TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 305, 24 December 1926, Page 11

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES, (By ORION). Dec. 27—Ashburton Trotting Club. Dec. 27—Gore Trotting Club. Dec. 27, 28— South Wairarapa T.C. Dec. 27, 28—Westport Trotting Club. Dec. 28, 3U, 31—Auckland T.C. Dec 30—Winton Trotting Club. Jan. 1, 3—Canterbury Park T.C. Jan. 3—Westland Trotting Club Jan. 5, 6—Greymouth Trotting Club. Jan. B—Northland Trotting Cluh. Jan. B—lnangahua Trotting Club. Jan. 22—Te Aroha Trotting Club. Jan. 27, 29—Forbury Park T.C. Jan. 29—Hawke's Bay Trotting Club. Mr. C. E. Goosman, of Hamilton, has been appointed to do the handicapping for the Te Aroha Trotting Club. J. J. Kennerley did not come to Auckland, and therefore Logan Chief can be written out of the Auckland Cup. Since Holly Boy joined W. J. Tomkinson's stable, less than six months ago, the Wellington-owned pacer has won 1190sovs in stakes. Talaro has proved a profitable speculation to his owner, Mr. C. E. Lindsay, as his winnings to date total 4828sovs, and, being still on 4.29 for two miles, he has possibilities yet.

In the event of the weather clearing, it is intended to allow trainers to use the dirt track on Sunday morning. The gates will be opened at 6 a.m., and all horses must be off the ground by 9 a.m.

As Dillon Wilkes was not brought North yesterday, it can be counted out of the Trotting Cup. It is also on the cards that'Glandore will not run, and that he will be reserved for the St. Helier's Handicap, in which he will be driven by J. O'Shea.

Trainers with horses at Epsom have little reason to feel pleased with the weather during the week, and since Monday there has practically not been a workout. This, of course, is due to the wretched state qf the .training track as the result of rain, but the sand track. which was ostensibly put down to provide a working track in wet weather, is in even a worse state than the dirt. Unless there is a quick change in the weather, there does not appear to be much chance of horses being worked out before the meeting. The Auckland Trotting Club's course is about the only one in the Dominion upon which horses are never allowed to have a workout before a meeting.

There is a possibility of the pacer! DillonHHuno n changing ownership. This morning a prospective buyer asked G. MeKendrick to put a price on the chestnut. Though he has started a few times, the chestnut son of Harold Dillon has -never been seriously tried, but even so he has displayed a rare turn of speed ill his.races. Twelve months ago, when practically a green horse, he worked a mile and a-quarter with Dean Dillon at a 2.13 gait, and a fortnight ago he went a mile and a-half in 3.22 in a work-out. At the winter meeting, when the track was heavy, he was just touched off on the post by Bawldy Locanda in a mile and a-half. With a bit- of time, as he is yet a young horse, Dillon Huon should reach high company. 7 THE CUP. Although there is little prospect of any interesting work been seen on the training track, the fact of all the candidates being on the scene Mill cause the interest in the Cup to grow. When the hanflicaps first appeared, the opinion I was general that whatever beat Jewel would get the big end of the stake, but in the past week other candidates have come into the market, and the prospects of several are now well fancied. - It seems fairly safe to put Dillon Wilkes, Glandore, and Logan Chief down as unlikely starters, and it is also probable that Mr. McKenzie will not start both Acron and Great Bingen. There were rumours a week ago that all was not well with_jHiprint, but L. F. Birkett has arrived with the chestnut, and we may take it that he is satisfied to meet the best in fche big race. Imprint is from a time point rather badly treated taking a line through Locanda Mac (4.28 4-5), Kohara (4.27 3-5), Jewel (4.27 3-5), Talaro (4.28 4-5), Jack Potts (4.24 3-5) and Acron (4.24), but even though Imprint's best time is 4.28 3-5 and he is handicapped to go 4.26 he has shown himself to be a good stayer and a brilliant pacer. Another horse badly treated on time is Nelson Derby who is handicapped on 4.27, when his best time is 4.29 2-5. Actually on times registered Jewel and Kohara are meeting Nelson Derby 48yds. better than they should. Still that does not say they will beat him; in fact, when the machine closes, the chances are Nelson Derby will carry as much money as the other pair put together. There is no question about Nelson Derby being a good horse, but he has not been sound for some time and if he wins again all the credit will go to his trainer, W. Tomkinson. Nobody wants to be on Talaro, who is regarded as solid rather than brilliant and the opinion is that he will find the company just a shade too good for him. One thing about Talaro is that he will do everything right, which is always worth something. Jack Potts is a fine pacer and he is expected to do better than at the Metropolitan meeting when he raced well despite a very light preparation. Good judges are inclined to tick Jack j Potts off as sure to be in the money, i The two back-markers are Prince Pointer and Great Bingen, two of the greatest pacers -ever seen out in the southern hemisphere. Prince Pointer is receiving 12yds. from Great Bingen although the former has gone 4.22, while Great Bingen's best record for the distance is 4.25. It is a wonderful field of class horses. Prince Pointer holds the world's grass track record for two miles, Great Bingen has won, going 3.16 for a mile and a-half, Nelson Derby has gone a mile and a-quarte/ in 2.42 4-5, Acron a mile, once in 2.3 3-5, and again in 2.4 3-5. Where would it be possible to get together a better field of speed merchants? There have been some great contests for the Cup, but the one on Tuesday will see the race contested by the best in the land.