WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 216, 12 September 1929, Page 16

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

COMING MEETINGS. (By ORION'.) Sept. 14—Combined Clubs, Christchurch. October s—Wellington Trotting Club. October s—Methven Trotting Club. October 12—Waikato Trotting Club. October 10—New Brighton Trotting Club. October 10—Northland Trotting Club. October 26, 28—Auckland Trotting Club. October 28—Oamaru Trotting Club. November 23, 27—Otahuhu Trotting Club. Off a 3.48 mark in the slow trot at New Brighton on Saturday Nancy McKinney went about six seconds better to finish fourth. There was nothing attractive about her performance, but, even so, as she will still be on 3.48 next time out, she should have at least a reasonable chance of success.

T. McQuoid is keeping his maiden trotter by A 1 Mack—Natalie going ►steadily, and this season should see him contesting some of the long limit trotters' races. This is one of the most promising young trotters seen at Epsom and his bold manner of hitting out suggests he is going to be a good one.

That keen control demands consistency on the part of horses raced' under the control of the W.A. Trotting Association is shown by the fact that no less than seven got into the money twice in the 14 races conducted at the iirst two ineetingH on the Perth course. Admiral's Child, Adomaldson and C'ollingwood'ts Pride eneh scored a win and n Kecond; North wood Lady a win and a third; Arehio Hanks two seconds; and (Jay Bob and Ratana each a second and a third.

Vanity Boy and a lialf-brother are being kept going by C!. Webb. Last sou sou Vanity Boy, then trained by R. A. McMillan, opened his campaign bv winning the Dargaville Handicap at the Northland meeting, but that was his only success, although he afterwards ■went 3.31 l-o to get third at Hamilton. In being handicapped on 3.3G he is not badly treated, but. even so. he cannot \et manage to win from that mark. He Showed paee at the relief meeting, where ho was out in the lead or close to Great Vanish for most of the way in the Mmchition Handicap, and a slight improvement on that run may see him racing prominently in a weak field.

Venare is likely to get good backing next time tne sou of Harold Dillon and Louie Drift steps out in a slow-class pacers' race. The grey gelding led into the straight at New Brighton in the Belfast Handicap, and in the run home waa beaten rather easily by Cushla d'Or Even so, Venare went 3.31 from a 3.40 mark, at thfi wo ret will be on 3.3S next time out.

Dick Dillon is being prepared for events ahead by G. Phipps, who has hopes of landing a stake with the chestnut. The son of Kyama is not retaining his dash of a few seasons ago, and last season the best he could do in nine starts was to get a very moderate third. He has not been given much opportunity by the handicappcrs, and they have always kept him handicapped rather tight.

In America drivers do not always try to win, if the following, taken from an account of the Detroit meeting held last month is to be accepted as correct "The 2.24 pace found Uncle Cad laid up in the first heat, which was taken by Flying Signal in the ridiculous time of 2.11], Cad finishing seventh. He proceeded to annex the following heats handily, and. the race was pronounced as being one that should have elicited official action, it being clear that Cad was not tried with in the first heat, so as to stimulate the betting against him."

Mr. J. P. Stratton, who is vice-presi-dent of the Western Australian Trotting Association, owns several good' horses. He has retired Antarctica to the etud. This marc, who raced in the Eastern States as Southern Hemisphere, holds two W.A. State records. Since ehe was first raced in Western Australia Antarctica has won over £1500 in stakes. In the last New Year Handicap, of one mile and a-quarter, she finished third at a 2.17| rate, and that is only half a second outside the State record, held by Taraire, for a race over the distance mentioned.

The action of the stipendiary stewards in imposing fines upon drivers who left the rails during races and allowed another horse to come up on the inside has caused no little comment among drivers and trainers. In the past there has been a sort of understanding among them that once a driver realises he hap no chance of getting in the money he would give other drivers who may be behind every chance. This seems to be quite reasonable, but after the fines imposed last meeting it is not likely any openings to get up on the inside will be left in futuce.

The famous brood mare Clara Direct, by Direct (pacer), 2.5}, and dam of three record performers, including Maggie Winder, 2.Gi„ former champion three-year-old pacing filly, and granddam of Margaret Spangler, 2.2 i, etc., died at the farm of -her owner, J. M. Winder, at Bristol, Pa., last month, aged 32 years. Clara Direct was one of the greatest of the daughters of "The Little Black Rascal," as Direct was called when he was on the turf, and she and her daughters have produced a host of fast performers. In her last years she had every attention given to her comfort by Mr. Winder.