TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 285, 1 December 1932, Page 17

TROTTING.

WAIKATO ON SATURDAY. DAY'S BEST BETS. INDICATED BY FORM. Under the present handicapping system which distinctly supports the contention "winners win again," the wise backer prefers to adhere to form rather than search for something to beat the favourite. There are no better judges than the public, providing they get an honest run for their money, and in these hard times there are few owners who can afford to wait. Occasionally a ramp is brought oft", but it is doubtful it' even ! then those responsible gain very much, as the dividend is always very small. The Waikato meeting on Saturday provides the attraction in the light harness sport, and there is every prospect of line racing being served up. The acceptances for the Waikato Handicap and the Farewell Handicap are a little disappointing, but the material is good, and a half-dozen speedy horses are better to watch than a couple of dizen "duffers." Backers aie bound to go solidly for NVil Volo in the- Improvers , Handicap, and the American-bred mare will most likely lead the field home, but she is not by auy means the certainty she was when she last won. at Auckland in October. On Saturday she is conceding up to 84yds start, and though there is nothing one could enthuse over on the limit, horses like Grand Triumph, La Triumph, Indolent and Manna's Son would only have to '.tot right to eet Nell Volo a real task. It is doubtful whether she would get to La Triumph, but the latter is not reliable and the chances are against, her going right. . There are several with good prospects in the Progressive Handicap and among the number are Lislea, Cogent, Roylette, Regina Derby, Pedlar, Mazda, Raider and Taniwha. With a good beginning Raider looks the best proposition, with Lislea or Taniwha the hardest for G. Robertson's horse to beat. In the Waikato Handicap Brentlight, First Flight and Little Guy will be solidly supported, and it may be Brentlight will break the long run of placed performances down to his credit and this, time win outright. In the Raglan Handicap Homeward is nicely placed on 24yds and the Happy Voyage mare reads the betting proposition of the afternoon. The opposition is not strong and she goes a mile and a quarter well. The Members' Handicap field will be somewhat similar to that of the Progressive Handicap. Reserved for this race Raider would be an even money proposition and he should win. Gtdd Hairst will be hard to dispose of should he pace smoothly. ' Anything might win the Waipa Trot and it appears to be a good race to leave alone. If Parrish Belle is ever to win again this is her opportunity. Guid Hairst would only have to pace right all the way to be about at tne end of the Dominion Handicap, in which Homeward also makes a strong appeal. The Farewell Handicap looks like going to Brentlight should he miss the big race. To Waliia may be the best of the others. Glancing over the programme the best propositions on the day appear to oe Raider and Homeward.

A FINE PERFORMANCE. Taxpayer won the Empire Handicap at Forbury Park by a very narrow margin, after having received none the best of the running at any stage, and he proved himself a high-cluss horse to win. Donna Otulvallis was the early leader from Belie Lorrimcr, Peter Loeanda and Taxpayer, but at the end of three furlongs Manoeuvre, -who"had made a bad beginning, was up in second place. The field swung round Taxpayer about three furlongs from home, and it did not look as if he would get clear. Donna Gulvallia was in charge at that stage from Belle Lorrimer, with Manoeuvre, Automatic and Willie Derby racing in close formation, Taxpayer being on the rails in a very awkward position. Donna Gulvallis was still in charge at the home turn from Belle Lorrimer. Manoeuvre, on the outside, Taxpayer, Automatic and Willie Derby were also on hand. Donna Gulvallis was first beaten, and despite a very game effort on the part ot Belle Lorrimer to hold her advantage when she hit the front, she could not withstand the' challenge, of Taxpayer, who beat her by a short neck in 2.14. A WELL-BRED PACER. The Methven sportsman, T. H. McGirr, has long been associated with the lightharuess sport, and regularly races a lew horses with a good deal of success, borne rears ago ho purchased Man-o'-W ar tor purposes, but he found the Australian stallion a good proposition on the race track, for lie won a number of races, including the Ashburton Free-for-All, defeating one of the strongest fields ever paraded in New Zealand in a race of this class, McGirr produced on Saturday a four-year-old son of. Man-o'-War in Warboat, a regular son of his father, and one that is. bound to reach good class company. In the Ashley Trot Handicap Warboat was first away from the barrier, led all the way, and fairly outatayed the rest. On hie dam n side Warboat comes of a good family, for Ivy Dillon, by Harold Dillon— Ivywopd, by Wildwood, left a very speedy racehorse in Loeanda Dillon, who had a mile record ol 2.13 2,5. AGAINST THE BARRIERS. The fight against the use of the barrier in starting harness races continued ail through the American season. The oldtimers -want the hundred-year-old system of trotting-np starts. The younger generation of horsemen and the public want the barriers. At the Kansas Fair the number of false starts was bo numerous that the starter and the public insisted upon the barrier being used, in face ot loud protests from the old-time drivers. There was then no delay in starting the fields. The Americans persist in the eentury-old system of heat racing with trotters and pacers, altho_ue;h it has been discontinued in all other parts of the world. An endeavour has been made to introduce handicaps, but is not likely,to be a success until the present old-timers die out. NOT TROUBLED. Particulars of the race for the CavershamHandicap at Forbiiry Park show that the three-year-old Indianapolis scored a very comfortable win, and wae not troubled after he hit the front with half the journey covered. Indianapolis went 3.20 for the ■mile and a half, a very emart performance for a three-year-old, and hie appearance at the Auckland Cup meeting when lie comes north to take on the Great Northern Derby, will add considerable interest to the fixture. Aucklandere will have the opportunity of seeing two 'brilliant three-year-olds, Indianapolis ana Taxpayer in action. LEFT YESTERDAY. The first of the Epeom-trained horses to leave for Claudelands were La Triumph and Autumn Lu, who were eent away yesterday. Beth had been responsible tor a solid preparation, and if they could be relied upon to trot solidly, they would go well in the elow-class trot. ' F Smith leaves to-morrow with his team of five, comprising Little Guy, Miss Joan Direct, Mazda, Guid Hairst and Nell Volo. In addition to these horsee femith will also drive Benefice in the Farewell Handicap. A. Newdick will send Dan Direct away on Saturday morning. PLENTY OF SPEED. Of the maiden trotters working at Epsom who have yet to win a race, not one shows more speed than La Triumph, and if she could be relied upon to go solid from barrier to judge she would soon win a race. When working on the training track her efforts are very impressive, but she is inclined to be flighty and when she h.<? to ptep out in a field of horses she beomes unsealed.

NOW AT TE AWAMUTU. In addition to Sandy Pointer, E. N. Kennerley also brought -with him from Christchurch the trotter Dark McKinney. The gelding was brought across from Melbourne a couple of seasons ago and lias done a fair amount of racing since at meetings in Canterbury. He did not prove to be a first-class trotter, but ran. some fair races among better horses than he will probably meet at the meetings in and around Auckland. HOLDS ONE RECORD. Though Harold Logan is to be the fastest pacer to ever race in New Zealand, the fact remains that the Logan Pointer gelding holds only one record and that for two miles when he recorded 4.16 to win the New Zealand Cup last month. He had previously gone faster to a place, but in the compilation of records only winning performances should count. The mile and a half record for either pacer or trotter is held by Wrackler (trotting), the mile and a quarter by Koi 1' Or, and the mile by Native Chief. DOING WELL. G. Mouritz, who has been doing well with Taxpayer and Dolores, both of whom weie returned winners at Forbury Park last week, came to New Zealand about this time last year with V. B. McFarlane, when the latter brought Donna Gulvallis, Huon Voyage, Nimble Direct and Wilbur White across from Melbourne. After competing at the Auckland Cup meeting the team was taken South, and Inter Mouritz severed his connection with McFarlane and took the position as private trainer of Mr. J. R. McKenzie's horses. MAY COME TO AUCKLAND. Following on his wretched display on Thursday, Grand Canyon went the best race of his career when he made the opposition look cheap in the Forbury Handicap on Saturday. On the first day >t is thought that he was suffering from kidney trouble, and the treatment he received on the night of the first day's racing proved beneficial. Grand Canyon has been a big disappointment, and when he was gelded an improvement in temperament was looked for. If Saturday's showing is a true indication of his future intentions, then C. S. Donald will have several profitable drives behind the son of Wrack and Nell Pointer before the season is concluded. In all probability Grand Canyon will come to Auckland to contest the big races at that club's summer meeting.