TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 254, 26 October 1928, Page 13

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES. (By ORION.) November 0. 8. 9—Metropolitan T.C. November 17. 21—Otuhuuu T.C. November 24—Wellington T.C. November 29. December I—Forbury Park X.o. December B—Walknto T.C. December B—Cheviot T.C. December 15. 17—New Brighton T.C. December 26—Gore T.C December 27. 29,31—Auckland Trotting CluU December 26—Ashourton T.C. December 26. 27—South Walrarapa T.C. December 26. 27 —WestDort T.C. December 29—W'.nton T.C. December 31 —Inanzabua T.C.

15TJW. January 1, 2—Canterbury T;C. January 3—Westland T.O.— "t January 4. s—Greyinouttos—Greyinoutto T.C. January 19—Wellington T.C. January 'Jii, 2(5 —Forbury Paris T.C, February 1, 2—Nelson T.C. February D—Ji.Z. Metropolitan T.C,

On the opening day in the mile saddle at Grey mouth Jleta Nelson fell when leaving tlio straight the last time. She repeated the performance in the Hurricane Handicap.

A feature of the Greymouth meeting was the success attained by the Nelson trainer, L. F. Birkett, who won three races with Dilworth and one with Smithfield, besides which Nelson Parrish earned second and third money and Smithfield second money.

Talaro had none of the luck in the running of the Jubilee Handicap at Greymouth, and was soon well back in the field. Later on, when making a run, ho collided with Waitaki Girl, and finished up with a badly buckled sulky wheel.

The three-year-old filly, Dilworth, )vho created a very favourable impression at the Greymouth meeting by winning three races, is a royally-bred youngster, tracing to American parentage on both sides of her pedigree. Her sire, Travis Axworthy (imported), is a particularly well-bred horse by Dillon Axworthy (by Axworthy) from Lady Peters (by Peter the Great), while her dam, Muriel Dillon, is by Harold Dillon (imp.) (by Sidney Dillon) from Muriel Madison (imp.) by Sir James Madison. Travis Axworthy and Muriel . Madison were both imported to New Zealand by Mr. E. X. Lelievre, who bred Dilworth.'

After the Aviation Handicap at Greymouth on Saturday, A. Smith, driver of June de Oro, entered a complaint against L. Davidson, driver of Dillon's Pride, alleging that Davidson had struck him with his whip during the running of the race. After evidence had been heard it was decided to suspend Davidson's license for a month.

CARDINAL LOGAN'S PENALTY,

Cardinal Logan has been penalised 12 yards for the New Zealand Cup, as a ■result of h:s double win at Greymouth. It was generally understood, says the Christchurch " Press," by owners and trainers engaged in the fast class races at Grevmouth that no penalty would be imposed on horses winning there, although the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club had made a statement that " in the event of a horse putting up a performance that would entitle* it to a penalty it would certainly expect its handicapper to use his discretion and rehandicap a horse, if he deemed it necessary." It is a question as to whether the performances of Cardinal Logan at Grevmouth entitle him to a penalty for the Cup when the nature of the track is taken into consideration. Cardinal Logan is particularly well suited to the Greymouth track, which does not altogether provide a fair test of a 'horse's merit. Then again the times, when compared [with those registered oil the Addington track, proviso a marked distinction. In tin: Oreymouth Handicap, of 12A furlongs, on the opening day, Cardinal Logan won in 3.37 1-5, which works out at a rate of 2.19 to the mile and 2.53J for t lie mile and a-quarter. In the •lubilee Handicap, of 10A furlongs, on the ! second day of tlie meeting. Cardinal I Logan registered 2.58, a mile rate of 2.15.J, or a mile and a quarter in It is not known whether Mr. Geo. Paul, handicapper to the club, or the "mystery" man or men who framed the, handicaps for the Cup, have imposed the penalty, but it will be remembered that when Cardinal Logan won the same two races last year in 3.32 4-5 and 2.58 respectively the late Mr. H. Brinkman did not think it necessary to alter the handicaps he had already made.

SCARCITY OF LOCAL HORSES.

The. present season is only three months, old, but already it is quite apparent that unless additional inducement is held out to owners to prepare young horses, and keep them in woik, then a year or so will see very few hordes of any age in Auckland. Owners and trainers complain that the classes are too tight at the Auckland and Otahuhu meetings, particularly at Auckland, and that evert if young horses are taken to the country meetings it is almost impossible for them to rccord times fast enough to qualify for Auckland. Kor instance, a maiden starts oIT the "limit of a 3.40 mile and a-half and wins in, say, 3.36. This means that at the next country meeting he is giving away 48yds at least, and as 'the limit brigade always contains one or two who can knock seconds off their handicap, it means that the horse who went 3.36 at the previous meeting has practically no chance. Not only is it extremely difficult to get a horse to go 2.20 or iletter at a country meeting, but it costs money touring the meetings,, and owners liave come to the conclusion that it is not worth the risk, with the result that the paddocks arc full of young and promising horses who are not being bothered with.

An indication of the necessity of something being done to encourage owners to prepare young horses was provided at the recent Auckland Trotting Club's meeting. The fields in many instances were disappointingly small, even though the class was good. But without the visitors from outside Auckland province the meeting would have been little short of a fiasco. It is no use hiding the plain facts, and a perusal of the fields which competed makes it very clear that more inducement will have to be held out to local owuers.

Taking the first day of the recent Auckland meeting we find that in the Spring Handicap there were only three Auckland-owned horses, and not one of them got a place. In the Derby there were three locals, in the Stewards' Handicap three, tlie October Handicap three, and in the Mountain Trot six.

On the second day there were four Auckland horses in the Alexandra Handicap, four in the Junction Handicap, three in the Hillsboro' Trot, three in the Campbell Handicap, and seven in the Eemuera Handicap. As tho latter race was a 4.43 limit it should at least have drawn a big entry. The above facts go to show that at the present time there is a dearth of horses in Auckland eligible for the best meetings, and as the novices in training number very few indeed, the outlook is not very encouraging. When Auckland can contribute only three starters for meetings at headquarters, then it is time special efforts were made to induce breeders and owners to pay more attention to their young stock, because it is only from this sourcc that we can look for good horses in a year or two.