Can Etta Cole Beat Akenehi?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 13

Can Etta Cole Beat Akenehi?

#OD TEST ON SATURDAY PAIR will STRIKE KEENOPPOSITION Tv*o square young trotters which made splendid progress last •aason, Etta Cole and Akenehi, are bii.ed to meet on Saturday on _ u ,table terms in the two-mile u nhoppt«d h«*t, and .peculation is P jfe among light-harness enthusiasts as to which is the better of the pair. Both mares registered good performances during the season recently terminated, and in their respective en--aicements showed promise of reachfr? a xnuch higher standard in the notdistant future. Last year they did not cross swords until the final fixture of -he session, but while they met on a vvel footing at Epsom on the conclud•ng day. neither made much impression. being hampered by the bad state of the going. Judging by the investments on the machine on that occasion, the public showed preferment for AkeE ebi's chances. Etta Cole Etta Cole «i Peterwah Lady Cole) is „ five-year-old mare that did a fair amount of racing as a youngster, when she secured a comfortable victory at Hamilton. Last season the mare early snowed good improvement and at the vuckland Club’s spring meeting the chestnut mare gave a taste of her Quality by annexing a double. At Christmas two seconds fell to her portion. and then she visited Hawera for the Easter fixture, where she notched a first and a third. At the recent June carnival Etta Cole suffered a narrow defeat the first day at the hands of Floraline, keeping up her fine record as a consistent place-getter. Etta Coif is owned by F. J. Docherty and trained at Epsom by Fred Gilchrist, the galloping mentor, who was associated last year with Peterwah's daughter in her races. The mare is decidedly game, and although not a quick beginner has a wonderful turn of speed over the last half-mile of a lb’-furlong contest. While she has put u p some good fights on soft and muddy tracks, Etta Cole is undoubtedly at her best when the footing is firm, and under such conditions it requires a pretty good one to keep her out of the money. Of late the Peterwah representative has not been working with her usual dash, but hopes are entertained that she will be O.K. for the coming contest. Akenehi Akenehi (Peter Moko—Agnes Chief) is a four-year-old mare that came into the game a couple of seasons back on a ‘boom'’ that she failed to justify.

Owned by M. Timms, the grey mare is trained at Te Awamutu by A. Cook, who is also a successful galloping mentor, but usually she passes into the hands of J. T. Paul at Mangere just prior to racing for a topping-off process; at least, that has been the customary practice during the past season. The daughter of Peter Moko did not make good until the Otahuhu summer fixture in February, when she "bolted in” on the opening day over two miles. Later, she was presented at Cambridge, where she put up a striking performance, and one that caused her to rise considerably in the opinion of numerous followers of the square-gaiters. In this particular heat Akenehi, after breaking and losing a lot of ground, came with a well-sus-tained run, and, fighting out every inch of the ground gamely and stubbornly, scored narrowly from Sebisca. Her next appearance was on the opening day of the Auckland June meeting, when J. T. Paul again had a comfortable drive, and his supporters had no cause for anxiety at any stage of the Journey. The grey mare is a great beginner, and while this will give her an advantage in the early stages of her set-to with the Epsom mare. Akenehi will probably want it when it comes to the last few* furlongs. Given a reasonably good track on Saturday and allowing for both mares to be “in the pink.” the encounter should be well worth a long pilgrimage to witness. Both trotters have become public favourites and are looked upon as likely to reach the high class society before the present season expiree. It is generally conceded there ie not much between, the pair, taking a

line through their respective achievements. but admirers of each trotter are anxiously waiting to see the pair meet on equal terms to decide the supremacy. Others To Be Considered It must not be thought, however, that Etta Cole and Akenehi are the only f competitors in Saturday’s big trot, and w h.le they are endeavouring to settle | th * argument, a few of the other asplr- ! ants for the prize and trophy will be * away in the danger zone. | *o;i and Flr.raline are on the game [ jnark as Etta Cole and Akenehi. while j l u *c immediately behind the front line ! Gold Sovereign and Peter Me- j kinney. Without booking any further, there is sufficient material in this aalf-dozen to provide fans at Epsom w *th a keen, speotaculqgr and thrilling f square -gaited contest. 1929 TROTTING FIXTURES Auckland T.C. (Special).—Aug. 31. ;’*» Urishton T.C.—Sept 7. •-hrlstehurcn Clubs (Special).— Sept. 14. Methven T.C.—Oct. 5. Waikato T.C.—Oct- 17. Northland T.C.—Oct. )9. jjew Brifthton T.C.—Oct. 1!>. bteymouth T.C.—Oct .6. 28. Auckland T.C—Oct 26. 28. £amanj T.C—Oct 28. J.lHnitton T.C. Nov. 2. Metropolitan T.C.—Nor. 12. 14. 16. o »*>uhu T.C—Nor 20, 23.