Trotting at Epsom.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 307, 29 December 1931, Page 5

Trotting at Epsom.

DERBY DAY TO-MORROW. Crack Three-year-olds Meet.— Speed Merchants in Champion Handicap. — The Programme Reviewed. The Auckland Trotting Club's cup meeting will be continued at Alexandra Park to-morrow, when another day's excellent sport is promised. With every prospect of fine weather continuing, the track is likely to be faster than on the opening day, and some fast times may be expected. The star items on the card are the Great Northern Derby, in which the best of the Dominion's three-year-old pacers will meet, aud the Champion Handicap, a 2.44 mile and a quarter, wliere there is a brilliant lield of sprinters. Another good race should be the Epsom Handicap for the best class of straightout trotters at the meeting. Oak Handicap. Nine have accepted for the Oak Handicap, and the field, though not big, is one of the best in this class of race seen at Epsom. On form backers have every reason to go for Worthy Queen, as she does everything right, and has been winning all along. Windcliat will go well despite the fact that she does a lot of breaking. Welcome Guy was going a great race, and showing lots of speed yesterday till he broke up near the home turn and dropped right out. Carl Mack gave a wretched display the first day, but he is not likely to trot so badly again, and a big improvement can bo expected from Parrisli Belle. Royal Triumph, 36yds, is a very speedy customer, but he might not see out two miles. Summed up, there should be money for WORTHY QUEEN WINDCHAT PARRISH BELLE. Tramway Handicap. In the Tramway Handicap there are 11 acceptors, and a fairly open problem is presented. Free Logan, oil the limit, is a speedy and is bound to go seconds faster than handicapped. Flying Cloud and Jersey Thorpe are in a position to take a lot of beating, and of those on 12yds Rey de Quest aiid Gumdigger read best. It should be a good betting race, with support for REY DE QUEST PLYING CLOUD FREE LOGAN. Champion Handicap. All the speed merchants will line up in the Champion Handicap, which promises to be one of the best races at the meeting. Muriel de Oro and Nelson Tasker are bound to set a solid pace off the limit, and The Abbey, if he leaves, can show speed, while just behind them are two good sprinters in Mountain Dell and Stanmoor. Machine Gun and Gold Jacket are on 24yds, and Machine Gun won the race last year. On 36yds are three brilliant horses in Wrackler, Jewel Pointer and Peter Bingen. It is not easy to select the favourite, but perhaps the three in demand will be \ MURIEL DE ORO ' PETER BINGEN WRACKLER. The Derby. The Great Northern Derby is bound to create considerable interest, as it will provide a contest between the best three-year-olds in the Dominion. Derby Fame is the only local candidate, and though speedy may not see the mile and a half right out. Ciro won the New Zealand Derby, and on that running should be the favourite, but Tempest

lias probably made considerable improvement since then. Avernus and Gold Paper can go fast, particularly Gold Paper. However, the favourites should comprise GIRO TEMPEST. Dominion Handicap, Those in the Dominion Handicap are not a classy lot. Chenaway should take a deal of catching from the limit. Hohoro •went a good race yesterday to get second, while Glandore; if he could be relied upon to begin right, -would be handy at the end, but he is unreliable. Gaza can go fast for a mile and a quarter, but the one backers -will all be on is Carnui. However, he is not going to have it all his own way this 0 time. Master Huia is to be considered, but fined down it looks like being between CHENAWAY CARNUI MASTER HUIA. Innovation Handicap. There will be a useful field in the Innovation Handicap, but the best of them have not much form to recommend them. Derby Vale is a good beginner, and will be the leader for a long time if not all the way. Gumdigger went well to get third yesterday in a fastrun race, and both Oliver Thorpe and Poi are possibilities. Kewpie's Triumph and Prince Pedro read the best of those further back. It is a race where there may be a surprise. When the machine closes three in demand may be DERBY VALE KEWPIE'S TRIUMPH GUMDIGGER. Epsom Handicap. The Epsom Handicap should provide a good race, as there are some fine trotters engaged. Stand By may do better than on the first day, and Kolmar must again go well. Paradigm is a s.olid customer who loses nothing by breaking, and Huon Voyage should be a better horse than on the opening day. Jock Bingen would have a chance if he trotted solidly, but he went badly yesterday. bracket, Surprise Journey and Sir Voyage, will be the favourite choice. In a good race the selection will probably be SIR VOYAGE—SURPRISE JOURNEY (Bracket). HUON VOYAGE KOLMAR Ranfurly Handicap. The concluding event is the Ranfurly Handicap, and there are many speedy horses engaged. It is a much better field than contested this class of race yesterday. Dan Direct and Princess Mauritius can go a good mile and a quarter, and if the race she had yesterday has done her any good Princess Mauritius should be handy this time, as she was close up behind the place-getters yesterday. Benefice will clap on the pace from 12yds, but Golden Pedro reads better, as he is a fair stayer. On 24yds are half a dozen brilliant horses, the best of whom may be Impromptu, Royal Silk, Pluto and Meteor, Sunshower is the backmarker on 36yds. On form it should bo a good race between ROYAL SILK—IMPROMPTU (Bracket). GOLDEN PEDRO PLUTO. The acceptanccs are:— 12.0—OAK HANDICAP of 123sovs. Two miles. Limit 4.52. Black Magic . Lt. yds. bhd. lOflig.v .... Lt. Carl Mack . . 24 Windclmt . . . Lt. Royal Triumph 36 Welcome. Guy Lt. Parrisli Belle . 36 Worthy Queen Lt. Explosion ... 84 12.45—TRAMWAY HANDICAP of 125sovs. One mile and a half. Limit 3.34. Flying Cloud . Lt. yds. bhd. Free Logan . Lt. Donna Gulvallis 12 Jersey Thorpe Lt. Gumdigger . . 12 Marg. Wallace Lt. Key de Quest . 12 Myrtlene . . . Lt. Oliver Thorpe 12 Modern Light Lt. Roi Grande . . 12 I.3S—CHAMPION HANDICAP of SOOsovs. One mile ,aud a quarter. Limit 2.44. The Abbey . . Lt. Gold Jacket . 24 Muriel de Oro Lt. Machine Gun . 24 Nelson Tasker Lt. Jewel Pointer . 3(5 yds. bhd. Peter Bingen . 36 Mountain Dell 12 "Wrackler ... 36 Stanmoor ... 12 2.2O—GREAT NORTHERN DERBY of lOOOsovs. One mile and a half. Avernus Edna Worthy Ciro Gold Paper Derby Fame Tempest 3.IO—DOMINION HANDICAP of ISOsovs. One mile and a half. Limit 3.29. Chenaway .. . Lt. Carnui .... 36 yds. bhd. Glandore ... 36 Hohoro .... 12 Stoney .... 36 Lady Yvonne . 32 Master Huia . 48 Gaza 24 Peter Pirate . 72 3.SS—INNOVATION HANDICAP of 125 sovs. One mile and a quarter. Limit 2.56. Derby Vale . . Lt. Kewpie's Gumdigger . . Lt. Triumph 12 Oliver Thorpe Lt. Wilbur White . 12 Poi Lt. Prince Pedro . 12 yds. bhd. Some Dillon . 24 Bell Dial ... 12 4.4O—EPSOM HANDICAP of 200sovs. Two miles. Limit 4.40. Etta Cole ... Lt. Huon Voyage . 48 Stand By . . Lt. Jock Bingen . 4S yds. bhd. Peter McKinney 48 Kolmar .... 12 Sir Voyage . . 72 Paradigm ... 36 Surprise J'rney 120 S.3O—RANFURLY HANDICAP of 200sovs. One mile and a quarter. Limit 2.48. Dan Direct . . Lt. Great Ballin . 24 Prin. Mauritius Lt. Neeoro .... 24 Nella Dillon . Lt. Impromptu . . 24 yds. bhd. Meteor . . . ; 24 Benefice .... 12 Pluto .... 24 Golden Pedro . 3 2 Royal Silk . . 24 Te Wahia . . 12 Sunshower . . 36 Torpedo Huon 12