LIGHT HARNESS SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 65, 18 March 1925, Page 10

LIGHT HARNESS SPORT.

(By ORION.) I ' FIXTURES, SEASON 1924-25. March 10, 21. —New Brig-nton T.C. April 3.—Manawatu T.C. April 4.—Thames T.C. April 11, 13.— N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. April 11, 13.—Poverty Bay T.C. April 13.—Howera T.C. April 18.—Methven T.C. April 23.—Ellesmere .C.T.C. i May 2, 6. —Auckland T.C. May 7, «.—Forbury Park T.C. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. F.H. (Papatoetoe).—Haroto was not a starter at the recent meeting of the Walkato Trotting: Club. Bawldy Locancla has improved since going Into T. Roe's team, and at Hamilton he went 3.3 3 into second place. On the concluding day or the Australasian championship the llrst Western Australian Sires' Produce Stakes, for three-year-olds, will be decided. A trainer for whom a win is clue is J. Lynch. His horses always look well, but lust at present his team Is not a strongone, and It requires a real good horse to I win nowadays. t j The trotting- gelding Peter Eyre. Which raced unsuccessfully at Wanganul last month, has been leased by a patron or W. Wlllett's stable, and In Tuture will be trained at Hawera. With anything: like ordinary luck Doctor Dillon should soon win a race for lliS owner, Mr. J. P. McGregor. The Harold Dillon g-elding- is improving , all the time, and his trainer, S. Groat, has him very well. Harvest Todd, by The Harvester, rrom Gay Todd, dam or Heal Guy, recently registered 2.8 Tor a mile in America. This i aufrurs well for Real Guy, which Is at i present In work at Santa Rosa Farm, Canterbury. A final reminder is g-iven owners that nominations for all events to be decided ut the Thames Trotting Club's meeting to be held on April 14 close to-day at 5 p.m. Willi the secretary, Mr. 0. E. Brown - lee, Thames, or with Mr. R. L. Absolum, Auckland. Auckland horses are not strongly represented at the New Brighton meeting, and though Hypo and Kelson Tasker have been i taken south the pair will have to improve I upon their latest showings to win a race. They are a useful pair, and can be depended upon to do their work right. One of the most costly propositions to backers this season has been Signorella, in J. Paul's team. The chestnut mare at one time threatened to be a champion, but fust when she was expected to do big things she began to Tall, and has been failing ever since. When Olive Huon ran second to Queen's Own at Otahtihu last month she was ticked off as one likely to win early. At the Timaru meeting on Saturday the mare won the chief event, going 4.36 for the two miles. She was not fancied, and returned a good price. The Alexandra Pant track has quite a I busy appearance each morning, and some- | thing like 200 horses are being constantly worked on the tracks. Many of them are young or green horses to racing, but several look like being: acquisitions to Ihe game later on. With so many highlybred Hires about, it will be surprising if Auckland does not produce a Juvenile Of class during the next season or two. An Australian writer rerers to a lishtharness performer safd to be under orders Tor these parts:—"The Australian trotter Antarctica, which is to race in New Zealand, Is a grey marc and has won several events in Perth, getting down to 2.24. Last year. Jack Leader, or Forbes, purchased the mare for £300 for George lilscox." Probably Antarctica will Join inn same owner's Prince Derby In B. Jarden's stable. The staffing or Free-For-All races by the Metropolitan, Otahuhu, Ashburton, and Wellington Trotting Clubs is a move in ihe right direction, and one that will have iho entire support of all who have the best interests of trotting at heart. The hard part or the light harness sport is vhat it is always possible for the best horses to get little or no money once they have reached a hard mark, and, no matter how much the limits might be tightened up. the odds are always against the backrnarkers. The inclusion or Free-ForrAUs over various distances will give the champions an opportunity to get stake money, besides providing the public with ihe best racing: possible. An interesting point is touched by a ecu-respondent or a Sydney Jour.nal. He writes: "I think trainers take too much pdvantao-n or the liberty allowed them in running their horses Into condition on Ihe various courses on race days. It is a source or expense to race patrons. A horse wins a race or two. then retires Tor a pnell. Ho may. on his return, he running ;it ha'f a dozen rnre meetings ' getting into rorm.' but on the strength of previous performances people are backimr him without a shadow of a chance or winning. T.hls IS perhaps not dishonest, tint race flubs should oxprriso crrent viq-ilance in tnr> nhove enpes and act promptly on the slicrhiest suspicion, putpops are he'n'e?s. .-nri it is the duty or the clubs to protect them." NOTES FROM CANTERBURY. (By Telegraph.-—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. The American importations, Real Guy md Guy Parrish will both be runners in the Improvers' Handicap at New Brighton on Thursday. At present nothing is really known or the former, but he is not likely ! to go out rrlendless; In fact, if rumour proves correct, he will have no end or backing from a reliable source. Moonlit, on the strength of her second to Logan Lass at Motukarara, will do Foliitly suppored in the Beirast Handicap. Keihtvingi and Lingen Lad are two others Ju the same race that should run we.ll. Donside should be an improved horse nfter his racing at Timaru last week, and, with Olive Huon, has come into favour for the Burwood Handicap at New Brighton. Queen's Own is in that race, too, and will be in almost equal demand ! on th<> dny. ' Ruth Hall. Pointalena and Bright Hell have been working well lately, and their chances in tne Seaview Handicap will make the betting poll a good one. ThixenclHle may also carry money, and the race seems certain to be an interesting one. Bintrenetti , is in two races during the d.iv. but may be reserved for the Autumn Handicap. Duke Bliigen, on the front ! mark, may be the hardest she has to heat. i Lord Binpren is smart over short courses, I t'io mile of the Dnsh Handicap will ; suit him. lie has only to go, and his penalty will not trouble him much. j Ben Mac showed a lot or speed at j J.lotukarara, and visitors to that fixture I are not likely to rorget him IT again I presented at New Brighton. Onyx's second to Logan Chief in the Free "for All at Otahuhu showed that she was back to her best, and with only a live second limit, she is likely to co one I better in the Walnoni Handicap. Lightnln' I and Bonny Logan should also'run well. ' or the 16 engaged in the Electric ' Handicap. Darcelona and Squatter are the i ruling ravourltes. Both probably may show j that the confidence they command is not I misplaced. i • AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP. FIRST HEAT TO VICTORIA. GREAT HOPE AND TARAIRE GO WELL. I ! The result or the first heat of the Aus- ! tralaslan Trotting Championship, which j was decided on Saturday, went to the 1 smart Victorian pacer Yin Direct, which i debated the New Zcalandor Great Hope by ! only a root, with another New Zealander, i in Taraire, only two yards away. While a victory for either Great Hope- or Taraire; —they are both trained In Christchurch by J. Bryce—would have made ! pleasant '.reading on this Bldo of the Tasman. the. Hne effort made ' by both horses to secure a "leg . In" shows that they are at the top of their rorm, and one or the pair may yet securo tho title or champion. The staging or the Australasian Troting Championship by tho West Australian Trotting- Club is tho biggest I thing attempted in light harness sport in ! the Southern Hemisphere, and as the cable i giving the result or tho first heat mentions that it was a great success, wo may i anticipate that the W.A.T,C, will have no regrets next Saturday week, on which date the final will take place., The event carries prlzn-money to the amount or £2600, which is epread over two heats

and a final, the heats being over a, mile and" a-quartcr and a mile and a-tialf, and the Anal over two miles. .All visiting horses are guaranteed £100, and each or the three events carries £536, of Which £300 goes to the winner. £IGO to the. second horse, and £75 to the third. In addition, the champion, that is the horso securing tlie greatest number or points in the aggregate, gets £495 and the championship riband. The event extends over three Saturdays, the first heat on Saturday last going- to Vln Diroct, which, with Delavan, comprised the Victorian representatives. Olobepool and Mlnton Derby were to represent New South Wales, but Minton Derby went lame, and was not taken across to Perth. West Australia claimed four nominations, Virus, Kola Girl, Monarch, and Stan's Boy, but if any or them started on Saturday last they railed to score a point. The cable gave no information touching the starters or the time registered for the mile and a-quarter, but with Great Hope and Taralre filling second and third positions we may take it that Vln Direct had to go very fast to win. On Saturday next the second heat will be run, this time over a mile and a-half, and as both the New Zealanders, Greet Hope- and Taraire, have fine records up to two miles, the extra distance, compared with the first heat, should be in their favour. Again, the track at Perth Is a very small one, and they may be expected to g-o better on It next time. With the final two miles on Saturday week, there anpears to be good reason to expect either Great Hope or Taraire to return to the Dominion with the title or Australasian champion.