TROTTING AT ADDINGTON

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 188, 11 August 1930, Page 12

TROTTING AT ADDINGTON

THE SEASON OPENED. METROPOLITAN CLUB'S MEETING. BIG RACE TO PLUTO. VENDOME WINS CHIEF SPRINT. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday,

The weather was dull for thf openin- of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's August meeting, the first trotting fixture of the season in the Dominion. A few light showers fell in the morning, but they did not affect the track. There was a sharp ehower before the last race, and this made the track a trifle heavy, but not at all bad. The attendance was not so lai-e as usual, and there was a big slump in the totalisator investments, the total being £23,421, compared with £34 010 10/ on the day last year. There was some exceptional racing, head and neck finishes being ire-. qU ln'accident occurred in the Advance Handicap, Lydia falling and bringing down Pro Rata, who broke a leg and was destroyed. He was a highly promising young pacer. Hie driver, F. Holmes, injured one of his shoulders, but he continued driving throughout the day. Introductory Handicap. The Dunedin-owned Ambition was favourite for the Introductory Handicap, and the four-year-old won by a narrow maro-in. Ambition raced well last seasoned ia one of the most promising voung trotters in commission. She has improved in her barrier' manners, and she will win more races before the end of tho season. . Fifa went a fine race. Making a good beninnjn" , ehe was never further back than third, and finished well, being beaten by the narrowest of margins. Like the winner, Ambition, she is improving each time she racee. Maxegin put up a great race. The American stallion, who was giving away 72 yards, went off well, but, going .out of the straight he mixed his gait, losing a lot of ground. Over the last half mile ho came very fast, finishing up the straight with" a brilliant run. Had he kept steady throughout he would have ■been very troublesome to the pair that beat him.

George Key Scores. George Key led all the way in the Advance Handicap, and only just beat Sodium at the finish. George Key has gradually been improving during the last few months. He- is a solidly built horse, and can stay well. Sodium, seemed to lose ground in the straight a round from home, and then came on and finished brilliantly. He is settling down, and now looks like making a more than useful pacer. Morrison had every chance, being well placed throughout the race. He did not finish at all resolutely. Possibly the track did not suit him, Glenrossie lost a lot of ground at the start, but the Wellington pacer put in a fine last halfmile. Had she gone off well she- would have been very hard to beat. All the Way. The Ashburton pjicer Pluto, who has gradually been coining back to his best form, took charge in the August Handicap at the end of a furlong, and won rather easily. Pluto is a brilliant pacer when at his best, and early last season he showed fine form, after which ho trained off. Like most of .Denver Huon's progeny, Pluto is a good stayer, and usually goes well on any kind ot track. . Imprint, who finished sqcoiul to Pluto, went one of l}is best races. The Ncleonowned pacer was hampered throughout by one of his knee boots coming down, but he is right back to his best form, and a win may be expected very soon. Muriel*de Oro had every chance, as she was always well placed. The Key de Oro mare would probably havo done better had the track conditions been faster.

Sunchild's Surprise. Sunchild, by winning the.Trial Handicap, gave the Dunedin trainer C. I\. Handiield his second win of the day, as ho won the opening event with Ambition. Sunchild Iβ somewhat erratic at the barrier, and in this race lie lost around at the start. He was not hurried Sver the first mile, and staying on well he won by a narrow margin. He looks like improving still further. Aleron, who is (none too sound, found the track to his liking. He did not eeera to get a good run in the race, and. ho was stopped badly when making Ins first effort in the straight. Then he came on again, covering the last furlong Very fast. Stewards' Trot. John Mauritius .scored a long-overdue win in the Stewards' Handicap.. Hie trainer, F. Gallacher, met with an accidenfa week ago, and John Maxmtms has been looked after by C. Taeker. The luetralian-bred trotter was driven a toe race by W.. J. .Tomkinson. John Mauntvas gradually made up Ms handicap, got Bum down 4 again! . and, dnvmg desperately won by a neck. • John MaurSu?met with a.eerious accident abou two years'-ago, an* Ms racing career to beaded, Uuft he made a good "Engagement, who is a fine/ stayer, found her match in John Mauritius, who was too fast for the South Canterbury mare in the concluding stages. Jingagemeiit'went one of her/best race?, and she was. a triflo unlucky to be beaten under, the circumstances. ' Sarsaparilla was trotting m.fine style but his old fault of* mixing his gait was his. undoing. He has a lot pf speed, and is a fine stayer, but he cannot keep steady , ' in a race. Writer, who was well backed, failed to show any of.: Ms .speed. The track evidently troubled him, as in the final stages ■he stopped very badly.

Always in Front. Erin's •■ Fortune ■ beat ■ Neeoro at the Oajnartt trotting Club's meeting last Mav-bitt the tables were turned in the Queen- Mary Handicap, Neeoro winning easily. Neeoro was bred by to owner, and is. by Key dc.Oro. from Neeratte the dam of■ GleneJg and Neereon,,and the trotters Bingenette and .Ingle Bin*en. , Further/-successes may be-antici-pated for Neeoro. Erin's Fortune, who was very success: ful last-Benson, paced a fine race, and she looks capable of further improvement. .Although , built on the light side, she is p.-vary'fine stayer; - Grand Light paced a very sound race all the way, and was just, beaten, for second'place. He was bred by J. Bryce who drove him, -being by Matchhght from Our Aggie, a jnare brought.-here from Scotland .by the Oakhampton trailer. ■• ; V; , ' , . V

Warplane's Win. The Auckland pacer Warplane won the- Belwyn Handicap very easily, although the verdict was only half .a length. He is one of the team trained by J. Shaw, who drove him a very confident race. The Australian pacer Steel All is evidently no more than a sprinter Jtt ilfet "raced over two miles but did not do well. In the Selwyn Handicap lie paced a fine race, though ho had no chance with Warplane. A Smart Mare. Vcndorae, who was well backed in the International Handicap, was somewhat lucky to secure a win. Entering the straight for the run home, the Austra-lian-bred mare did not seem to have any chance, as she was then » fifth position and hemmed in on the rails. The lead* ers, however, swung out, and keuneriey, finding the opening, came straight on to win in the last stride. Had Vendome been compelled to go round the leading division, she would not have been seerl at the finish. Since coming to the Dominion Vendome has raced particularly well, especially in sprint events. Though she cannot stay two miles in a, fast race she is a very sound mare. Although she did a lot of racing in Australia she is always dangerous up to a mile and a quarter. Final McKinney, who was just beaten by Vendome, endeavoured to win from end to end. She was early in the lead, and stayed out the mile better than usual. She has done all her racing under the charge of the Oamaru trainer, J. Henderson, but it is doubtful if she has ever been in such good form as at present.

Morning Sun, who lias raced well over all distances since lie- went into C. S. Donald's stable, made a good beginning and was always prominent, failing only in the concluding stages. Muriel de Oro was made favourite- pro--bably because she had shown good form in the chief two. milt) event earlier in the (lay. The first race- possibly took the- edge off this brilliant sprintei - , as at no stage of the sprint race did she look like a winner. Following are tlio results:— INTRODUCTORY HANDICAP of 350sovs. For unhoppled trotters. Limit, 3.32. One mile and a half. I—AMBITION (Mr. W. McLaughlin), limit—M, Holmes 1 4—FIFA (Mr. J. N. Clarke), limit — Owner "

13—MAXEGIN (Messrs. Kelly and Morrison), 72yds—L. O. Thomas 3 Also started: 2 Home Voyage, 5 Midland, 0 Mount Royal, 6 Oval, 7 Tamahine, 3 White Satin, limit; 15 Boneta, 11 Trampcrisp, 12yds; 10 All Peters, 8 Herbilwyn, 14 Nelson Ata, 12 Nelson Boy, 24yds; 17 Nourmahal, 30yds; 18 Kola Boy, 48yds; 1C Duke Bingen, 72yds. Head; three lengths. Times, 3.31 2-5, 3.31 3-5, 3.25 4-5.

ADVANCE HANDICAP of 400sovs. For four-year-olds. Limit, 2.50. One mile and a quarter. 4—GEORGE REY (Mr. A. Quiglcy), limit—l* , . G. Holmes 1 G—SODIUM (Messrs. Clnrkson ami Graham), limit—D. Withers 2 I—MORRISON (Messrs. Armstrong and Johnson), limit—W. J. Tomkinson 3 Also started: 11 Brilliant, 5 Pro Rata, 10 Captain Wrack, limit; 2 Erin's Pointer, 3 Glenrossie, 12yds; 8 Lydia, 36yds; 7 Royal Silk, 0 Ngingo Ngingo, 48yds. Head; two lengths. Times, 2.50 2-5, 2.50 3-5, 2.51. AUGUST HANDICAP of IOOOsoYS. Limit, 4.30. Two miles. 3 —PLUTO (Mr. W. J. Gudsell), limit —Owner 1 7—IMPRINT (Mr. T. B. Louisson)", 48yds—L. F. Berkett 2 2—MURIEL DE ORO (Mr. W. E. Simes), limit —P. G. Holmes 3 ■S—JEAN McELWYN (Mr. D. R. Kevell), 24yds—A. Bryce 4 Also started : 4 Great Logan, limit; 5 Omaha, limit, and Bonny Logan, 24yds, bracketed ; 9 Pageant, limit; 10 Harvest Child, 12yds; 1 Llnkman, 30yds; 6 Dundas Boy, 48yds. Two lengths; one length; fourth horse hall' a length away. Times; 4.31 3-5, 4.28, 4.32 3-5. TRIAL HANDICAP of 400sovs. Limit, 4.40. Two miles. 13—SUNCHILD (Mr. C. R. Hadfield), 24yds—M. Holmes 1 2—ALERON (Mr. J. 11. McKendry), . 30yds—G. McKendry 2 3—APEX (Mr. E. A. Berry), limitOwner 3 Also started: 11 Mac Dillon, 15 Mercury, 4 Hostess, 0 Tarndale, limit; 17 Nelson McElwyn, 5 Wild Voyage, 10 Tactless, 12yds; 8 Baynut, 7 Ngingo Ngingo, 24yds; 1 Country King, 14 Shady Spot, 1C Teremoa, 12 Sonoma, 30yds; 9 Nelson de Oro, 48yds. Head ; one length and a half. Times, 4.36 3-5, 4.35 4-5, 4.39.

STEWARDS' HANDICAP of 450sovs. For unhopnled trotters. Limit, 4.40. Two miles. C—JOHN MAURITIUS (Mr. C. L. Kettle), 48yds—W. J. Tomkinson 1 9—ENGAGEMENT (Mr. J. C. South), 48yds—Owner , 2 B—QUICKFIKE (Mr. J. McKendry), limit—K. J. Smith 3 Also started: 11 Bingen Starr, 7 Jock Bingen, 4 New Mctford, limit; 1 Kosc Audo, 12yds; 10 Nighborn, 24yds; 2. Writer, 5 Ukulelo Lady, 8 Sarsapanlla, 30yds"; 12 Koro Peter, 108 yds. Neck ; half a length. Times, 4.40 2-5, 4.30 -i-5, 4.44. QUEEN MARY HANDICAP of 400sovs. Limit, 4.35. Two miles.' 2—NEEORO (Mr. W. J. Moir), limit— . A. Hendriksen 1 3—ERIN'S FORTUNE (Mr. D. T. Wilson), 36yds—S. A. Edwards .... 2 7—GRAND LIGHT (Mrs. E. L. Pounsford), 12yds— J. Bryce 3 Also started: 4 Gang Awa , , G Invader, 0 Great Delight, limit; 1 Wakataua, 12yds ; 10 John Noble, 8 Kid Logan, 11 Wraekeen, 24yds; 12 Arikitoa, 36yds; 13 Avenger.; 5 Harold Logan, 14 Logan's Pride, 4Syds; 7 Torpedo Huon, 48yds, bracketed with Grand Light. ■ Three lengths; head. Times, 4.31 3-5, 4.29, 4.31 1-5. SELWYN HANDICAP of 300sovs. Limit, 2.48. One mile and a quarter. 2—WARPLANE (Mrs. I. E. Sweetapple), limit — J. S. Shaw 1 B—STEEL ALL (Mr. A. H. Busch), 12yds—D. Withers 2 4—KEY LOGAN (Mr. A. J. McLaughlin), limit— W.J. Tomkiuson ... 3 Also started: 13 Marinca, limit; 1 Proud Dillon, limit, and Eugene do Oro, 12yds, bracketed; 12 Kolex, 5 Koyal Comrade, 7 Shady Spot, 9 Double Event, 3 Ngahuia, limit; 11 Granite City, 10 Huon Denver, 12yds; C Dilnon aud Lindbergh, 24yds, bracketed. • Half a. length ; four length's. Times, 2.49 4-5, 2.49, 2.51 1-5. INTERNATIONAL HANDICAP of 400sovs. Limit, 2.13. One mile. 3 —VENDOME (Mr. J. J. Kenncrley), 12yds—Owner 1 4—FINAL McKINNEY (Mr. J. Henderson), limit —Owner 2 C —GJIANITE CITY (Mr. L. G. King), limit —A. ButteLheld 3 Also started: 5 Hector's Own, 2 Morning Sun, limit; 7 Trimmer, limit, and Native Prince, 30yds, bracketed ; 13 Arikitoa, 9 El Direct, 15 Harvest Child, 1 Muriel de Oro, 14 Pageant, 12yds; 18 Daphne de Oro, 10 Genuine, 11 Kid Logan, 17 Sunshower, 8 Vesuvius, 24yds; 16 King Pointer, SGyds; 12 Author Jinks, 19 Logan Chief, 20 Prince Pointer, 48yds. Neck; neck. Times, 2.11 3-5, 2.12 4-5, 2.13.