WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 14

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

LOGAN POINTER LEADING. Horses by Logan Pointer have been very successful during the present season, with the result that this stallion heads the winning sires' list with a sum of £12,975, Nelson Bingen is next with £8127 10/, and then follow Author Dillon £6538 10/, Wrack £5668, and Key de Oro £4808 10/. NO EXCUSE. No excuses are offered for the defeat of Red Shadow in the Timaru Cup. Details of the race show that when the last round was commenced the colt was racing on the outside of Cranleigh and Editor, all three being in the lead. Red Shadow, driven hard, could not get clear in front, and three furlongs from home he began to fade out, and he was in the ruck and well back when the straight was entered. A USEFUL MARE. /The return to their owner of Queen Elizabeth and Great Change will weaken F. Smith's team at Epsom. Ke bad done rather well with Queen. Elizabeth during the short time lie had her, and secured over £400 in stake money. She is still on a good mark in sprint races, but it was Smith's intention to try her out over two miles, although he was dissatisfied with her handicap in the Thames Cup, and withdrew her immediately lie saw the handicap. Great Change Smith did not race, having had the trotter only a couple of weeks, ' RATLOC UNLUCKY. According to a Christchurch writer bad luck in running was mainly responsible for the defeat of. Ratloc in the Seadown Handicap at Timaru on Saturday, and the young reinsman, R. Kennerley, can hardly be blamed for his driving. He took up a good position early in the ' race, and four furlongs from. home was on the rails in about fourth position. Horses coming fast on the outside, and those in front stopping, however,, put him in a very effective pocket, from which he could not extricate himself until all hope of success was gone. It was just the luck of the running that went against the favourite, but Ratloc, by his effort, drew attention to the fact that he has speed above the average. NO IMPROVEMENT.

At one time heralded as certain to reach the best company the Australianbred pacer, Torpedo Iluon, is proving an out-and-out disappointment. When he was. first brought to Auckland from Sydney he went into J. Shaw's stable, and won at his first two starts, among those he defeated being the then crack tmee-year-old Wrackler. It was because ot these performances that he was sold tor a siibstantial sum to Mr. E. J SKr®?' a . IU I the Siding went into l' McMahon s. team. So far from developSi° n , a + real , g °° d one Tor Pedo Huon lias failed to make even one decent showing, and last season he went south to join up with .J. Bryce's stable. The change, so far, has brought- about no improvement, and in the Timaru Cup on Saturday he was outclassed all the way.

Mcdonald suspended. E. L. McDonald, Sydney's leading reinsman, was suspended for three months bv the stipendiary stewards at the Harold Park (N.S.W.) meeting a fortnight ago. McDonald was hell cruilty of careless driving in a division of an Approved Handicap. While tlic stewards were deliberating upon the case McDonald drove the winner of the next race. FIVE STONE DEADWEIGHT. Oliver Thorpe, who is engaged in the mile saddle at the Thames meeting, will probably be ridden by a very light boy, G. Cole. The lad has been riding Oliver Thorpe in his work, and there is no doubt he knows how to sit a pacer. As lie only goes about sst, it will be recognised that Oliver Thorpe will have to carry plenty of deadweight, as the rules provide for a lOst minimum. The gelding has been going along nicely in his work, and, though giving away time to start, may do better than lie has done in harness races. A FIASCO. Particulars of the Fairlie Handicap, won by St. George at Timaru, when he scored easing up by twenty lengths, show that the race was made easy for C. Donald's pacer by reason of the fact that several horses had their prospects ruined through interference. When half the distance had been covered the leaders were St. George and Jessie Huon, but a little further on Jessie Huon broke and several following had their chances affected. The incident allowed St. George to get a break of 100 yards on the field, and he was never afterwards troubled. Taking this into consideration it may be wise not to place undue importance upon the win.

LOOKING WELL. The smart pacer, Benefice, is petting through a good preparation in view of her engagement in the Thames Cup, and though the bay daughter of Rey de Oro is set to give the limit horses 60 yards, she is such a speedy mare that she should be able to get into a handy position when a mile has been covered. Much will depend upon how the race is run, but if it is slow over the first mile Benefice will be able to sprint home with the best. She is on 4.35, and a win in the Thames Cup would find her perhaps penalised 24 yards, which would mean she would be on 12 varda in the Napier Handicap, the chief* item at the earthquake relief meeting next month at Alexandra Park.

"UNDER A CLOUD."

The Melbourne Trotting Derby, divided into divisions for pacers and trotters, was decided at Richmond on Monday of last week. The pacers' division was won by Con Derby, who had been under veterinary treatment for lameness. That fact, however, did not prevent his going out a solid odds-on favourite and winning by 10 yards in the good time of 2.20. Results:— PACERS' DIVISION. CON DERBY (G. Kellv) 1 £E£KRAL mavisxa (h Bainbridge) . 2 CRYSTAL SET (Anderson) 3 Won by 10 yards. Time, 2.20. TROTTERS' DIVISION. CORBY BOY (Newman) .... l LOTTIE GLOBE (R. White) ! •> THE EAGLE (Sexton) 3 Won by 20 yards, with a similar distance between second and third. Time,