THE WORLD of SPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 252, 23 October 1926, Page 16

THE WORLD of SPORT

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES. (By ORIOX.) Nov. 19, 20—Nelson Trotting Club. Nov. 20. 24—Otaiiuhu Trotting Club. Nov. 20, 27-Forbury Park T.C. Dec. 4—Waikato Trotting Club. Dec. 8, 11—Wellington Trotting Club. Dec. 16, 18—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 27—Ashburton Trotting Club. Dec. 27 —Gore Trotting Club. Dec. 27, 2S—South Wnirarapa T.C. Alarcli 4, s—lnvereargill Trotting Club. March s—Waikato Trotting Club. March 9—Manawatu Trotting Club. March 12—Taranaki Trotting Club. March 12 —Timaru Trotting Club. March 1G —Wyndham Trotting Club. March 17, 19—New Brighton T.C. March 2G—Thames Trotting Club. April 2—EUesmere County T.C. April 9. 11—Wanganui Trotting Club. April 16, 20— N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. April 16, 18—Hawera Trotting Club. April 23 —Ashburton Trotting Club. One driver in a rough trotters' race on the second day was shouting quite unnecessarily during the race, and a wag , suggested he should be given a job broadcasting at IYA —telling bedtime stories. The sum paid to the Government in the form of taxation in connection with the Auckland Trotting Club's Spring Meeting amounted to £8077 10/9, made up as follow:—Totalisator tax, 2£ per cent., £2639 0/3; dividend tax, £4750 13/; stakes tax, £367 10/; gates and privileges, £78 3/3; amusement tax, £242 4/3—£8077 10/9.

Billy Whiz performed disappointingly at the meeting. The chestnut is not an easy horse to control in that he is a moody customer and cannot always be relied upon to do his best. J. O'lvane has him very well, and no one would begrudge him a win with the pacer.

In another part of this issue owners will find the programme for the Otahuhu Trotting Club's spring meeting. It is a very attractive one, over £14,000 in stake money being attached to the •1G events, and no doubt it will make a strong appeal upon owners.

It looks as though A. Brown is going to have some trouble to get a race out of his old favourite Harold Junior. The gelding was not walking any too sound on the track this morning, and with every likelihood of the tracks continuing hard from now on, it will not be easy to keep unsound horses on their feet.

Mr- F. J. Docherty has purchased a filly by Peterwah from Ami Dillon from her breeder, Mr. R. Fisken. If breeding counts for anything she should be good, and should Mr. Docherty succeed in securing something with which he could win races, it would be very popular at Epsom,, whwere he is recognised as one of the sportsmen who never complain when his horses run badly.

G. Phipps did not produce Dick Dillon at the meeting, but the chestnut is in regular work and looks well- Australian writers have frequently referred to Phipps' little mare Black Lila. as at one time pulling a hawker's cart around Sydney. Pbipps tell mc this is hardly correct, as the mare, like many other pacers and trotters in Australia, was hacked about the roads in a liprht jogger and often took part in tradesmen's races at show meetings- It would take a pretty good pony from a hawker's trap to keep up with Black Lila.

Pyramue did not show any dash in her races at the meeting,, and it would seem that thie fine mare is going back in her pace. She has been more or leee unsound for a long time, and it eaya something for A. Julian that he has been able to get her to the races and win a stake occasionally with her. It was her owner's intention to mate her with Peterwah, but Mr. Fieken's fine horse was not available for service, as his owner intends to keep him solely to the race track thie season.

The pacer Great Hope has been causing J. Bryce some anxiety lately and it has been found necessary to ease him in his work. The trouble is in one of his joints. He will not make the trip to Greymouth for the Greymouth Trotting Club's meeting and, a Christchurch writer says, it is practically certain that he will not be able to fulfil his engagement in the New Zealand Trotting Cup next month.

Nelson Derby is still among the regular workers at Addington, but he is causing his trainer some anxiety, and there is a possibility of him being indulged in swimming exercise during the next week or two.

A new judge's box has been built at the New Brighton Trotting Club's course, and it will L in use at the cluo's meeting in December. It is situated on top of the steward's stand, its position being similar to that of the judge's box at Riecarton. The arrangement at Brighton could have been improved but it will be an improvement on the olil box. The winning post and the starting post will have to be shifted about twelve feet.

The work of handicapping in Auckland this season which in the past was all done by the late Mr. F. W. Edwards will now be distributed, and at least three handicappers will cover the work of tho different clubs. The just-con-cluded Auckland meeting saw Mr. G. Paul come out with flying colours, and the next to set to work will be Mr. R. T. Reid, who will officiate for the Otahuhii Club. Later the Waikato Trotting Club's meeting will have to be considered, and the club had appointed Mr. C. Goosenian, of Hamilton, to do the handicapping.

Nelson Fame ie going to reach the beet company if S. August can keep him sound. If I remember rightly Nelson Fame was bred by Mrs. Duncan, and was purchased by Mr. G. Craw before the result of the mating of Neteon Bingen and Xorice was known.

Landlord, who raced unsuccessfully at the meeting, has been left behind with J. Shaw. The owner of the son of Brent Locanda is desirous of disposing of the gelding, as he contends the pacer is not a good horse on a left-handed track, and he is a better horse in Auckland where, at Epsom, the track is righthanded.

Several locally trained three-year-olds are engaged in the Great Northern Derby to be decided at the Christmas meeting of the A.T.C., but' there doe 3 not seem to be much likelihood of any of them seeing the post in the classic. Peter Grattan, Great Peter, and the colt by Ballin— Runaway, are the more forward, but they could hardly be expected to have a chance with the best of the southerners.

The owner of Jewel Pointer went close to getting his purchase money back firet meetirfj with the son of Logan Pointer. On the firet clay he might have been in the money but for getting a bad passage with three flags to go. In the second day he met with no intereference and went really well to beat all but Nelson Fame. The latter is pretty good, and it was no disgrace to be beaten by him.

MR. PAUL'S

Upon the work of the handicapper depends largely the sport served up at any meeting, and particularly does this apply at trotting meetings. With Mr. G. Paul making his first effort as a handicapper at the Auckland meeting, considerable interest was evinced as to what the result of his adjustments would produce. Well, it must be admitted that his work was all that could be desired, and the finishes, particularly on tho second day, pai<l him a high compliment. The greatest margin on Wednesday a winner had at the end was two lengths, but in the majority of races the finishes were decidedly close, and in the races won by Black Lila and Luvan there was just that small margin which allows the judge to separate the leaders. Mr. Paul's initial effort gave entire satisfaction, and ho seems to have the happy knack of getting the horses together and satisfying everyone. A remarkable point about the second day's racing was that where a horse had more than one engagement, or a stable had two horses engaged in one race, there was not a scratching.

THREE GOOD TROTTERS. The star items at the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting were provided by the square-gaited trotters, and it is a"long time since the public who attend tho Epsom course had the pleasure of seeing three such fine trotters as Peterwah, Money Spider, and Waikaha in action. Peterwah opposed the pacers in the principal handicaps and, on the second day, showed what a quality horse he is by beating Sea Pearl, Kohara, Logan Lou, Imprint, and others pointless. Certainly he was receiving starts from them all, but even so, there was a lot oi merit in his performance, as he never put a foot wrong and really gave his opponents no chance to get near him. He went 4.35 2-5, which time he might easily have reduced had he been tested. Money Spider downed a fair field of pacers on the first day in the Stewards' Handicap, but it was on the second day that he registered s best performance when he ran second to Waikaha, going 4.34 3-5. It was a fine effort and one that is not often done, in Auckland at any rate. Waikaha is the best trotter produced for a longtime. He has only been racing a little over two season's and has never yet been out of the money, his record in eleven starts accounting for eight wins. Just how fast he can go remains to be proved, but he won very nicely on the second day, going 4.38.

UNRULY HORSES. If there is one question that calls for serious consideration of stewards of clubs it is that of allowing horses who are confirmed outlaws to start in races and interfere with better-mannered animals. Not only at the meeting just concluded were there instances of this provided, but it is constantly occurring, and though it is taking a drastic step to notify an owner his horse will not be allowed to compete, on the other hand it is unfair to those owners who have horses giving no trouble, that they should be penalised. In the sister sport of galloping- a schooling list is compiled, and any horse placed upon it is not allowed to race until such time as the owner can satisfy the stewards the horse will behave. If such is necessary in galloping, then how much more should it apply to trotting, where the horses are attached to sulkies. It is unnecessary to mention the names of unruly horses which should be barred—the stewards know them just as well as anyone.

AUSTRALIAN HORSES ARRIVE. PERTH'S CHAMPION" TROTTER. The free-legged pacer, Don Douglas, who raced in Auckland at the last Cup meeting and afterwards returned zo Sydney, where he won a race, is back again in the Dominion. With a mare called Princess Wilkie, who hails from West Australia, Don Douglas arrived on Wednesday and the pair went into W. J. Tomkinson's stable at Addington. Another Australian to reach Christphurch this week was Margaloug, which lias joined up with P. Riddle's team. Now that the season is in full swing, we may expect many horses from,across the Tasman. The rich prizes offered in Xew Zealand are sufficient inducement to any owner to bring a horse across this way, but few will come with a more attractive record than Princess Wilkie, the champion trotting mare of West Australia. It is understood she has been leased by Mr. A. Rhodes from her owner, Mr. James Shaw, and, according to the Australian Trotting Record, she has wol 20 races during hor career, besides being placed 38 times, iiowever, her best time over two miles was at a 2.22 gait, which would be well' beaten by plenty of straightout trottsrs in the Dominion. Nimble Direct, who has engagements at Addington next month, has arrived from Australia, in charge of her owner. She has good form in Victoria to recommend her. '

Members of St. Michael's Church, Remuera, will hold a picnic to Pine Island on Monday. A lengthy sports programme has been arranged.