TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 294, 12 December 1935, Page 28

TROTTING.

AUCKLAND CUP. THE FIELD REVIEWED. GRAHAM DIRECT'S PROSPECT. With an entry of eleven for the Auckland Trotting Cup and the inclusion of four visiting horses the race should prove one of the attractions of tlie meeting. The baekmarker is only on 00yds, so that it can be seen that every horse has a chance on the handicap. Three pacers figure on the limit. Willie Derby has been a fairly consistent gelding and last season was placed on four occasions over the distance. He failed to show up at the Auckland meeting in October, but at the Waikato fixture annexed the open sprint from a fair field of pacers. He is at home in any kind of going. Pegaway was one of the best horses trained locally a couple of seasons ago, but when raced in the south hist year failed to reproduce anything like his best form. In the Auckland Cup in 1933 he met with interference at the home turn and then finished strongly in fourth place. The manner in which he ran on over the concluding stages made it appear as if he would have been very difficult to dispose of had he not been stopped. He is how back in his old quarters at Takanini, and although he would have to be respected if in anything like his old form it will possibly be found that he will need racing. Nim'bus completes the trio on the front. The chestnut is one of tlie best pacers we have in Auckland and he has registered some splendid performances at Epsom. His form last season was good and this year lie has started on five occasions for two firsts, two seconds and a third. He is in great order at present and he may prove to bo the best of the local contestants. Southern Pacer's Chance.

Graham Direct, who is on 12yds, is one of the best four-year-olds trained in the Dominion for some years. Ever since lie first commenced racing as a two-year-old his form lias been marked by consistency, and although lie has been seriously challenged on several occasions by another of the same age in Gamble the honours must go to Graham Direct. He has won on both grass and dirt tracks, and the southern pacer would only have to please when he arrives to start favourite. He has gone 4.21 2-5, so that he has a good deal the best of it on the handicap. Kewpie's Triumph is a better pacer than generally given credit for and his races have been marked by consistency. He has not won over tlie distance for some time, but has gone several sound races into a place., Kewpie's Triumph is getting through a solid preparation satisfactorily but may find the class a trifle strong. Rey Spec in the past has not enjoyed tlie best of luck in' his races, but was responsible tor a fine effort in winning tlie Lyttelton Handicap off 48yds at the.)recent Addington meeting. He was always in a handy position, and when asked to sprint in the run home came away to register 4.25. Rey Spec is a six-year-old gelding by Key de Oro from Logan Spec. This horse has been steadily improving this season aijil lie will have to be considered. Auto Machine has been one of the unluckiest horses trained locally. Invariably his trainer lias succeeded in getting the Australian-bred pacer into fine order, only to see him go sore, and all the good work has gone abeggmg. A feature of his racing has been his stout finishing .run and he is sure to run the distance right out. Tempest is most favourablv placed oif 24yds. He is no stranger to the Auckland public and has registered some good performances on the Epsom track. His form lately has been better than ever, and at the Tecent meeting at Addington, after failing to gain 4 place In the New Zealand Trotting Cup, won by his stablemate, Indianapolis, came out the next day and finished within three-quar-ters of a length of Indianapolis in the Clarkson Memorial, one mile. , On the third day he filled third place to Gamble and Graham Direct in the Ollivier Memorial, conceding the first and second horses 24yds and registering 4.25 1-5. Later in the day lie again acted as runner-up to Indianapolis in the Free-for-All, among those he beat being Roi l'.Or, Harold | Logan, Evicus and Red Shadow. It was j a splendid performance. Last season he, had tlie satisfaction of beating War Buoy on two occasions over two miles, these being the only defeats suffered by War Buoy. Tempest has gone on the right way in the interim and he must come in tor solid support. Australian Pacer. Although the Australian pacer Evicus has not raced up to expectations in her few races in the Dominion, it must be remembered that she lias been competing against the best class, and that there are no Indianapoliscs in this event. Her best effort here was in the Clarkson Memorial on the second day of the recent New Zealand Cup meeting, when she finished third to lndianapons and Temxiest over a mile. She has taken no harm from the racing and is working along quietly at Addington. in Australia Evicus won three races in 4.27, and as it is reasonable to expect overseas pacers to go faster on our tracks it may be unwise to discard her. Worthy Light put up a I record last season that was hard to beat ! for consistency, and on this form alone he will have to enter into calculations. Many will remember his great effort in the last Auckland Cup, when he made the pace a cracker all the way and then hung on in fine style, the only horse to beat him being Roil' Or. He went 4.19 3-5. He improved on this effort the following day in annexing the President's Handicap, and going 4.19. Worthy Light competed at the recent Addington meeting, but he was not at his best owing to heavy rain seriously interfering with his training. He has taken no harm from the outings and really looks a much fitter horse. He is not set a hard task off 48yds, but may find it hard to give 36yds and a beating to Graham Direct. Impromptu is the baekmarker on 60yds. He is in the best grade of pacers and last vear finished fourth in this event after getting all the worst of the running over the last half mile. He has a record of 4.18 3-5 against him. The field is a fairly strong one, and at this stage those likely to find favour with backers are Graham Direct, Tempest, Evicus and Rey Spec.

ACCEPTANCES TO-MORROW,

Acceptances for the first day of the Auckland Trotting Club's summer meeting will close with the secretary, Mr. A. G. Mabee, Durham Street, at 5 p.m. tomorrow.