WAIKATO FORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 290, 7 December 1937, Page 16

WAIKATO FORM.

PROMISING EFFORTS.

MUSKETEER DJSPLAYS

COURAGE.

NAWTON PARRISH IS GOOD.

One of tEe features attached to the summer meeting of the Waikato Trotting Club at Claudelands on Saturday was the particularly spirited betting that took place, and it yrpe no mean effort for the club to

put through over £23,000 on the totalisator. This fixture is becoming more popular every year and acts as an excellent medium for embryo champions to gain some education. The racing was productive of some excellent conteete, and altogether was of a high standard. Among the novice trotters Grand Triumph, opened his winning account in a very convincing style. In the past he has been inclined to ruin winning chances by making mistakes iii the running, but in the Innovation Handicap on Saturday he ran to the front after a couple of furlongs had been traversed, and from that stage on it was only a matter of what he would win by. At one part of the journey tie wan fifty yards clear of the second horse, and as he stayed on attractively over the last bit the margin was increased to 100 yards. Later in the day the gelding competed in the Claudelands Handicap, but, penalised 60yds for his earlier success, was never able to hit ■the front, with the result that three short breaks soon put him out of the contest. Grand Triumph ie now at an age where he may not show much improvement, but with his speed he will always have to be taken into consideration where the classes arp not strong. Corona Bell, who acted ae runner-up to Grand Tr-iumph in the Innovation Handicap, has not raced for some time, but showed a glimpse of her beet by finishing OD very encouragingly. She was not too I well placed in the middle stages and had a J little ground to make up with 'half a mile to go. However, she responded well in the tftraig'ht and outstayed the remainder to gain eeeond prize. Later in the day ehe failed to etay in the Olaudelande Handicap, and was well beaten into fourth place. Thie mare is by no means top class, but her Kolidnese will always be an advantage to her in a similar clase of races.

Querida was a well-backed failure in both of her outings at the fixture, and until the mare learns to go a bit more solidly ehe is not likely to gome in for euch solid support ae on Saturday. In both of her outings she displayed plenty of speed, but this was spoilt by her breaking tendencies. After her failure in the Claudelanda Handicap Mr. E. Harold, a well-known sportsman, jocularly offered Mr. E. G. Bridgens. hunhand of the owner of Querida, a "liver" for the mare. He did not know what "risk" he was taking, as it was afterwards ascertained that it would not have taken many "fivers" to purchase the chestnut. Elissa's Smart Effort. One of the beet performances registered among the unhoppled brigade for some time was that of Elisea in the Claudelands Handicap. She was a long way back on 120yde, and naturally was only accorded meagre support. However, excellently handled by G. T. Mitchell, the mare trotted attractively throughout the contest. Eliesa ham always been recognised as one of the speediest trotters in comimieeion,

but ehe does not alwaye do her work correctly. Now that she appears to be gaining in solidity she may be worth considering in suitable races at the forthcoming Auckland summer meeting.

Among the beaten lot, Lady Bunker appeared as the most likely improver. She competed in the Innovation Handicap, and when the tapes were released made a bad break, with the result that she was a long way back at one stane. Once she struck her gait she showed tine speed, and made up a lot of ground, but the task was beyond her, and she eventually finished outside a place. However, the ell'ort is not likely to lose her any friends, and now that she is in her top form' a winning turn for the daughter of Guy Parrish and, Bessie Logan may not be far off.

Getaway was backed down to favouritism iu the Innovation Handicap, but tcver looked like participating iu the finish. He left the mark satisfactorily, but after that was always running in the middle of the field. It was his first outing for some time, and the race is sure to do him a lot of good, and maybe, lie will not be long in making amends. His solidness will always be in his favour. After a series of failures Eyre joined the list of winners when she accounted for the Frankton Handicap. Drawn on the second row at the start, she did not receive too good a run over the first couple of furlongs, but J. T. Paul gradually extricated the mare out of a pocket, and when the straight was entered upon she was in third place on the outside of Wall Street. Once in line she finished with a rare burst and won going away. It was a very attractive performance, and now that she has reached her best there are likely to be further successes in store for her in the future. Wall Street, who has been an acceptor in several races lately, only to decline her engagement at the last minute, was produced in the Frankton Handicap and paced a very sound race into third place. She was always in the firing line and hung on solidly when tackled in the straight. She is likely to improve as the result of the outing and is a good maiden prospect for the future. Turn Not Far Off. Considering that he set a strong pace practically throughout there was no disgrace in the defeat of Uenuku iu the Frankton Handicap. He has come tn a lot of late and was paraded splendid order, and raced accordingly. Not many maiden pacers run a mile and a quarter in 2.49 2-5 and get beaten into second place, and R. A. McMillan should have no trouble in placing the son of Key de Oro and Bicolour for a success. There are few better track workers at Epsom than Petite Jewel, but in the past the gelding has been apt to make a mistake in the first couple of furlongs, and it was not until last Saturday that he broke his maiden status. In his first outing he broke badly at the turn the first time round, but he displayed line speed to eventually fill seventh place. In the Stewards' Handicap later in the day he paced much more evenly, and after waiting in behind Adversity until half way down came on in very stylish fashion and won decisively. It was pleasing to record a win for Mr. W. H. Andrews, who has put in a lot of work with the Jewel Pointer gelding, and as it is reasonable to assume that the gelding will settle down with racing more successes may come his w.iy in the future.

A fine effort was credited to Adversity in the Stewards' Handicap. This mare. who has been rating very consistently of late, was set a rather difficult task in beinj: asked to concede 48yds to a field of useful pacers, while the falling of Frank directly in front of her at the start did not assist her. However, once on the journey she displayed a rare turn of speed and was actually the leader five furlongs from home. She hung on solidly over the last bit, but had to lower her colours to Petite Jewel.

Adversity ie a moet reliable pacet-who should continue to do good service tor ner connections. , No notice can be taken of the *« lure » °* Captain Scott and Ratepayer, who both broke pieces of their gear and bad to be pulled up, while Mandalay was another_to strike serious interference, from which ene never recovered.

A nice compact filly who unlikely to see a much better day is Myrtle Oro who finished fourth in the Frankton Handicap. It was only her first start, ana it was not surprising to note her be'.nif very slow to strike a gait. However, once Aβ dri begin to settle down she paced in, ST?" style and at the finish was right up behind the Placed horses. Myrtle Oro fihould derive a good deal of benefit from the experience; and she is worth remembering at her next start. Displayed Rare Courage. The manner in which Musketeer fonght out the finish of the President's Handicap with Trevor de Oro says much for the courage and gameness of the Jewel Pointer gelding, and he is a bright prospect -tor a race at the Auckland summer meeting. On Saturday Musketeer ran to the front halt way down the running, but was then headed by Trevor de Oro However, Musketeer had another run left in him. and he fairly worried hiiSr rival out of first money. It was a splendid performance, and he was expected to go a great race in the ie Kowhai Handicap, and there is little doubt that he would have participated in the finish, as he was right up with the leaders when he broke a hopple at the turn and lost all chance. Musketeer waa produced in rare condition and was splendidly driven by O. G. Smith, who has -won three races since again joining up with F. J. Smith s stable a little over two months ago.

L. O. Thomas has a smart little pacer in Trevor de Oro, and it was only that he struck a good pacer in Musketeer in the President's Handicap that prevented him from winning. His driver appeared to make bis run a trifle soon in the straight, but even so it is doubtful if he would have beaten the winner on the day. Trevor de Oro is not very big, and his size will always be against him, but he should prove a ugefu. , . acquisition while on his present mark.

Gay Sister raced consistently in each of her outings to gain the minor monev in both the President's and Te Kowhai Handicaps. Her chances were not improved by the mare making a slight break at the start of each race, and it was a good performance to finish so slose as she did. Gay Sister is very well just at present.

Tl|e racing Baron Grand hae been getting during the last month or bo is working some improvement in the Baron -Chenault pacer, and it should not be long before he again rejoins the winning list. He displayed all his best speed in both of his races and was right up behind the placegetters on each occasion.