TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 226, 24 September 1927, Page 14

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES. (By ORION.) 13P SEASON'S FIXTURES. Ceptember 24—Aehburton R.C. (two events) September 29. 80. —Geraldiae R.C. (tour eventa). October B.—Kurow J C. (two events). AUCKLAND SPRING MEETING. The two days' spring meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club to be held at Epsom on October 15 and 19 will be drawn a step nearer on Friday next, when the secretary, Mr. A. G. Mabee, will receive nominations for all handicap events. The progressive policy which has marked the activities of the club for some years past is very much in evidence, and for the 1C events to be decided, no less a sum than £8000 will be distributed. Compared with the spring programme of twelve months ago, many alterations in the limits and conditions governing the different races are to be noted, and owners and trainers would do well to study the items carefully. The opening trot each day is for trotters that have never won at better than 2.20 to the mile, and the handicap limit for the mile and a-half is 3.45. The big trot each day carries a stake of £500 and the limit is 4.42. The Spring Handicap and Alexandra Handicap, the principal events of the first and second days respectively, carry £1000, and are open to horses that have done 4.34 or better, but the limit is fixed at 4.32. The Improvers' Handicap (first day) and Newmarket Handicap (second day) are open only to horses that have gone 2.20 or better to the mile. The distance of each race is a mile and a-half, and the limit is 3.28 J. Each day there is also a mile and a-quarter handicap with a 2.51J (2.17 class) limit; also a two miles handicap with a 4.39 limit. On the opening day the Great Northern Derby figures as the fourth race, its place on the second day being taken by the Remuera Handicap, for unhoppled horses, limit 4.50. The best sprinters are catered for by the October Handicap, a 2.14 class mife the first day, and the Campbell Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, limit 2.4G£ (2.13 gait), the second day. The smallest stake is £300, and the limits are such that will appeal to owners of the best horses.

GREAT NORTHERN DERBY.

FINAL PAYMENT ON FRIDAY. So often does it happen that owners of candidates engaged in classic races overlook the date of a payment falling due, that it behoves those who intend to be represented in the Great Northern Derby next month to remember that the final payment is due on Friday next, at which time entries also close for all handicap events. The Derby next month has every promise of providing the best contest yet staged for the blue riband, and it would come as no surprise if a field of a dozen lined up.. There are several Auckland-trained candidates still holding their ground, but they can have no possible chance, as they will be backward and inexperienced. Putting the race on in October instead of December has not assisted them, and has been in favour of the southerners. SALE OF HAROLD PRONTO. MAY COME TO NEW ZEALAND. Harold Pronto, who has been such a great favourite of Victorian trotting tracks, has been sold by his Brisbane owner, Dr. G. Connolly, to Mr. F. Lawrence, who will be known to many as the owner of Young Siam, says ihe Australian Trotting "Record." Ever since Harold Pronto came from the "North" to the. stable of Jack James he has been managed by Mr. Lawrence, who has taken a great fancy to the son of Don Pronto and Harilda. For a long time Mr. Lawrence has been wanting to buy Harold Pronto, and it took a big figure to persuade the Brisbane doctor to part with the horse. Harold Pronto, who served a few mares each season for the last three years, will be available for a limited number of mares this season. Then, if present plans are followed, he will leave for New Zealand, where he should be able to pick up one of their "plums." Harold Pronto was unlucky to lose the last Richmond Thousand by a head. It was a wet day and he had to work his way from the back mark through a shower of mud. Then when he went over for the Sydney Thousand he encountered the wettest Easter in history. Both Jack James, who had Harold Pronto, and George Burton (Count Bingen) were unable to work their charges, and they had to wait for two weeks for the race, which was twice postponed. Neither Harold Pronto nor Count Bingen could use the tracks during that time. Western Voyage Goes Too. After the last Richmond trotting meeting the "Record" announced the sale of that good trotter Western Voyage to Mr. J. O'Connor, of Kew. It is considered likely that Western Voyage will leave for New Zealand soon, where he should win races for square gaiters. Western Voyage has become a bad betting medium in Victoria—not because he was not a good horse—but because the fields are too big to allow him through.

OAMARU JOCKEY CLUB.

HANDICAPS FOR TROTTING EVENTS. CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Following are the handicaps for the trotting events at the Oamaru Jockey Club's meeting on Saturday, October 8 :— WAIKAURA TROT (Harness) of 142sovs. One mile and a-half. (3.45 class.) Wild Nita . . Lt. Lee Bingen . . I,t. Tumatakur .. Lt. Hilda Orton . Lt. School Bell .. Lt. Don Derby .. Lt. Solomon Slow Lt. Bell Embrace Lt. Streak Lt. Adon Lt. Return Voyage Lt. Yds. lihd. Reta Corona . Lt. Stockade Junior 36 Rap Lt. Tennis :«6 Master McGrath Lt. Dillon Blake . eo Mwri Lt. Logan Bras .. 84 Liona Bingen . Lt. LANDON TROT (Saddle) of 142sovs. One mile and a-quarter and 76yds. (2.28 or better for a mile.) Colt by Emllius Lt. Golden Dillon Lt. iP.Hps Author Lt. Cuddles Lt. Wild Spur ... Lt. Don Hoon .. Lt. &KSs,Slow it Minimax **t *% School Bell .. Lt. Wallace Mac . Sβ Adon . . Lt. Kid Logan ... 60 Mount Melville Lt. Logan Brae .. 00 ««? «V Lt " Marlnca 84 Hilda Orton . Lt. Free Pointer . 108 Bell Harold and Young Blake have been worked the reverse way round at Addington, which means that they will be included in W. Tomkinson's team for Auckland next month, ..■'".'"

CANTERBURY NOTES. (Special to "Star.") j CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The Methven Trotting Club has received a wonderful response from owners for its first totalisator meeting, to be held next month. There is a total of about 300 nominations, and the only fear at present is that the fields will be tool large. The club seems to be well on the \ way to success. Rule 299 of the "Rules of Trotting" reads: "When any horse breaks from his gait the horseman shall immediately pull him to the gait at which he was to go the race, and if any horseman shall fail to comply with this requirement the horse he is riding or driving, if it is placed, shall be disqualified for the race, and the horseman may be fined any sum not exceeding £20 or be suspended or disqualified for any term." In the Petone Handicap, of a mile and a-half, in harness, for trotters, at the Wellington meeting, Mr. R. Vautier's horse, Some Jazz, driven by G. Caddy, paced more than half the distance, and his driver made no effort to get Some Jazz to the trotting gait. In the two-mile harness race for trotters Some Jazz paced throughout the distance, and his driver took no notice of the horse going at his wrong gait. No official notification was received of any action being taken against Caddy for his breach of the rule quoted above. Menember, who finished second to the trotter Moneyspider in the Bollard Memorial Handicap at the Wellington Trotting Club's meeting last Saturday, was the unlucky horse in the race. Just as the leaders were entering the straight for the run home, Moneyspider being at this time some distance back, Diamond Child tangled and went outwards, carrying Pointalena to the outside of the track. Both these pacers were well beaten at the time, but Menember was just making a run, and he was carried right to the outside of the track, which cost him a lot of ground. When he was straightened up Menember came on fast, and was only beaten by a neck by the brilliant finish of the winner. It was one of those unfortunate happenings which go down under the heading of the luck of the race. L. Walsh, who is well known at Addington and in other parts of Canterbury as a trainer, now has a team in work at Petone. The Wellington owned and trained trotter Hardy Grattan does not seem to be making much improvement. He is by Hardy Wilkes, a great trotter in his time, from the Abbey Bells mare Grattan Chimes, who also hau good records on the race track. Golden Devon is doing his usual amount of steady solid work, and the West Coaster seems to be at his best. He is frequently worked without the hopples, and at times A. Cox allows him to go at the trotting gait. Golden Devon can go fast as a trotter. B. Jarden has sold his three-year-old by Author Dillon from Marie Tempest to a patron of M. B. Edwards' stable. The dam of the young pacer died soon after the birth, and the colt has been handreared. He is very small, but when in work at Addington a few months ago showed a lot of speed and was particularly well gaited.