap. Driven by owner S. Bates the pacer was at long odds. Next time °ut was at the Ashburton racing fixture. when after being made second chnioe. imperial Thorpe failed to get a place, and in a later start fared similarly. Imperial Thorpe showed good form in the spring of this season at Gore, "here in a 10-furlong flutter he beat a « Promising sort in Morning Sun by a ’ registering 2.59 off a 3.3 peg. At I " inton in December S. Bates’s pacer nearly brought off a big surprise, in a mile and a-ouarter heat, Rita McKin- « n *y and Logan Hanlon keeping him ,