TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 15

TROTTING.

(By ORION.)

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

FIXTURES. May 3, s.—Forbury Park T.C. May, 5. —Cambridge T.C. May 19. —Oamaru T.C. Jane 2, 4. —Canterbury Park T.C. June 9.—Ashburton T.C. Jose 23, 27. —Auckland T.C.

There was sufficient money for Peter Tracey on Saturday to send him out favourite in the Elstow Trot, but he broke up early and never got near the front.

The silver cup donated by Mr. Geo. McMillan, and which was collected by (r. Williams, owner-driver of the Te Aroha Cup winner, Gold Dial, v»as a very fine trophy, worthy of a place on any sideboard. The cup was presented after the race to the Wellsford owner by Mr. C. E. Macmillan, M.P. for Tauranga.

Just after the start in the mile saddle at Te Aroha there was a bad mix-up in which several horses went to a break «,Dd had their prospects settled. Huon Grattan was the only one to fall, but Harris and Horizon had their, prospects extinguished. But for the trouble Horizon may have won, as he paced well afterwards to finish fifth.

Golden Park was very unlucky in her races at To Ax aha. She was first produced in the Waitoa Handicap, but collided with Regret after going two furlongs, and took no further part in the race. Later she was started in the Ruakaka Handicap, and this time Roamer fell in front of her just after the start, and again she had to be pulled up.

At the Thames meeting Charming Pronto gave evidence of being on the improve, and his turn came at Te Aroha, when he was ridden home in front in the mile saddle by A. Broughton. Earlier in the day the son of Don Pronto started in the Ruakaka Handicap, but he did not get far, as he was badly interfered with when RoameT fell, and was pulled up.

J. T. Paul did not succeed in getting a stake at Te Aroha, but the Mangere trainer was very unlucky to be beaten with Haerenga Pai. The three-year-old daughter of Happy Voyage lost many lengths at the start, but paced in fine style afterwards, and was only beaten a length by Horizon. At the same time Horizon might have been able, tp make the (margin more had G. Robertson driven him right out.

Since he won a double at the Waikato meeting, the trotter Tamerlane has CQftt his admirers a heap of money, as he has failed to return a dividend in any of his starts. His owner, A. E. Russell, has been content to keep Tacing the Fetereta gelding with the pacers, but the first time he takes on a field of trotters he should get the money. There is not a trotter in the Dominion who would beat Tamerlane on the way they would be handicapped to-day.

One of the pleasing incidents at Te Arolia was the victory of 'Horizon in the Hot' Springs "Handicap. "Ujf till Saturday" G. Robertson had not won a race for • long time, but he had experienced a most annoying run, and without winning a race his horses luid been twelve times second, and also tilled third place on a num'ber of occasions. However, Horizon has now 'broken the run, and perhaps the stable will salute the judge more frequently.

Great Ballin got a very bad run in tlie Waitoa Handicap, the opening event at Te Aroha, and G. Robertson was confident he would go well later in the day in the Ruakaka Handicap, but did not regard <him as a good betting proposition. Ho summed the position up correctly, as the son of Ballin paced in good style, and was only beaten a neck by Lord Haldane. • Ballin ruled one of the outsiders, and paid a fine price for second dividend.

For some reason Ohena was made favourite for the Ruakaka Handicap, but the daughter of Our Thorpe and Hena gave her supporters a very poor run. With others on the limit she did not begin right, and was never in the tiring line at any part. It must have l>eeii on something she had done in private that caused her to get backing, because there was nothing else to warrant her being supported. She is a five-year-old owned by G. Paton, and is trained at Epsom by W. E. Cockbill.

Gaza may not have won the Ruakaka Handicap tinder any circumstances, but ho would have given the pair who 'beat him a lot more trouble had he been able to get a run over the first fifty yards of the race. There v/cre fourteen on the limit, and when a start was made many of them did everything but pace, and Gaza, who was on 12yds, was dodging here and there trying to get clear. He showed a lot of pace, and actually hit the front with Lord Haldane before reaching the home turn, but the effort left him without any dash at the end, and he was beaten into third place. Gaza is only ordinary, and a mile seems to be about as far as he can go.

Although Hohoro was soon out in front in the Te Arolia Cup, S. Roe was having anything but a comfortable time, and the Gold Bell gelding was threatening to go to a break at every stride. He never settled down to pace with confidence, and soon lost his position, to fade right out of the contest. It is doubtful if, at any meeting held this season, so many horses broke up at tho start of the races as happened • t Te Aroha. In almost every race they were to be noticed tangling at the Btart, and even when well on the journey many left their feet for apparently no reason at all. The dips in the course no-doubt accounted for a ffreat deal of this.

Prior to the Farewell Handicap at Te Aroha, it was freely rumoured on the course that Harris had stepped half a mile in 1.3. and because of this the big brown gelding was backed so solidly that he finished up second favourite If he ever had a chance it was before the ■tart, because he had none afterwards, and was never in the picture. When trained by O. E. Hooper, the son of St. could run almost any trial, bat n a race he was a differnt proposition, disgusted did Hooper become . , ffl*Wing that, after bringing him o Auckland for a meeting, at which c aU(HI badly, Hooper gave him away u ,,7* Kmnamont. The latter put the gelding jn the saleyards, and got a few pounds, for him.

In the list of telegraphed handicaps for the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting, lone appeared in the Renown Handicap on the limit mark. It should have appeared in the Domain Handicap, on the limit.

Gold Sound. was made favourite in the Waihou Handicap, but he did not shape well at all. He certainly lost a few lengths at the 6tart, but soon ran up to a handy position. However, with a round gone the grey had dropped back again, and he faded right out of •the picture.

Lord Haldane, who beat all but Zealous in the Waitoa Handicap, is a solid sort. A couple of months back he was racing with the sqnare-gaited horses, but it was recently decided to put the straps on him. His owner gave him a good chance on Saturday, and had the gelding won the price he was paying would have made the stake a good one.

The victory of Gold Dial in the Te Aroha Cup showed the daughter of Gold Bell to be endowed with plenty of grit. Her owner-driver, G. Williams, always had her in a handy position, and in a great finish she fairly worried Taipare out of first place. The pace seemed to be on all the way, but the track must have been slow, as Gold Dial, off a 4.39 mark, won hi 4.47.

Andover lad the Manawaru Handicap won at amy part after going half amile. He did not .jump away well, but soon got up with the field. At the end of half a-mile A. Broughton took him to the lead, and content to drive a waiting race in front he was always going like a winner. At the finish he had only a neck to spare from Sebisca, but it might easily have been more.

Lackiewood was a lucky winner of the Elstow Trot, although he must be given credit for going a real good race. From 192 yds behind in a mile and ahalf he began fast and ran through the field till he was in second place, but he was then 50 or 60yds behind the leader, Carwood, who looked a certainty. However, Carwood broke up and stopped still, and Lackiewood went on to win by a neck from Billy Carbine.

If ever a horse looked a certainty in running to eventually finish last it was Carwood in the Elstow Trot on Saturday. He was soon in front, and clearing right out from the field the son of El Carbine appeared to be in a different paddock to the others. With two furlongs to go and when his backers were wondering what the dividend would be Carwood left his feet. His driver could no* get him to trot again, and he eventually chafed the field home.

Nelson Tasker went a good race to get third in the Te Aroha Cup. He soon made up most of his handicap, but with a mile to go he got badly boxed in on the fence. However, he got clear again half a-mile from home, and ran up on the outside to join the leaders. He was second to Taipare turning for home, and tliough he battled on he was beaten into third place. The official decision was that he was half a-length behind Taipare, but he was really a couple of lengths away. He gave Taipare 12yds and took 2-sth of a second longer, so that he must have been at least a couple of lengths back.