TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 14

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

(By ORION.)

FIXTURES. June 12—Ashburton T.C. Jane 10, 23—Auckland T.C. Winter.

Acceptances for the Auckland T. C. Winter Meeting close on Friday next at 5 p.m.

The American stallion Feterwah has raced somewhat unluckily this season. He has only won one race, and has been three times third, prior to finishing twice in second place at the Hawke's Bay Trotting Club's meeting on Thursday.

Marshal Neil, which won a race at the Hawke's Bay Trotting Club's meeting last week, ia owned by Mr. L. F. Berkett, of Nelson, who trains him. Marshal Neil is by Neil Denis, by Galindo from Thelma, and he was bred in the Nelson district. He created a very favourable impression when first raced this season at the Nelson Trotting Club's meeting in November. Marshal Neil is only three years old, and he ia a really fine stayer, in addition to possessing a good turn of speed.

How the "Horse Review" 'regards the trotter as compared with the pacer is shown by the distribution of the £2300 given for its annual Futurity, which has been going for 35 years. This year £2300 will be distributed, not including liberal awards* to breeders, and £200 consolation prizes. The distribution is £1200 to three-year-old trotters, £700 to two-year-old trotters, and £400 for three-year-old pacers. Another event now being advertised by the "Horse Review" is a Subscription Puree of £2800, for foals of 1926, to be raced for in 1928 and 1929. The distribution ie £1200 for three-year-old trotters, £400 for three-year-old pacers, and £500 for two-year-old trotters.

TROTTER—PACER—TROTTER.

Australia has never produced a 2.10 trotter, Fritz (2.13) and Grand Voyage (2.13) being the fastest performers at that gait bred in the Commonwealth. But when we consider that we have harboured in our midst in apparent ignorance a horse which with skilful training would probably have proved a sensational square trotter, and then seek the cause of our somnolence, we are more than ever convinced that in the conduct of the light harness sport in Australia we are proceeding along the wrong linee (says the "Australian Trotting Record"). The reference is to Happy Voyage (2.4 1-5, ex-champion pacing stallion of Australasia. Australian trotting clubs encourage the hoppled pacer at the expense of the trotter, and consequently owners and trainers cannot be blamed for taking the short cut to the prize money by strapping their horses to the pace, irrespective of their natural gait.

When Happy Voyage commenced his historic career he was a trotter, and he won five small events at that gait. He was then converted to the pace, and with the aid of the hopples annexed the 1917 Richmond Thousand, with Arthur Porteous in the saddle. Subsequently he reduced the Australian mile record to 2.9 and the mile and a-half record to 3.19. He then went to New Zealand, eventually making an Australasian record by pacing a mile against time in 2.4 1-5 at 2*ew Brighton.

Having reached the apex of his speed ability, Happy Voyage, handicapped out of everything, was returned to his home State, but instead of being retired to the stud as his great record of service deserved, he was given to another trainer to prepare. He won one or two small events, but was obviously on the decline. The grand old campaigner was entered in events in which he was opposed to horsea he could have beaten out of tight in his prime; but, his brilliance gone, he was mostly found in the ruck at the finish of a race.

Now we find this great son of Direct Voyage and Honest Meg, now 14 years old, entered in trotters' handicaps in. Melbourne, and placed on the back mark. He is fence again in the care of his original trainer, and the report is that Porteous cannot get the horse to pace. He will do nothing but trot.

CANTERBURY NOTES.

CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. wnile matters in the galloping line are pretty well at a standstill, the trotting people have plenty to interest them in the Ashburton Trotting Club's meeting, to be held on Saturday next, and the Auckland Club's winter meotlng the following week Canterbury stables are well represented at the Auckland meeting, and as a number or really- good horses will travel north it looks as though a fair proportion or the prize money will come this- way. A pair who showed good form at the meeting , decided last week at-Canterbury Parlc were , Nativ c: Chier and Talaro. The rormer, though only a three-year-old. is: a particularly brilliant pacer and Talaro looked as though his racing last week ought to do him good. No rewer than 13 or the:2l engaged in the big race on the first day bail from Canterbury stables Nelson Ata, which is engaged in the Winter Handicap Tor unhoppled trotters is a particularly good sort, and one or the most promising young trotters seen out for some time.

Happy Rosa figures on the limit in the Stewards' Handicap, and Jf sue goes correctly from the start, then she will take all sorts of beating.

Money Spider, which is engaged in the same race, has recently been leased to J. Bryce, and may be expected to improve on some or his recent displays. Brutus went a good race at Addlngton on Saturday, and should race well at Ashburton this week.