TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 14

TROTTING.

EEL MIL i (by oi:io.\ , FIXTURES. June ■}. —Can term: i\v i'urk i.e. June 'J. — Asiibartou T.C. July L'o. -7. T.C. Mr. W. J - !. .Simcs, w liff is widely known in trotting circles, will be a candidate for u seat on the New Zealand Trotting Association at the approaching election.

The (.'ore Trotting Club lias decided to support the Wyndiiam Trotting Club's proposal to tighten up eiaooes, especially tor two-mile races for good stakes.

According to opinions held in some quarters, it was thought that only a small licid would oppose Wrackler in tiie Ashburton Sapling Stake's but, including a stable mate, niye others lia<e been paid up for ih the race.

"At Victoria Park (New South Wales) recently Lily l'ronto was eliminated from the placings after finishing first in her race, and J. C'avanagli had his license suspended for three months into the bargain. Ironical cheers greeted the decision, and there were many who expressed strong opinions against the stewards- on the score of consistency. Jt was:held that C'avanagli did not attempt to pull up Lily Pronto when she broke near the post and won by a narrow margin. What seems an altogether inexplicable rule adopted in New .South Wales is that for a horse to be distamvd for galloping during a race a must be lodged against it as a pia;e getter. Why should a reinsmnn lia\e io protest in a question of fact such a this? And how can any driver lie ■•>:- pected to know what is going on l>ei 1::11 : him in a race'! Looking' round i- a

punishable oH'cncc. and dangerous when horses are racing close together. It ithe duty of the stewards (says a writer in the Sydney "Referee") to keep an eagle eye on .the events of every r tee for the protection of everybody concerned. That duty is not being carried out if the fact of whether a horse has galloped unduly must depend on the lodging of a protect, by another driver. In at 1-a-t one State in Australia, the distaneiiof a horse for galloping i- a matte;' ni the immediate action of the stewards, The rule, as interpreted, depends not-on the distance galloped, but) whether yv -iind has been gained and lie attempt-; made by the driver to get the horse back into the proper gait. Immediately a east' meriting the disqualifi ution of a horse for a race is. noturl, tiie stewards get in touch with tiie jud're by direct 'phone, and notify him of ■j fact, at the same time displaying the j number of the horse in a prominent | position within view of the public. If 110 immediate action is taken by the stewards, drivers realise the futility of lodging a protest, and they would lie j liable to a line for a frivolous objection i if they did raise the matter. In any case, considering that the stewards have] a better view of the race than anybody,! there should be 110 necessity for a prolonged inquiry to decide whether a horse has galloped unduly, as was the case the Lily Pronto alTair.

AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB.

THE WINTER PROGRAM Ml

In drawing attention I'd J lie winter programme of the Auckland '! rotting Club, which appears in this issue, the first essential prynt for owners to bear ■in mind is that the date of nominations i: June 7, which happens to he a Thursday. Almost without exception r.ominatioi days are fixed for Fridays in Auckland, and therefore the change this time should be noted.

Any bill of fare s'lbmitted by the Auckland Trotting Club is an attractive one, and the winter fixture, June 23 and 27, is in Keeping with the progressive policy of the club. , A perusal of the. items will show the classes are very much tighter thau they were twelve months ago, but even so any trotter or pacer with anything like form is' provided for. and "the stakes all round arc particularly good, the smallest stake being £300. Taking the events as they are decided, the first day's programme opens with the Mangere Handicap, one mile and a-lialf, limit 3.28£ (2.19 gait.;, and is open to horses that have gone 2.20 or better to the mile. The Winter Handicap (for trotters), two miles, lias a Limit of 4.f>4, The principal evAit is the C. F. Mark Memorial, of £1000, two miles, for horfees that have gone 4.33 or better, but the liandicapper's, limit is 4.31. The Hobson Handicap, oE £400. two miles, limit 4.40, and the Stewards' Handicap (for trotters only), of £500, limit 4.40, are two fine races, and are followed by flie Marconi Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, limit '2.51 J (2.17 class), and the fast sprint, the Cornwall Handicap, of £500, one mile, limit 2.13.

The second day's programme is along the same lines, except 'that it includes the Adams' Cup -Memorial .Handicap,'of £500 and a gold cup'valued at 100 guineas, presented by' Mrs. L. A.. Adams. The limit is 4.37. Also in place of the usual mile sprint there is the Liverpool Handicap, one mile and a-cjuarter, limit 2.51£ (2.17 class).

> As mentioned above, nominations close on Thursday, Jnne 7, at 5 p.m. with the secretary, Mr. A. G. Mabeo.

For aboiit five years the' West Australian Trotting Association has been engaged oil tlie construction of . its new course adjacent to the old one->on the Swan River. A big rc-clatnuwion- scheme had to he undertaken before the track could be laid down, and this occupied much more time than was originally estimated. However, Mr. James Brehnan, president of the W.A.T A., has announced ]>!ans lor the official opening of the course during • the centenary celebrations next year. An impressive programme is to he drawn up in order to attract the champion horses from all over Australia, and possibly some from abroad. The success which attended the Australasian championships instituted by the W.A.T.A. is a good guide to what the result of this more ambitious scheme will be.

GREAT NORTHERN DERBIES

FORFEITS AND 'ENTRIES.

Owners of candidates for the Great Northern Trotting Derby, 1928, to be run at the next spring meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club, or who have youngsters they wish to enter for; the Derby of 1929, will have to give attention to tliose races on June 7 (next Thursday week). Second forfeits for the 192S Derby close then, as do also entries for tlie 1929 Great Northern Trotting Derby. A point to be emphasised in e&nnection with the 1929 Derby is Uuit owners wishing to continue their engagements must notify the club 011 forfeit dates; in other words, they must make an acceptance on forfeit dates, otherwise the engagement is cancelled.

FIRST WRACK V. KORO PETER-

A MATCH ARRANGED,

FOR AUCKLAND WINTER MEETING

It is doubtful if even the most ardent supporter of trotting in Auckland would have been brave enough to olfer the prediction that Auckland would have a two 1 year-old straiglitout trotter capable of winning a race or of challenging the right to be termed the best squaregaitcd youngster of his age in tlxe Dominion, let both have come to pass, and, thanks to the spirit of the Auckland Trotting Ciub Committee,- Aueklanders, all going well during the next

month, will be in the happy position of seeing a match between First Wrajk, owned by the Ashburton sportsman, Mr. H. F. Nicoll, and Koro Peter, owned «y Mr. T. W. Cooper, of Tauranga.

It was at the Ashburton meeting in April that First Wrack, opposed a solid field of older and experienced trotters. The youngster was made favourite, an.! he went a_ great race to get third, his time for the mile and a-half being 3.4 i; 3-5, a real good go for a youngster. At once he was hailed as a coming champion, but hardly had all the good tilings been written about liim than another smart two-year-okl trotter came to light. Quite unexpectedly this was at the Cambridge Trotting Club's meeting on May 5. The youngster in question was Koro Peter, by Peter Moko —Koro Ena, owned and trained by his owner, Mr. Cooper, at Papamoa, Tauranga. There were 22 starters, and Koro Peter beat his older opponents pointless. His time was 3.54 3-5, byt the track was slow, and he would do a lot better o.i a fast track like Alexandra Park.

Considerable interest always centres in the doings of two-vear-olds, particularly when tliev are straightout trotters, and the possibility of getting First Wrack and Koro Peter together v.-s seized upon by the committee of tiie Auckland Trotting Club and both owner--' were communicated, with. The result ■ >:' the overtures is that, uuless something unforeseen happens in the meantime a contest will be staged . between the youngsters 011 the second day of the Auckland winter meeting. The club is giving a stake of £17."), of which £25 goes to the loser to cover, expenses, and it is understood there is to be a substantial side wager between the respective owners of First Wrack and Koro Pe.er. The distance of the .contest will be either one mile and a-half or a mile and a-quarter, most likely a mile and a-quar-ter. '