AMONG EPSOM WINNERS

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 257, 30 October 1929, Page 18

AMONG EPSOM WINNERS

EXPLOSION MAKING GOOD ROCHBUHN RETURNS TO FOEM. Now that the hustle and bustle of the meeting is over, and one can calmly review. the two days of the Auckland Trotting Club's spring meeting, held on Saturday and Monday, there was really not a great deal to enthuse over in the form shown, and the outstanding performances were those of Wrackler and Great Parrish. Many other winners, and even some who were beaten, showed they had improved or either returned to their best form, but outside the two mentioned above there was nothing to suggest that any of them will in the near future reach first-class company.

In dealing with winners only at the meeting, Wrackler, in winning the principal event each day, is entitled to first consideration. Immediately the handicaps appeared and Mr. Nicoll's gelding was seen to be on 24yds in a 4.33 class he was selected as something in the nature of a good thing, and this summing up proved correct, as the son of Wrack simply played with his opponents. For his win on the opening day he was put on 4.29 on the second day, and again he scored in decisive fashion. In his races he was always handy, being beautifully driven- by Maurice Holmes, but the taking part about Wrackler's performances was that each day when asked to go up and get the stake he did not get up to the leaders an inch at a stride, but dashed tip in a flash and settled them without an effort. That he will win more big stakes for his owner is certain, and by the end of the season he should be racing with the select band of pacers in the Dominion. Next to Wrackler, the win of J. T. Paul's colt Great Parrish was outstanding. The three-year-old, who claims an engagement in both the New Zealand and Great Northern Derbies, looks to have a "headlock" on both stakes. There may be one or two good three-year-olds in the South, and the friends of Real Huon, Ngingongingo and others are singing the praises of their favourites highly, but ■when the Derby comes up for decision at Addington next month they will have a second thought about betting against Great Parrish. When he won the Parnell Handicap on Saturday it was a sterling performance. He did not begin smartly, and before going far Belle Axworthy, Ngahuia and Queen Elizabeth, all proved winners, were leading him, but when it came to racing home J. T. Paul's colt just toyed with them and won in a jog. The next day, to show the form was good, Belle Axworthy scored an easy win in similar company, but with no Great Parrish in the field. Improved Trotter. Both the principal trotting events went to Peter McKinney, who not only has improved in speed since R. A. McMillan secured him a few months back, but he now is as solid as the next. McMillan is deserving of praise for the improvement made in the aged son of Petereta, and even now with three wins out of four starts the gelding is far from done, and lie will win again. A horse who returned to his best form, and in addition raced consistently, was Rockburn, who opened his account with a second on Saturday and on Monday won two races. Each time his finishing effort ■was good, and he came the last quarter at a fast clip. Rockburn has been in several stables since he came to Auckland from Sydney a few seasons back, but he never raced better than he did for S. August at the meeting just concluded. Provided August can keep him right, ■which may not be an easy matter, the son of Rock Huon may be equal to capturing a decent handicap. Explosion, after being a big disappointment for nearly two years, has come right, and not only is he showing fair speed, but he is consistent and staying on. A. Julian has not had him any length of time, but he evidently understands the big chestnut, and looks like ■winning good money with him. Explosion has not been an easy horse to prepare, but he has settled down now and has improved a lot with the racing he has had during the past fortnight. Two wins, one second, and two thirds in his last five starts is consistency itself. Mr. Moodabe gave a big price for Explosion two years ago and is now getting some of the outlay back, although the chestnut has cost a tidy sum in training fees, travelling expenses, etc.

The Sprinters. The two fast sprints were captured, one each, by Joy Bird and Nelson Tasker, and the latter's win was easily the best, as he conceded all his opponents a start and beat them pointless. He is now in S. Groat's team and was probably never better. Groat also started the horse in the big handicap on the opening day, but after leading into the straight he faded out in the run home. This has always been the case with the horse when other trainers had him, but he is not an old horse, and may yet see out a solid two miles, although he pulls hard, and this sort, as a rule, do not stay. Joy Bird won the mile on Saturday rather comfortably, but in the mile and a quarter next day she failed to get in the money. She did not get the best of a run, but even so she is going to find it hard to get any money from now on unless she develops stamina and goes two miles, which i 3 hardly likely. Not Raced Much. Considering he does so little racing. Peter Pirate must be a good pacer. He is well nursed and is rarely produced, but when he is his number invariably fills a place above the judge's box. Maybe the field he defeated on Monday at two miles in the Remuera Handicap was not very strong, but he won very easily, and once j p au j took him up into the lead Hearing home the rest was no trouble to him. He is a horse who should win more than one of the important country handicaps. He is trained by his owner, Mr. W. N. Paul, of Mangere. More to Come. The performance of Yendome in the Electric Handicap on Saturday, her only run at. the meeting, was very impressive The week previously J. J. Kennerley had taken the Northland Handicap, two miles, with the black mare, and on Saturday she was up against some useful sprinters

in the mile and a quarter. But she made light of her task and, going to the front early, she simply played with the opposition and won as she liked. There is no question the best has not been seen of her, and as she is still on a good mark— she was handicapped on 2.48 on Monday, but not started —there is a merry time in store for her opponents when she next steps out.

Belle Axworthy, another winner on Monday, after filling second place on Saturday, is a mare who can be expected to improve. She is only a four-year-old and is well bred enough to be in the- first flight, being by Travis Axworthy—Belle Bingen. She is owned and trained by Mr. R. Young, of Matamata, and will not have to improve greatly to win again in the near future.

The other pacer to win at the meeting was Haroto. The son of Normintson beat a big field on Saturday in the Improvers' Handicap and had lengths to spare at the end. but practically all the best in the race were unlucky at the start or could not get a run in the race, and it may not be wise to place much importance upon Haroto's win. F. Mills had him in great order, but it will be interesting to see how the gelding gets on when he meets a better field. A Stylish Trotter. Tamahine and Linnet the Great each won a slow-class trot, but the performance of Linnet the Great was easily the most impressive, and the imported mare, not yet at her best, is going to be real class later. She has a bold action and a good burst of speed, and as she can be improved considerably—she has not done a, great deal of work since arriving from England—Christmas time should see her a good mare. Tamahine won nicely on the opening daj T and put up a good race to get third on' Monday. She is very consistent, and once on the journey made no mistakes. She is only a five-year-old now and it is only reasonable to expect her to go on improving. A solid trotter can always get some of the money, and Tamahine is one of that kind.