AUCKLAND CUP MEETING

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 292, 10 December 1929, Page 14

AUCKLAND CUP MEETING

TRAINERS AND THEIR TEAMS. MANY HORSFS WORKING. AT EPSOM AND ELSEWHERE. As the Auckland Trotting Cup meeting approaches, interest in the fixture grows, and trainers preparing horses are getting on their toes. Just at the moment plenty of long, steady exercise is the general order, but next week should see the clocks ticking off the quarters. Most of the local horses are well forward, and will not need much fast work to tune them up. With three. wins and a couple of seconds to his credit in the short time he has been here, F. S. Smith has quickly demonstrated that he knows as much as the next about the training and driving of trotters and pacers. It is never an easy matter to succeed when breaking into new ground, but Smith has done really well, and it should not be long before lie becomes one of our leading trainers and controls a good team. First Flight, Linnett the Great, and Nella Dillon comprise his team just now. On paper they appear to be a very useful trio, but there is not a betting proposition among them, and it is not going to he easy to pick up a stake at Christ-

mas. Bloss Audubon, who has done ver; little racing, is doing steady work agaii and is being prepared for the Te Aroh meeting, which takes place on Januar 25. The son of Great Audubon has , good style of going when doing his work but he seems to be a difficult horse t keep condition on. The couple of de feats down against him can be over looked, as he was not in condition fr see out a race. •'->•• J. McKendriek is himself giving Fre Advice her Cup preparation. The chest nut mare looks better'now than whei she raced last month, and her . owner; expect her to go well ill the big. race She is undoubtedly a smart mare, bu there are one or two in the Cup win appear to be just a shade better clas: than her over a two miles journey. With a little more time and experi ence the Blue Mountain King—Prin cess Ena mare Mountain Princess should win good money for F J. Foley. She is a good . sort and one, though perhaps not yet equal to winning, in. the company slu would be meeting at Christmas, whc will be greatly improved,before the season is out. Roma Bingen, who was only ordinary at her best, will race in . Bridgens : interests in future. The : bay mare is not a solid trotter, and her' sort are not good propositions. E. Bridgens is one of the best of local owners, but luck has not been, with him so far, and the "horses he has raced 'navel not been good. It would be pleasing; to see..'him get.hold of a horse capable of winning. good races. , The Abbey is being ticked off by many to have a great chance in the Cup, but those who favour his prospects always qualify their opinion with "if he 1 eaves. the mark."' * W.. Clifton ' hag the i gelding very well, but, all the time and attention he has given the chestnut may be wrecked at the start. The Abbey is a good stayer, but most of his staying is done on the mark. For once the handicapping has. apparently given satisfaction, and very few complaints are heard. This suggests very solid acceptances on Friday. The Mangere owner J. T. Paul has every reason to" regard his purchase of . Nelson Bingen with pleasure. The American-bred horse has had a,remarkable run of success since he took up stud duty, and though it was generally thought that he was getting too old when J. Paul'bought him a season, or so ago, Nelson Bingen hag been freely patronised by owners of brood mares. At every meeting Nelson Bingen figures prominently among th£ successful sires represented, and horses sired by him played a prominent part in the decision of events at the Forbury Park meeting (says the "Press"), and of the 48 places to be filled during the meeting 16 were occupied by this horse's stock. In the races for unhoppled trotters especially his stock stood a long way above the others. In the Roslyn Handicap Standby was'first and"Ambition second, in the Dominion Handicap Commander Bingen was third, in the Suburban Handicap Nelson's Prince, Ambition and Jock Bingen occupied.the places and in the Victoria Handicap Commander Bingen was first and • Nelson . Ata second. Altogether, Nelson Bingen's • stock won £ 1245 s ;* which brings his' total winnings for the season up to. £7340, while Logan Pointer, second on the list, is credited with:winners of ,£6215. . Travis Axworthy has been in) a, place four times this season, but has annexed only £350. He is paying the penalty, however, and as a result his small-' total in stakes has sent him back from a 4.34 mark to 4.29. He has been unlucky, and in two important events has struck the trotter Trampfast on his best days. Vanity Boy is bowling along in fine style ; in his work, and G. Webb has the black pacer better than ever he was. Yesterday morning with the hopples on he was allowed io stride along for a couple of rounds, and he moved freely all through the trip without being asked, to make time. Vanity Boy will be taking on company a. little stronger than he has yet encountered when he steps out at the summer meeting, and. the chances are he will find it a bit too good for him. However, he is very well, and a possibility.

Seeing that Linnett the Great had not been long out from England when she Avon a race Auckland spring meeting, it was rather a good perform-, ance on her part, as she could not* possibly have been at her best. After the meeting she was treated to a short spell, but was brought in again a couple of weeks back, and has since been doing steady work. She is engaged in the opening trot' each "day at the- •summer meeting, and will no doußt get a lot of support, but. it may be found that she is not ready,to---go a solid two. miles, and she may go better at the Otahuhu meeting in February. G. Phipps has never been known tb : set the track alight by asking his,horses to register fast times, hut on race days there is nothing wanting i n > their condition. For the few horses he ihas Phipps does as well as any trainer year in and year out. Just at present he has not a very, attractive-.pair in Haerangi Pai and Dick Dillon, but he manages- to get at least a bit of the prize-money occasionally. Ifc has been suggested tliat a' percentage of place-money should be paid to drivers of second and third horses in rnceS : where the total stake; is dvev VnoOsovs. The proposal was mentioned *7h<» annual meeting of the Canterbury B^edeVs-As.ociation^;■;/

j ACCEPTANCES FRIDAY. The Auckland Trotting Club's summer meeting will be advanced another . stage on Friday, when acceptances for fill handicap events close with the secretary, Mr. A. G. Mabee, at 5 p.m. It is not expected the Cup field will undergo much change.