TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 8 October 1936, Page 22

TROTTING.

NEW ZEALAND CUP.

FIFTEEN ENGAGED. INDIANAPOLIS' PINE RECORD. It is doubtful if any other trotting event arouses as much interest in trotting circles as the New Zealand Trotting Cup, to be run at Addington in November. It is the tightest class race tor jiacers an the Dominion and attracts the cream of lightharness exponents. Entries closed on Tuesday evening and fifteen nominations were received for this year's contest. With all the two-mile record holders engaged the race promises to provide its usual maximum of thrills. Added interest will be lent to the contest by the presence of two Australian pacers in New Derby and Evicus, who have proved to be in the top class. A review of the form of those engaged is appended. Cloudy Range took a long time to come bn.ck to his best after a promising three-year-old career, but last season lie reached a high plane over distances up to two miles. lie was not a competitor over this journey at the Metropolitan August meeting, but raced consistently over sprint distances. At his last start over two miles Cloudy Range gave De Soto 60yds and an easy beating, and on this performance alone he will be entitled to respect in the Trotting Cup. livicus is a nomination from Australia, but she has previously raced at Addington, when her form was not outstanding. At the Perth championships last February this mare was adjudged the grand champion of the meeting, gaining most points in the championship events. That she has improved cannot be doubted, but even so she will have her work cut out to beat some of the Dominion representatives. War Buoy promised to take a high grade List season when he finished second to Indianapolis in this event, but his form during the past few months has not been up to that standard. He will be coupled with Gamble, whose displays have also been a trifle disappointing of late. Last season this pacer showed really high-class form over a distance, and a feature of his efforts was the fine staying power lie displayed over the final stages of his races. He is a commanding-looking horse by Jack Potts and he may show that his latest efforts have all been wrong the first time lie strikes a firm track. Graham Direct is recognised as one of the best four-year-olds that ever raced in I the Dominion and he is expected to reach top class this season. He is apt to make a break at the start, but once on the journey can unwind a brilliant finishing run. He has done plenty of racing during the past few months, and this will stand him in good stead. Has Good Record. Grand Mogul has only taken two seasons to make the grade to Cup company, but his performances have been full of merit. He was purchased by Mr. G. J. Barton in 1935, and at his first appearance for his new owner won the Rakaia Handicap at the Ashburton autumn meeting, running the mile and a half in 3.21 1-5. That was his last start for the season. His next victory was registered in the Railway Han- j dicap at Wellington; then, after an unplaced preforinance, he scored three consecutive wins, the last one being in the Australasian Handicap at Addington, when lie ran the two miles in 4.31 3-5. He later developed erratic starting habits, and a string of five defeats followed before he again figured on the winning list, returning to his best form by annexing the mile saddle at Canterbury Park in 2.11. In his next five appearances he scored three firsts and a third, these being his final outings of the season. Those efforts placed him on the verge of Cup company, and he was confidently expected to qualify at the New Zealand Metropolitan meeting in August, and he accomplished this feat rather comfortably on-the second day. Grand Mogul is a compactly-built pacer by Adioo Guy from Logan's Mission, and will be coupled with Indianapolis and Cloudy Range. Blue Mountain finished second to Indianapolis in this race in 1934, but his form since has not been in keeping with that effort, and he would have to improve in order to play a prominent part. De Soto has shown outstanding form over two miles in his recent starts, and the easy manner in which he outclassed the opposition over the latter stages of the National Handicap on the final day of the j Metropolitan meeting in .August drew attention to his chance in this event. He does nothing wrong and is one of the most likely to bring about a surprise. Glenrossie has not raced for a long time, owing to suffernig from leg trouble, but is apparently all right again. At his best, the bay pacer is in the select class, but lie is getting old now and he does not appeal. New Derby is an entrant from Australia, and lie is reckoned to be one of the best horses racing over there. He competed at the championship meeting in Perth last February, but owing to his I erratic starting did not show his best form. [ However, at the conclusion of the carnival he was sent a flying mile, paced by .a galloper, and succeeded in running the distance in the fast time of 2.2 2-5. He showed extreme speed and finished full of running. There is no doubt about his fine pace, but the gelding will not have to lose much ground at the start to extinguish his ; chance of winning the New Zealand Trotting Cup. At his best Red Shadow would have to be taken into consideration, but the chestnut has not shown' anything outstanding i for a long time and would have to improve on recent form to take a hand in the ] decision. Ex-Aucklander's Prospects. Worthy Light is an ex-Aucklander, by • Worthy Bond from Illumination, but has . not figured in the limelight so much of i late. When raced in Auckland he was ] responsible for some splendid perform- 1 arices, one of his best being to finish second J to Roi l'Or in the Auckland Trotting Cup in 1934. On that occasion he covered the * two miles in 4.19 3-5, but he improved J this time to 4.19 when he won the Presi- i dent's Handicap on the final day of the same fixture. Last season he had fifteen s starts for two victories, the only one over two miles being the Metropolitan Handicap at Addington, the distance being covered in 4.24 2-5. He has not figured so prominently in his last few starts, and he ivould have to improve to hold his own in ;his class. Harold Logan has two New Zealand Cups ;o his credit, and that he is not yet a back lumber he emphasised by running particu- t

! larly good races at the Addington August J meeting. On the final day of the fixture I Harold Logan gave a brilliant " display to 'finish fifth off 72yds, showing all his bril- ' liant beginning ability and staying on better than generally expected. Harold Logan is one of the best horses ever raced in the ,- Dominion, and no victory would be more popular than for the son of Logan Pointer j to annex the big event in !Noveniber. j Indianapolis is recognised as the greatest. pacer ever foaled in the Dominion, and : with two Xew Zealand Trotting Cups ; already to his credit he will make an | attempt to perform the "hat trick." He | has not raced since January, but is to be | given a run at New Brighton this week j and later another at Oamaru this month, i I The first occasion Indianapolis won the , i Cup he registered 4.15 4-5, but last year the race was run under unfavourable conditions and took 4.44. In eight starts last season he recorded four firsts and a second, but in a trial against time over a mile lie created an Australasian record by pacing the distance in 2.1 2-5. He is reported to be a much improved horse in appearance and may prove better than ever. He is set a hard task to win his third Cup with so small an amount of racing, but the son of Wrack and Estella Amos is such a highclass pacer that it is hard to pick one to beat him. Roi l'Or is one of the best pacers in the Dominion, but he has only just resumed racing after being spelled for a long time owing to an injury suffered while on a trip to Australia last January. He had a couple of races at the Addington August meeting, but did not show up, which was only to be expected after such a long time off the scene. Roi l'Or has some really fine performances to his credit, including the Auckland Trotting Cup in 1934, when the class was about the best that has competed at Epsom. However, the chestnut will be | conceding a good start to some smart and improving pacers and his chances do not appeal. Summed up at this early stage, the Dunedin sportsman, Mr. G. J. Barton, looks like supplying the favourite with his bracket—lndianapolis, Cloudy Range and Grand Mogul. The handicaps are : — NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP of £2000 and Gold Cup valued at £100. Two miles. Limit 4.26. Cloudy Range T.t. De Soto ... 12 Evicus .... Lt. Glenro'ssie ... 12 Gamble . . . Lt. New Derby . . 12 Graham Direct Lt. Red Shadow . 24 Grand Mogul I.t. Worthy Light 24 War Buoy . . Lt. Harold Logan 4S yds. bhd. Indianapolis . 48 Blue Mountain 12 Roi l'Or ... 60