WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 11

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

(By ORION.) FIXTURES. Feb. 23—Otahuhu Trotting Club. Feb. 25 or March 11—Kaikoura T.C. March 4. s—lnvercargill Trotting Clv.b. March 4^—Marlborough Trotting Cub. March s—Waikato Trotting Club. March 9—Manawatu Trotting Club. March 12—Tamnaki Trotting Cluk. Marcb CJ —Timaru Trotting Club. March 16—Wyndham Trotting Club. May 7.—Cambridge Trouing Club. As was expected in such a big field. the three placed horses in the Tamaki Handicap were on the limit. Like a lot more in the saddle mile Reliance did not leave the mark right, and was never dangerous. Red Star, who just scrambled into third place in the Tamaki Handicap, was paving nearly half a hundred to win. Black Lila was not produced in the Otahuhu Cup. The mare went sore on Friday, and G. Phipps could not start her. Van Rich was going along very nicely in front at the end of a mile and a-half in the Papakura Handicap, but once he entered the straight he tired bad'y. To win two very fine gold cups in a season does not often fall to the lot of any owner, but this is the record of Mr. Geo. McMillan. No more popular sportsman has been connected with the light harness sport in Auckland, and immediately the numbers were hoisted showing his fine mare Sea Pearl had won the Otahuhu Cup there was a warm round of cheering. Sea Pearl runs in the nomination of Mr. McMillan only, but she is really owned by that gentleman in partnership with Mr. Revell, a | well-known Auckland accountant. At the Auckland spring meeting Sea Pearl won the Adams Memorial Handicap, which also carried a gold cup valued at 100 guineas. Twelve months ago the grey gelding Taipare, an aged son of Our Thorpe and Uniform, ran a couple of races which caused him to be ticked off as one likely to win races. He was not raced for some months later, but this season haquickly made good. He was produced in a mile and a-quarter saddle race at the Te Aroha meeting recently and ho made an exhibition of ~ the field. At one stage he was about 100 yards in front of the field and eventually won pullinz up to a walk by ten lengths. On Saturday he made an exhibition of a big field in the Tamaki Handicap, and the most that can be said for all but the first and second horses is that they were in the same paddock. Taipare was on the limit, but he will not have such an easy task in future.

Rev Logan and Gold Dial were putting . in great work over the hist furlong of the t Tamaki Handicap, and if the field is not » too big on Wednesday they should carry a lot of money. Kolmar. though beaten out of a place : in the Tnal, wen: m solid race and made • up about 100 yard* of his 120 yards t hand.cap. It would be pleasing to see ; Koimar get a stake for his owner. - Backers of four horses received dividends in the Tamaki Handicap. This was due to the winner. Taipare. being bracketed with Horizon, while Manna. • who finished second, was bracketed with! : Nancy Bell. The connections of Gold Jacket 1 expected him to go well ;n the mile ! saddle, but he did the Charleston at the "> start, and settled any chance he had. ' His performances do not make him out to be a very reliable sort at the barrier. Had Pete Peter been able to get a : hotter passage, instead of being on the J fence behind a bunch in the middle stages of ; lie Pres.dent's H.i.-.dirap be i may have beaten Pet<.-r Swift. as he -xas : finishing m-icn better than the winner. V\ . Tumkinson co»t followers of his -:aole a heap of ni'iney on Saturday. He started hve hor>es during the Cair. and between them they carried no less than £4220. Just over £140«~» came back | when Pete Peter ran «econd. but the I best part of £3000 was lost. .Somebody expected Direct Morning to play a prominent part in the decision of the Papakura Hand.cap. but the j £1133 invested on the son of Direct \ VA :lkes was gone early, as he failed • to go away right, and praet;caliy took \ no part in the race. 1 The defeat of Firpo in the mile saddle was the hardest !■:• ek to backers. When the machine cic- they tvere taking a short price about tae son of Hal Zolock. ; but the money did not assist him. and. » not stepping oif the mark well, be was • unsighted all the war. J ■_ i | Tnere was good reason to believe • Tiger Salve was expected to improve on Saturday on any of his previous showings since coming across from Svdnev. For a mile and three-quarters he was t always close to the- leaders, but he did j not finish on in the straight. Had Petroleuse settled down right at the start of the Trial Handicap the Petereta mare must have won very , easily, instead of just failing by a neck to reach Sean Triubhais. Petroleuse is : one of the most promising trotters in 1 the introductory class seen here for ', some time. Those who felt that Luvan was liable • to leave her feet at any time would not 1 be surprised to see her break up badly ' in the Papakura Handicap. At the time | there was no pace on, and it would «tra ■ she is not as solid as could be desired. There is no question of her pace when , she goes right. j The victory of Liberate in the Mile I Saddle was very popular. The Tamahere ! trainer, R. A. McMillan, has-been right out of luck for a long time, and it seemed as though he could do nothing right. Now that he has broken the spell nobody will begrudge the popular j trainer any further wins which come to : him. I t Whether Machine Gun could go faster in the first mile of the Papakura I Handicap or not only J. o"Shea knows, i but the bay horse did not begin to I make up any of his handicap till thenOver the last mile he paced like a good , one, and it was a well-sustained run I which landed him in fourth place. less ,: than a length behind the winner. The programme drawn up for the annual meeting of the Thames Trotting j Club to be held on March 2rf. is a credit j to the committee, and as the pri?e ' money is substantial for a country club. I the response from owner* when norainaI tinns close on March 11. with the secre- ! tary, Mr. E. 0. Brownlee. Thames, or with Mr. R. L. Absohtm. secretary of . the Otahuhu Club. Auckland, should see I a biff list of entries. The cup. limit 4.42. I carries £."00 and a cup valued at 25 I guineas, and in a good programme, pub- ! Mshed ensewhere in this issue, it will be : seen that the smallest stake is £1'">0. ]

The racing on Saturday was of the best, and the c!o>e finishes in the majority of the events must have been particularly satisfying to the handicapper. I Mr. R. T. Re id. In only one race, the Tamaki Handicap, wen by Taipare. did the winner score easily, but in two events the decision was a head, in two other* a neck, and in two others three-quarters of a length. No handicapper could wish for better finishes. WIDE-AWAKE STIPENDIARIES. The activities of Messrs. Davey and Mabt-e. stipendiary stewards, both of whom were present on Saturday, make ] it clear that they are keen to put down 1 anything in the nature of reckless driving or deliberate interference by any driver with other competitors. Ln the past there has been too many complaints heard from drivers after a race, but of course they would never lodge their complaints in the proper quarters. Now Messrs. Davey and Mabee are active and three drivers were carpeted on Saturdav. one of thena. (i. Caddy, having hi* license suspended for three months. It is to be hoped that drivers will take warning, because careless driving or deliberate interference should n<->t 1-e tolerated and drastic action is the onlv i way to deal with such exhibitions. THE OTAHTJHTJ CUP. The two pleasing features in connection with the Otahuhu Cup were the win of Sea Pearl, carrying the colours of a [ popular Auckland sportsman, and the breaking of the run of successes of Australian horses. Five times on end the cup had been won b- a horse who had onlv been in the Dominion a short time. I and with Concliffe. Auto Machine and | Billy Sea engaged on Saturday, there I was every prospect of the event once again going to a horse bred in the Cotn--1 monwealth. However, this time thev tvere completely routed, the best the Australians could do being to fill fourth place with ConclinV The race was not run at a particularly fast pace and Sea Pearl, handicapped on 4.29. won in 2-sthx> outside her handicap. It was only in the last few strides that she reached Loeanda Mac. who had made plav in | front -.ver the last seven furlongs. Cardinal Logan, the favourite, was ahvavs nicely placed and might possibly have been second with a shade of luck_ The much-discussed Conoiiffe ran a solid ra.ee into fourth plaoe. being only a little over a length away from the winner, and as it was his first run in the Dominion, he can be summed up as a real good horse and one who will be in the verr front rank before long. As he only went 4.3G 1-5, he looks a great proposition for future big handicaps. For once, Billy Sea went off the mark well and. but for a little bit of hard luck in running at one stage, he might have been in the first four. Auto Macnine was slow to get going and never looked like a chance, while Acron and Logan Chief trailed the second bunch along all the yay. Patent was going nice] v'just over four furlongs from home, when he put in a break which settled his chance, and. though Kohara never looked " like winning, he may be closer up on Wednesday. Stanmoor found the companv too good for him. It was a fine ra.ee with an exciting finish, and well worthv the four-figure prize monev and gold cup