BLACK MAGIC ON TOP

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 935, 31 March 1930, Page 14

BLACK MAGIC ON TOP

LORD HALDANE’S HARDSHIP WHAT THE HANDICAPS SHOW When Black Magic at Te Aroha after losing fully 100 yards at the' start of a mile and a-half race came at the finish to run Lord Haldane and Paradigm to a neck finish, students of trotting ticked the Te Awamutu gelding off as a "good thing" the next time out, Tho son of Hova fullv lived up to anticipations on Saturday by winning the mile and a-lial£ event. and although beaten on his merits by Lord Haldane in titc two-mile go. ' ltlaek .Magic was eventually placed first, the winner being disqualified for inconsistency, and his owner-driver lined no Just where the inconsistency in Lord' Haldane's case comes in is difficult in define. Unfortunately in -uc.u i n . quiries the evidence is not availabli for publication and once again "Abavflos” would suggest that the "star chamber 1 * methods of investigation should he dls.continued and all inquiries thrown open to the Dress. In tho Parnwai Handicap, of a mile and a-half. Lord Haldane was on lt'Syds, with Black Magic on 48yds. lie only carried r 44 on the machine, but those who put it on U. Saunders's trotter were decidedly game, in the first place, on Te Aroha form he had no chance of beating Black Magic at tho mark. Then several o:i the limit showed promise at T< Aroha and lo.oked like heating the ex-pacer when they met again. Further, in his last two starts Lord Haldane had refused to go away and he had practically lost public confidence. All in His Favour In tho race in question Lord Haldane. still slow to get going, after no settled down trotted in iiis best style and was putting in great work at the business end to finish . lose up behind tho placed horses. Willi the tighter class of tlm President's Handicap Lord Haldane was meeting the placed horses from the earlier race on much better terms, and with Black M:igic penalised 2 4 yards, it was quite evident io close followers of the ginno that Saunders’s trotter looked liko beating the opposition in the twomile. This he did, after again losing some ground at the start,.and the public was not surprised, as he was a good second fancy in the betting. AVhero the surprise really came in was when the inquiry was held and tho race taken away from the winner. To say the result came as a thunderbolt is putting it mildly. Owners and trainers who had taken part in both races expressed the greatest surprise at the turn things had taken. To the average student of trotting it is diilicult to see how the decision was arrived at, or on what grounds tho judiciary condemned Saunders. Tho difference in the betting only seems to prove what good judges the public are in summing up the position after studying the respective marks. Tho result of the two square-pait.ed events turned out just as anticipated in Friday’s issue of The Sun. It is true that Lord Haldane put up smarter time for the two-mile go, but there was not much difference at the respective gaits. In the shorter race Lotd Haldane would have been required to go about 2.26 to the mile to win, while in the longer race he showed a 2.25 gait. If this was the factor oil which the decision was based it is surprising that similar action has not been adopted on other occasions* To cite an instance on Saturday: Gaza in the mile and a-half could not get a place in about 3.31, yet he won the mile saddle easily in 2.15 4-5. He carried £6O in the first up and £299 when he won. Still no one in their right senses would accuse Gaza of not doing his best.

A Big Difference The following summary shows the difference (in parentheses) at which the disqualified trotter was meeting his opponents in the respective events and where they finished. Mil? and a-half— Lord Haldane. lOSylls . 6th Black Magic, 48yds .. .. Ist (60yd.s) Joy Ride, limit .. .. 2nd (108yds) Locharie, 12vJs 3rd (96yds) Lady Ena. 84yds .. .. 4th (24yds) Colonel Thorpe, 36yds.. stli (72yds) Two Miles — Lord Haldane, 36yds . Ist Black Magic, 24yds .. 2nd (12yds) Lochade, limit 3rd (36yds) Joy Ride, limit 4th (36yds) Lady Ena, 12yds .. .. 6th (24yds) SOUTHERN JOTTINGS ADDINGTON TESTS Special to THE SUN CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The Addington track was in good order this morning, when several trainers stepped their charges along. No one, however, appeared anxious to wind up the watch. N. L. Price was over from Sockburn with his string this morning, including the trotters Beta Mac, New Metfor and Boneta. Beta Mac is a promising Pete reta mare imported from Australia some little time 'ago. In a two-mile effort with Boneta this morning she trotted without a mistake and showed plenty of dash toward the close of her essay. Boneta was worked in the saddle, giving a pleasing display. Now Metford was in one of his best moods and settled down to trot pleasingly over a short course. Muriel De Oro Is Well Jolly Pet and Muriel De Oro provided some fireworks toward the end of a 10-furlong spin. The latter’s turn cannot be far off. Accumulator went away three secons in front of Omaha, Logan Chief and Bonny Logan at a mile and aquarter. There was no pace on at any stage of the journey, the pacers winding up ahead of Accumulator, after registering a 2.21 rate. Accumulator gave a solid exhibition. E. C. McDermott did not send Zenith against the watch when he dispatched him over a mile and a-half, but the roan pacer came his last half in 1.8, after being allowed to dawdle for » mile. Zenith is very fit and will have to be considered in one of the fast sprints at Easter. In addition to Zenith, McDermott worked Festival over a mile and a-half and a 2.19 clip was reached toward the close of the piece. Festival shapes like one a good deal above the average. Cyone, Pro Rata and Admiral Bingen left 3 0 furlongs behind in great style. Pro Rata is a good deal better than he has yet shown in public, an! should carry his sire, Drusu, into further prominence before long. Cushla D’Or showed all her usual i brilliance in a, sprint £ssay»