Johnny Globe May Race At Claudelands Meeting

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28008, 30 June 1956, Page 6

Johnny Globe May Race At Claudelands Meeting

TROTTING

The champion pacer, Johnny Globe, has been kept in work since he last raced in the Electric Stakes at Addington on March 24 and he has been entered for the Dr. M. G. Pezaro Free-for-all. which will be run over one mile and a quarter on the first day of the Waikato Trotting Club’s winter meeting on Saturday, July 14. His owner-trainer. D. G. Nyhan, said yesterday that Johnny Globe will probably make the trip. He has not had much work lately because of heavy tracks, but he has had plenty of road work. One or two fast runs are all that will be needed to bring him to his best again. Most of the North Island horses he will meet in the Claudelands race are also likely to be a little short of work because of the heavy rain experienced about the Auckland province in recent weeks. Trainers using the shell track at Epsom should not be at such a great disadvantage, as they have been able to work almost every day. Although northern trainers are unlikely to be very pleased with prospects of their horses meeting Johnny Globe in a free-for-all, his appearance should be a great draw for the club. The race should also help Johnny Globe in his preparation for rich sprint races at Addington in August. The tight limits at Addington will have him starting from 30 and 42 yards. Johnny Globe has had a remarkable run of successes in free-for-alls. So far he has won 15, five of them this season. Gold Bar, with six wins in free-for-alls, held the record for the number of wins in this type of race for some years, and his total is still second to that of Johnny Globe. When Gold Bar and other pacing stars were racing, there were not the same number of opportunities in free-for-alls. The winner’s share of the stake at Claudlelands wil] be £505. If Johnny Globe wins it will raise his total earnings to £42.827 10s. So far he has had 93 starts for 34 wins and 41 placings. During the present season he has gained six wins and four placings from 12 starts. He won three free-for-alls at Epsom, and two at Addington, including the New Zealand Pacing Championship, which was worth £l3OO. His other winning stakes ranged from £650 to £Bl5. His only handicap win was in the Royal Handicap at Forbury Park on February 4. Johnny Globe has recorded outstanding times over all distances and he holds four world records. He paced one mile in Imin 59 4-ssec on the Epsom grass track, one mile from a standing start in a race in 2min 1 l-ssec, one mile and three furlongs in 2min 50 l-ssec and two miles in 4min 7 3-ssec. He has paced one mile and a quarter in 2min 33 3-ssec. one second outside Thelma Globe’s record, one mile and a half in 3min 5 4-ssec. 1 2-ssec slower than Caduceus’s record, and one mile and five furlongs in 3min 23sec. 1 2-ssec lower than the record established by Ribands. Members Retiring

The vice-president of the Forbury Park Trotting Club (Mr D. C. Jolly) and a member of the committee (Mr J. G. Henderson) have announced that they will not be seeking re-election this year. The committee of the club decided recently to recommend to the annual meeting that Mr Jolly be elected a life member. He has been a member for 26 years. Big Shot Retired

Big Shot, one of the best pacers produced in the Auckland district in recent years, has been retired. He has not raced since May of last year, when an eye infirmity caused him to be put out of work. Lengthy treatment failed to remedy the trouble, although at times he showed temporary improvement. Big Shot is only six. and, until he went amiss, he appeared certain to graduate to the tightest classes. A black gelding by Grattan Loyal from Ecstatic, he raced 48 times for 10 wins and 13 placing worth £7585. He won his way to a 4min 24sec mark for two miles. Owned by Mr W. Hosking. he was trained throughout his career by J. K. Hughes at Pukekohe.

Southland Comment The allocation of three further trotting permits to the Timaru, Banks Peninsula and Franklin clubs, and the allocation of the floating permit to Forbury Park was received with disappointment in Southland, says the “Southland Times.” “It was felt that Southland had a strong case for a further permit, and the Gore club had been freely mentioned as likely to be granted an extra day,” the newspaper says. “As there are still three permits to be granted. Southland’s claim for one of these is likely to be loudly voiced after the latest allocation. One more permit would mean a great deal to Southland as it would give clubs a chance to balance their classes and retain the 4min 36sec two-mile classes staged this season.

“An additional day’s racing at Forbury Park will be some compensation to Southland trainers, as the club intends catering for classes to suit Southland horses. However, the intention of the club to apply for September 8 for this meeting has not oeen

well received. It is considered too early in the season, and almost impossible to have Southland horses ready to race at that time. “Because of track conditions. Southland horses are not often recommissioned before the first week in August, and on few courses are there tracks for fast work until near the end of September, when usually there is a rough patch of weather,” the newspaper says. Little Credit Given

Programmes such as those proposed by the New Brighton Club and passed by the programme committee of the New Zealand Trotting Conference, reflect little credit on either organisation. Unless changes are made im-» mediately there will be little inducement for owners to race horses with more than average capabilities. Races such as the New Zealand Cup will have limits extended to about 4min 26sec for two miles, and if metropolitan clubs such as New Brighton. Canterbury Park, Auckland and Forbury Park continue to run meetings with limits for main races extending only from 4min 36sec to 4min 34sec. as in the case at New Brighton, the future for trotting can be described as extremely poor. The New Brighton programme shows further that there is a complete lack of liaison between the Christchurch trotting clubs. This could be easily remedied. The stakes offered by New Brighton are more than sufficient for races with a much tighter limit. Horses on 4min 29sec or faster for two miles will race for £1250 at Addington and there is little doubt that the New Brighton Club could raise the stakes for its major races to this limit and provide races for more tightlyassessed pacers without financial embarrassment.