WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 18

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

COMING- EVENTS. / (By ORION.). Jan. 11—Timaru T.C. Jan. 25—Wellington T.C. Jan. 25—Te Aroha T.C. Jan. 30, Feb. I—Forbury Park T.C. Feb. S—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Feb. 15—Wellington T.C. Feb. 22—Kaikoura T.C. Feb. 22, .24—Otahuhu T.C. March I—Waikato T.C. r ' ' • , - March 5, 6—lnvercargill T.C. March S—Timaru T.C. *'• '.• March 12 —Manawatu T.C. March 15 —New Brighton T.C. March 19—Wyndham T.C. March 22 —Wellington T.C. March 24—South Otago T.C. March 29—Thames T.C. March 29—Cheviot T.C. April s—Marlborough T.C. April 10, 12—Wanganui T.C. April 19, 23— X.Z. Metropolitan T.C. April 19, 21—Hawera T.C. April 26^—Taranaki T.C. April 26—Ashburton T.C. May 3 —Cambridge T.C. May S, 10—Forbury Park T.C. May 17—Oamaru T.C. May 31, June 3 —Canterbury Park T.C. May 31, June 3—Hawke's Bay T.C. June 7—Ashburton T.C. June 21, 23—Auckland T.C.

The Worthy Bond—Nora Creina filly in H. Hedley's team is a natty little, pacer, but she is very ponified and is not likely to ever reach class. We have uad some good little ones, but she appears to be a shade too small.

Dad's Hope was strapped up by W. Clifton and sent a mile and a half yesterday. • The chestnut clapped the pace on and ran the journey out in fairly good time. He went the left-handed way round, and this is probably' faster than righthanded. Dad's Hope has not won a race for Clifton, but he has gone two or three fair races to get place-money.

When Rolfe Audubon was narrowly beaten in the Derby as a three-year-old the chestnut was ticked off to turn out a good racehorse, but though he won a raco at Hamilton subsequently he is still racing with the moderate pacers. He has not been very severely taxed, but is in regular work, and A. Julian should have him right now that the country circuit is about to commence.-- -

White Satin, who won at Timaru, is regarded «in some quarters as, the best three-year-old trotter seen out this season. She was got by Wrack from Pearl Pointer, by Logan Pointer from Pearl,child, by Rothschild from Verity, by Vancleve. Logan Pointer was got by Star Pointer (1.59J) and Wrack holds a mark of 2.2f. This rate of: speed, built on a 4 Rothschild—Vancleve foundation, should produce something really good, and White Satin, after her racing career, should be invaluable for the paddock.

Ngingo Ngingo, who has gone a tick better than 3.23 for a mile and a half, seems to be nicely placed in being on a 4.41 mark for two miles in the Gracefield Handicap at Wellington next Saturday. The three-year-old has always been finishing on at the end of his races and the distance should not trouble him.

T. W. Nightingale has been keeping Evelyn Locanda going, and the big mare rattled off her work unhoppled yesterday morning in attractive style. The class (4.40) is a bit loose for her in the Te Aroha Cup, and from 96yds behind she is given a very severe task.

First Carbine (Newdick) and Satinbird (Morrison) were hoppled up yesterday morning and worked out a mile. Satinbird was in saddle and at once went out to set the pace, leading till fifty yards from the finish, when First Carbine ran past him and won by a couple of Jengths. First Carbine, driven out, took £■}"> which, considering he went from a flying start, was not a good effort for one who is handicapped on 2.13 at Te Aroha. The gelding has never yet gone 2.13 and the handicappers are not taking any risks with him. Satinbird, on the other hand, is nicely handicapped, but lias not v/ 011 a'xace for three or four years. The black pacer has speed, but has not proved a good racehorse.

Amongst the disciples of Admiral Drake, at present in Dunedm, are two prominent figures in the light harness world in Mr. Claude H. Piper and Mr. T. E. Fox, both hailing from Christchurch (says the Dunedin writer "Sentinel"). Mr. Fox breeds and trains light harness stock, but goes further and takes an active participation in the era me by holding the lines over horses cayying hie colours. Mr. Piper lanks as the first Hannibal of the light harness world, who crossed a sea to invade Canterbury with a small army of horses. He did so with such great success that lie is still entrenched in the country although now acting only as an official spectator of the game in his capacity as a steward of the Metropolitan Trotting Club. The famous trotter Fritz was amongst the great winners that came over in his charge, and even with the great progress breeding has made in recent years a better type of trotter is not now in commission than the Vancleve gelding, who did so much to make history. In 1899 Fritz set a mark of 2.13 against time in Christchurch, and in 1903 had his famous match against Ribbonwood at Addington, which attracted a crowd that not only packed the stands, but also completely filled the infield of the track. Fritz was not quite at his best at the time, but still was knocking quarters around a two-minute gait on a small track. In fact, D. J. Price, -who handled Ribbonwood, told the writer that he reckoned his horse would go about 2.2 on a mile track in America, but that he would sooner take Fritz to the States, as he thought the Vancleve gelding, fit and well, would prove one of the greatest trotters ever seen in the home of the sport. That was a big thing to say, but it was based, on knowledge of the great trotter's capabilities.

Lord Haldane (Saunders) and Don Juan (O'Kane) were companions over a ftiile and a half at Epsom yesterday morning. Lord Haldane went at the trotting gait and was too good for Don Juan, who gave a bad display, breaking two or three times. Lord Haldane went on to the two miles post and did not put a foot Avrong. Providing he begins right and does not go off pacing at Te Aroha he will give his opponents something to do.