WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1932, Page 14

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES.

FAVOURITE DISAPPOINTS. Solid support was accorded the Rey de Oro gelding Fisher in the Waitoa Handicap, but, as was the case on the previous Saturday at Thames, he. again disappointed his supporters. He was never in a winning position and at the finish was in fourth place. TIRED OF HER. After her two inglorious displays on Saturday when she would not do anything right, F. Smith was disgusted with Miss Braeside. He was negotiating with Mr <j. R. Corrigan on Saturday, and will probably exchange Miss Braeside for the pacer I'oi. VETERAN'S POPULAR WIN. "When W. Orange drove Summertime home nil easy winner in the first trot at To Aroha he was accorded a great reception. Orange is the veteran trainerdriver in the trotting sport, if E. Sandall is excepted. The latter trains at Epsom, but does not drive in races. RACED BADLY. Although she disappointed in the' Thames Cup, Bingen Crest had worked so well on Tuesday and Thursday that the bay mare was expected to make a good showing in the Te Aroha Handicap. But she raced worse than at Thames, and would not even pace right, and she seemed to be unbalanced throughout. JUST JOGGING. In both races won by Free Logan at Te Aroha on Saturday the little pacer won with a lot in hand, and lie simply toyed with those opposed to liini. It was just a matter of him leaving the barrier correctly, and this he did each time, with the result that he was never going at much better than three-quarter pace to win. He possesses a brilliant turn of speed, and can pace a merry mile and a half. ON THE MOVE. Whether the fault lay with the starter or the drivers, the dispatches at Te Aroha on Saturday were marked by the drivers taking control, and in the race won by Mild Derby it was very evident that all were intent on getting out on the "fly." This was not to be wondered at following the manoeuvring done with Free Logan in the previous race. It is to be hoped the same latitude is not allowed at future country meetings, as there were enough complaints heard on Saturday to do for the p_resent season. WON AND LOST. F. Smith was unlucky not to win the Waitoa Handicap with Guid Hairst. At the barrier the three-year-old was drawn wide out, but he began so fast- that ■he was soon in the lead on the rails. Pacing along well within himself he had his opponents well beaten and Smith was sitting still with only 30 yards to go to the judge when Guid Hairst, for apparently no reason at all, went to a break. Before he settled down again both Francis Lincoln and Pukemiro had headed him. But for the mistake Guid Hairst was certain to have won. Considering his win the week previously at Thames he was at a surprisingly good price. HAD £1 ON. The extent of the stable's support of Kewpie's Guy in the Te Aroha Handicap amounted to only £1. The trainer, .S. Willetts, did not have anything at all on her .because he had done very little fast work with the chestnut mare and did not think she was forward enough to see out two miles. Ever since she was given him to train after the February meeting at Auckland the mare has suffered on and off from kidney troubles, and this had interfered with her training. Willetts is one of the most .painstaking of trainers, and though the success of Kewpie's Guy on Saturday took shape as a- complete surprise, the win was nevertheless very popular. FIRST FLIGHT LEAVES. The brilliant First Flight left the mark correctly in the Farewell Handicap, and at the finish smothered the opposition foi pace. With ordinary luck the Blue Mountain King mare would have won the big race. She went away well, but in the straight the first time Glandore went to a break and interfered with First Flight, with the result that when she got clear of the trouble sh« was tailed off last. She did not improve her position much till three furlongs from home, when she began to make a move on the outside. But the leading division had too big a break, and First Flight finished up in fifth place. It is a pity she is unreliable at the start, otherwise she would be certain to win big handicaps. A GREAT PRICE. It is not often a horse from J. T. Paul's stable returns a double-figure dividend, but Moko Bells did so when he scored in the Waihoii Trot. Owing to Paul liimseld not being in the best of health, J. Shaw drove, the nclding, and possibly this accounted for the good dividend returned. It was a poor contest, every horse in the race except Zanzibar going to a break one or more times on the journey. El Merit, the favourite, would not settle down at all, and. she gave a wretched display, but it was only on a par with all the others in the race except Moko Bells and Zanzibar. Clubs have cut out the events for the better class trotters in Auckland, and if they were not compelled to put races for trotters on the chances are they would cut them out. The exhibitions given in the majority of cases are terrible.