TROTTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1940, Page 9

TROTTING

AUCKLAND MEETING ACCEPTORS FOR FIRST DAY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 2. Acceptances for the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting, commencing on February 10, are: — 12. —Trial Handicap, trotters, 3.49 class, IJm.: Glen Bingen, Josedale Dictator, Nelson Carbine, Sophy Bingen. Wharekawa, scr.; Bournemouth, Dolores Silk, 12yds.; Barney Bingen, Mah Jong, Worthy Worker, 48; Cracksman, Gold Kip, 60; Frontier Boy, 72; Modern Lady, 96. 12.45 —Waiheke Handicap, 3.5 class, Um., first division: Bold Boy, Brilliant Globe, Dean Parrish, Gipsy Light, Ihi Ihi, Magic Task, Mountain Emblem, Northern Smile, Parrish Queen. Sequioa, Star Guide, Sweet Aloes, Tapanui Lady, Winning Post, sen; Neon Oro, 12yds.; Kewpie’s Bingen, 24.

1.30 — Great Northern Centenary Trotting Derby, harness, for three-year-olds, IJm.: Auto Lad, Barbara Scott, Crucible, Charon, Charles Rex. Bonniedene. 2.15 —Otahuhu Handicap. 3.24 class, 11m.: Bold Venture. Fortex, Parauri. Peter Smith, Ringtrue, Sir Frank. Tangatu, scr.; Equipoise, Star Pronto, Three Bells, 12yds.; Kewpie’s King, Our McKinney, Our Peggy, Red Flush, 24; Isabel Derby, 36; Eayard, 48. 3.s—Railway Handicap. 4.46 class, 2m.: Belfast Jack, Forest Jewel, Kete Kura, Kewpie’s Queen, Lucky Love t Petite Jewel, Silver Watch, Stargum, scr.; Bedford, Tsana, 12yds.; Hillcrest, Isabella Pointer, Resistance. 24; Bronze Queen, Llanvabon, Lynn Rey, Moana Tama, Royal Jewel, Transwell. 36. 3.so—February Handicap, trotters, 3.37 class, 11m.: Elissa, Esther, scr.; Audo Patch, Great Surprise, Stalky. 24; Roi Grande. 36; Gay Mako, 60; Waikato Prince. 132. 4.3s—Mount Albert Handicap. 3.38 class, 11m.: Bingen’s Best. Cavalryman, Excel, Grand Dame. Kitty’s Choice. Novikoff, Repose, Silk Lady, scr.; Albertini. Llewellyn's. Radio Queen, 12 yds.; McGlusky, John's Last, 36. s.2o—Papakura Handicap, 3.27 class, 11m.: Lady Vasclyne. Munga Tangi, Vanora, scr.; Adversity, Bold Venture. Great Chum, Shrewdy, Tangatu, 24 yds.; Francisco, Nawton Parrish, Peter Smith, Sir Frank, 36. SECOND DAY. Waiheke Handicap. 3.5 class, Ijm.. second division: Auto Lad. Barbara Scott, Charles Rex. Del Potts, Flying News, Honey Pot, Maratua, More Worthy, Nawton Junior, Princess Linnett, Ringstone, Sir Echo, Torpedo King, scr.; Bronze King. 12yds.; Clay Pot, 24. ONCE PULLED A PLOUGH NOW A SUCCESSFUL TROTTER. Houghton Feast is the third successful trotter in recent years that has spent the early part of her life pulling a plough. The others are Peggotty and George Arliss. Had not Mr H. Adlington fallen into bad health. Houghton Feast might still be carting milk to the factory. Il was nearly two years ago that Mr Adlington, a cartage contractor at Amberley, was advised by his doctor to play golf or adopt some recreation to restore his health, which at that time was considerably impaired. Mr Adlington could not discipline himself to hit a small ball round a paddock, and on the advice of a friend decided to buy a horse and spend his spare time riding and driving it for pleasure. At Amberley he lives with Mr-'J. Belcher, on whose farm a ten-year-old mare by Sonoma Harvester from a mare by Great Audubon was doing daily duties on the farm.

Mr Adlington purchased the mare from Mr Belcher for a few pounds, but for sentimental reasons the sale was cancelled, and Mr Adlington continued to use her as a hack.

As time went on the mare showed more than the average speed and eventually Mr Adlington, who was a successful- athlete at Houghton Feast. County Durham, where he won a big event over 120 yards, decided to train her. Previously to this he had had no experience with trotters or pacers. The mare developed greater speed, and Mr Adlington decided to seek the advice of G. McKendry, whom he knew well. McKendry visited Amberley, and the mare was taken to the racecourse, where the grass was six inches long. Hitched to a jogging cart of the type used in the eighties, and with ordinary harness, the mare was paraded for a trial. After a judicious warming up, she was sent over a mile and a half journey, which she covered in 3min 35sec. However, she needed some correction in gait and gearing, and at Mr Adlington’s request McKendry wrote several pages of instructions as to the shoeing, gaiting, care and training of a trotter. New boots were purchased, but Mr Adlington did not know how to put them on, so he consulted clause 18 of page seven of the instructions, and succeeded in getting them on the mare, but upside down. With the help of a friend the quar-ter-boots wore properly fitted, and her training was continued according to programme. On the advice of McKendry she was entered for the novice trotters' race at Ashburton and four races at the Greymouth Trotting Club's meeting in January. With G. McKendry as her driver, she won at Ashburton. In her first race at Greymouth she. broke at the start, but won two races on the second day.

Her next appearance was at Forbury last week, when she won the Vauxhall Handicap in good style, but in the Waverley Handicap on the second day she swerved round at the start and looked the other way. She is a good type of mare, but inclined to be nervy at the barrier. She has developed a lot of speed, and completes a mile and a half journey in promising fashion. Her record to date is four firsts in six starts, and in the near future she will win again.

Rescued from Burning Building. Two hours after having been narrowly saved from a burning stable, Mr T. W White’s horse Lindrum, trained by D. Griffiths, won the Te Kupenga Hack Handicap at the Wairoa race meeting on Thursday. The Wairoa Fire Brigade was called to the stables and bach owned by Mi’ F. Foley, near the railway station eaj'ly in the afternoon. The fire had a good hold when the horse Lindrum was discovered tied in a stable. The horse was already harnessed for the race, and the bridle was scorched by the intensity of the heat. When flames had almost enveloped the box in which Lindrum was stabled Mr Foley Junr., entered the burning building and rescued the horse, little worse for the experience. The greater part of the building was destroyed. the damage amounting to about £lOO. It is thought that the outbreak might have been caused by a righted cigarette igniting the straw. The building was not insured.

Phar Lap the Best. It is interesting to learn that one of America’s leading turf men places Phar Lap first on the list of great horses he has seen, greater even than Man o' War, which, coming from an American, is praise indeed. The sports writer of the San Francisco “Daily News” asked George Washington Schilling, presiding steward at Bay Meadows, to name the four best horses that have run on the American turf in the last 20 years. Before answering Schilling took the precaution to state that he was a true American patriot, and then he named Phar Lap. Man o' War. Equipoise, and Sun Beau—in that order. Mr Schilling has had over 40 years’ experience, and as he saw each of the four horses named in action he should know what he is talking about. The writer apparently was not quite sure whether Schilling meant the names to go down in the order given, so he put a second poser: “If all had met at equal weights at a mile and aquarter, each horse at his top and Earle Sandc, Albert Johnson. Wayne Wright, and George Woolf in the stirrups, which do you think would have won?” "Well, if you must know." answered Schilling. “I’d take Phar Lap first. Man o' War second. Equipoise third, and Sun Beau fourth: and maybe they would have come to the wire noses apart.” Man o' War is the recognised American champion. Equipoise the mile record holder, and Sun Beau the greatest money winner of all time.