TROTTING Support Assured For Addington Next Year

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29130, 16 February 1960, Page 4

TROTTING Support Assured For Addington Next Year

Although support from Australia has been poor in the past when the Inter-Dominion Championship series has been run in New Zealand, it seems certain that there will be representatives from the four main trotting States when the series is run by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington next year. The president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr C. S. Thomas) has for three years now emphasised the necessity of obtaining the best pacers from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia to ensure the success of the Addington carnival. Mr Thomas’s efforts had results last week at a meeting of the Inter-Dominion Trotting Conference when delegates from the four States undertook to assist in sending the best horses from their States to Addington.

Owners, trainers and drivers are showing tremendous irtterest in the Addington series at this early stage, and it seems almost certain that Australian representation will be stronger numerically and in class than ever before. It is too early yet to name with certainty any horse likely to make the trip, but the connexions of Fettle, Apmat, Kiwi

I I Dillon, Sibelia and Maestro’s Melody are considering coming if their horses train on satisfactorily next season. The owners of a number of young improving pacers also have thoughts of visiting Christchurch to contest the series. The undertaking given by officials from the four States to ensure that the best horses are sent to New Zealand and the great interest shown by owners and trainers makes it almost certain that the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club need have no fears about Australian representation. Improved Standard One of the most noticeable features of racing at the InterDominion Championship series which ended at Harold Park on Saturday night, was the improvement in recent years in the standard of pacers racing in New South Wales. The best horses in Australia appear to be little inferior to the top two or three horses in this country. Seven years ago the majority of the leading pacers in the various states were outcasts from New Zealand, while there was only an odd horse capable of footing it with the best from New Zealand. Apmat and Fettle were probably the best Australian horses to race in the series, but Maestro’s Melody and Kiwi Grattan were little inferior to them. Sibelia, claimed by many to be the

best horse in New South Wales, could not race in the series because of an injury. First Kiss, Southern Van and Aachen are also highly rated by Australian critics. Illawarra Ayr and General Scott, which did not race in the series, are two other horses with big reputations. Illawarra Ayr has not been raced extensively, and his connexions are keen to bring him to Addington to race in the 1961 championship series It is possible he will be sent to a New Zealand trainer late in the spring to give him plenty of time to become acclimatised. Bred in N.Z. General Scott, a six-year-old stallion by U. Scott from Imperial Volo, had to miss the championships because of an injury. He resumed racing in Melbourne on Saturday, and finished third. Until last week he was raced in partnership by Mr J. R. Henderson, of Hamilton, and Mrs B. J. Clifton, of New South Wales. Mr Henderson has sold his share in the horse to Mr A. A. Lord, one of the leading breeders in Victoria, for a reported £4OOO. If he trains on satisfactorily, General Scott could be in New Zealand next season. One of the best prospects among the horses raced outside the championship events in Sydney was the three-year-old. Great Cheer, winner of the Three-Year-Old Stakes. He has had 14 wins from 15 starts and is unbeaten in six appearances at Harold Park. On Saturday he started from 12 yards and began brilliantly to be in front before the end of a furlong. He was never really at top to win handsomely. He paced the 11? furlongs at a 2min Bsec mile rate. Great Cheer is a small but speedy colt by Sparkling Raid from Marie’s Last and he is trained by J. C. Caffyn, the leading trainer-driver at Harold Park this season. Caffyn has a high opinion of Great Cheer, which will probably race in Melbourne before contesting the £3OOO Sires’ Produce Stakes and the £4OOO New South Wales Pacing Derby at Harold Park. Caffyn is considering bringing Great Cheer to New Zealand in 12 months, but if this grand colt fails to come on as well as expected, his trainer hopes to be represented in the Addington series.