AUCKLAND TROTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1936, Page 18

AUCKLAND TROTS.

THE WINTER MEETING

CAPTAIN BOLT'S RECORD.

A CONSISTENT PERFORMER. Captain Bolt, who claims an engagement in the Stewards' Handicap at Epsom on Saturday, is an aged gelding by I'eterwah from Medway, and is thus a half-brother to the brilliant Great Way. In 15 starts last season 'lie won once, gained two seconds and four third platings. lie first contributed towards his keep by "finishing second to Waikato Prince in the McDonald Handicap at last season's Manawatu meeting and after four unsuccessful performances finished third to Meadow King and Native Tree in the Bardowie Handicap on the first day of the Cambridge Trotting Club's annual meeting. He recorded a similar placing on the second day of the same fixture and followed this up by running third to Great Admiral and Meadow King in the Progressive Handicap at the Waikato fixture. His next appearance was at the same club's winter show meeting, when he competed in the Newstead Handicap, being beaten by only half a length in 3.42 l-o. At the Auckland winter meeting, after finishing third in the Winter Handicap on the opening day, he scored his first success in the Royal Handicap on the second day, in very heavy going. These were his last outings that season, but this year lie has raced most consistently. He was brought to Epsom for the August meeting a'».l off 36yds in the Introductory Handicap finished in second place, two lengths and a half from the winner, Audo Patch, and recording 3.37 3-5. A fourth placing went to his credit on the second day, but he again collected the major portion of the stake when he scored an effortless win by eight lengths in the Newstead Handicap. Penalised to 72yds on.,the second day, he again collected the thick end. He followed this up by filling third place to Audo Patch and Young Rodney on the first day of the Auckland autumn meeting, registering 4.42 2-5 off a >4.56 mark. He was a shade unlucky on tile-opening day of the Auckland summer fixture, but made amends on the second day by winning the Association xP-Vot oft - a -heavy track in 4.57. Gf>ing .ojr t6 Cambridge, Dilfashion was the only one to beat him in the Fencourt Handicap, but in- this event he would probably have won but for breaking in the last furlong and losing a good deal of ground. Later in the day he was only a little over half a length away in third place in the Farmers' Handicap. He was- then turned out for a good spell, but will be making his reappearance at Epsom on Saturday. Captain Bolt is such a consistent performer that his prospects cannot be lightly assessed and :he is sure to carry plenty of sjupport in his engagements at the Auckland meeting.

BEST OVER SPRINT COURSES., Edna Worthy has not raced for some time, but is reported to have gone on the right way for her new trainer, I. Morrison, at Otahuliu. The chestnut registered some fair performances last season, when in 16 starts she gained four wins, three .seconds and three thirds. Her ■ best performances were recorded over sprint courses, but she gave strong evidence of possessing staying ability when she won the Manawaru Handicap, two at the Te Aroha annual meeting last season, beating among others Ringtrue and Luminate and going 4.33 1-5. Edna Worthy is one of the speediest pacers" in ' commission over -sprint distances and she will be starting over her favourite distance in the Cornwall Handicap at Epsom on Saturday, and she can "V be relied upon to ensure a strong pace being on from the outset. DOES NOT APPEAL. It is some time since G'harteris Bay was seen out in a race, but lie has been putting plenty of heart into his training essays at Epsom and looks an improved horse as the result of a long spell. In his last couple of starts he was raced as a trotter, but failed to begin correctly, and it has been decided to change him back to the pacing* gait. Last season Charteris Bay started on eleven occasions for a first and a second, both placed efforts being recorded at the Thames autumn meeting. He won the 1 ' Puriri Handicap on the opening day and on the second day was runner-up to Red Frontier in- the second division of the Karaka Handicap. The tracks -Were' heavy -on each occasion. On .Saturday Charteris Bay is to compete off 36yds in the Mangere Handicap, but with so many improving novices on the front his chances are not bright. ASSURED OF SUPPORT. One of the most promising improvers down to compete in the Mangere Handicap on the opening day. of the Auckland Trotting Club's winter meeting."is Sir Frank. He did not ■ commence racing until the Wanganui meeting last March, when he struck all the bad luck of the running in his engagement on the opening day. He was produced in th'e Stewards Handicap, one mile and a quarter, on the second day and came home strongly into third place in 2.53. His next appearance was at Hawera, where he was responsible for a particularly attractive performance in the Auroa Handicap. Slow to begin, Sir Frank was well back in ■ \ the earlv stages. Jbut .finished on in - great ' style to' head all but Reno in the smart time of 3.30. Although well backed at the recent Waikato meeting, Sir l'rank failed to materialise, but showed definite 6igns of improvement by making up a lot of ground over the last couple or furlongs. He has trained on satisfactoi lly in his recent work at Hamilton, and, having drawn the front row in the novice race on Saturday, the son of Frank Worthy and Aggie Bell can be rehed ■upon to record a solid performance. His owner-trainer, Mr. E. R. Smith, has Hori Bingen also engaged in this event, and the coupling is assured of plenty of support. NOT A GOOD BEGINNER. The Takanini-trained gelding Baron Alfonso has done everything required of him in very satisfactory style of late and the three-year-old gelding should parade a very fit horse in his engagement in the Hobson Handicap at Epsom on Saturday. Baron Alfonso gained his first placing when he finished third to Ranfurly Lass and Lynworthy in the December Handicap on the opening day of the Auckland Christmas meeting, registering 2.50 4-5. The going was heavy.for the Park Handicap on the second day, but the gelding was installed a very warm favourite. He was not very well placed in the early stages, but secured an opening on the rails at the home turn and went on to "win rather comfortably by a length in 3.35 2-5. He failed to leave the mark in three successive starts at Auckland and Wellington (twice), but returned to the winning list in the Suburban Handicap, two miles, run at the Waviganui Trotting Club's second meeting. As usual, he did not make a particularly smart beginning, but outstayed his opponents to win. witn something in hand, by two lengths m 4.39 3-5. His latest efforts have not been encouraging, but to a' large extent his prospects have been ruined by the ground he has lost .at the start through failure to strike a gait. There is no doubt about the ability possessed, by this three-year-old, and he would only have tfl make a reasonably smart beginning tn take a lot of beating in any race he contests at the Auckland fixture. k. ~

A HIGH-CLASS TROTTER. Great Admiral, who is to contest the Hobsou Handicap against the pacers on the first day of the Auckland meeting, is one of the best trotters in commission and be gives every promise of developing into one of the best unhoppled horses raced i« Auckland for some time. Hedid not commence racing until a four-year-old and won at his first appearance in the Klstow Handicap at Te Aroha. In this event he went to the Iront soon after the start and never looked like getting beaten and won rather comfortably by four lengths in 3.29. It was a really fine performance for a novice. An unplaced effort followed at the Auckland February meeting, but he was not driven by his owner-trainer on this occasion and this may have accounted for his failure, as he made no mistake next time out, winning the Leamington Handicap on the first day of the Cambridge annual meeting. Another success was recorded by the gelding at the Waikato. fixture the following week, but at Epsom m June lie competed against the pacers. In this event he struck interference soon after the start and lost a lot of ground, with the result that he was a good way back with half a mile to go. However, once lie set out after the leaders in earnest he came home with a rattle, and was only about four lengths from the winner, Bonny Azure, at the finish. Incidentally, this was this brilliant filly s first success. Great Admiral was started against the trotters on the second day and made short work of the opposition in the Members' Handicap, one mile and a half, registering 4.8. but the track "was very heavy. Tn the season he won £335. This season he has again raced in first-rate fashion and at the Auckland meeting last August won the Royal Oak Handicap on the first day and followed this bj" t filling second place to Sun in the Whitford Handicap, but in the latter event Great Admiral failed to go away correctly, with the result that lie ga\e Mountain Sun too big a start, and his task was really hopeless after going half a mile. He was then put aside until the Auckland summer meeting and his first appearance after the spell was in the Rowe Cup, in which event Great Admiral scored over Audo Patch by three-quarters of a length in 4.36. He has not started since. Great Admiral is a five-year-old gelding bv Nelson Bingen from Great Eyre, and as he has built up such an outstanding record in * his coniparativelj short career he should go a long Way in the sport. On Saturday his prospects will be governed by how he leaves the mark, but should a heavy track prevail he may take#a good deal of beating. On the second day he may contest the trotting event and even at this early juncture he can be sorted out as, one of the most likely winners on the King s Birthday.