TROTTING Trotters Provided Keen Finish At Addington

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29906, 21 August 1962, Page 4

TROTTING Trotters Provided Keen Finish At Addington

While the standard of racing at Addington on Saturday was high for the start of a season, it was the trotters who provided a fairly small crowd with the greatest thrill. The finish to the Christchurch Handicap, the main event for horses of that gait, was keenly fought, with less than four lengths covering the first eight horses. Not only was the finish a splendid one, but the race from start to finish was full of incident. The pace was strong all the way and the winner, Moon Boy, which started from 24 yards, was required to go within one second of Ordeal’s record of 2min 37 2-ssec.

While Moon Boy’s performance was outstanding, the efforts of all erf the principals in the finish showed that the sandard of racing among the fast-class trotters will this season be as high as ever. In recent years the top trotters have consistently provided thrilling racing, and new records have been established with greater regularity than among the pacers. Moon Boy got away to a splendid start, but after being ninth when the field settled down, he was eleventh at the half-mile and a good way from the leader. Resistor, which was setting a strong pace. Moon Boy was forced wide when the field bunched racing inside the final quarter and he still had nine horses in front of him at the straight entrance. Moon Boy raced right up to his best form over the last furlong and quickly gathered in the leaders. He had the result in safe keeping over the last 24 yards and won handily by a short length from Spinster Scott and When.

Moon Boy, an eight-year-old gelding by Court Martial from Bardia, is trained at Weedons by T. L Bennett for Mr and Mrs H. Morris. He has trotted his best races when driven by M. Holmes, who handled him on Saturday. Moon Boy has been one of the most consistent trotters in his class, but unfortunately in the last 18 months he has been troubled by soreness. Last season he had only six starts, but more than paid hts way with one win and four placings worth £ 1295 in stakes. If he trains on satisfactorily he should soon extend his record. He will have a great chance of earning some of the £9OO attached to the Winter Free-for-all on the second day of the meeting. 14 Wins Moon Boy is now in his sixth season of racing. He has had 61 starts for 14 wins and 22 placings worth £8957 10s in stakes. With average luck he should top the £lO.OOO mark in stake-earn-ings before the end of this year.

Spinster Scott, which is trained by his Ashburton owner. A. A. McCormick, trotted right up to her best when she held on for second. The Widower Scott mare took the lead from the pacemaker, Resistor, soon after reaching the straight and looked likely to win until Moon Boy came on the scene Spinster Scott is a most reliable beginner and is at her best over sprint and middle d.stances. She should more than pay her way this season, but will not find it easy to win when she is racing against Moon Boy, When, and other top-line trotters. However. when the top horses are away, she could gain a well-earned win.

When, the top stake-win-ning trotter of last season, showed that she was in line for an early win when she overcame a slow beginning and an early break to take third place. She was a long last early, and still had only one horse behind her at the half-mile She put in a long

run wide out and was making ground on the winner at the finish. There is little doubt that When is the best trotter in commission. At times she is a little slow to become properly balanced, but once she covers the first furlong and a half in her races, she seldom makes a mistake. Her ownertrainer, W. J. Doyle, should not find her hard to place to advantage in the’ next few months.

Chances Are, a stablemate of When, made a surprisingly forward showing to finish fourth. Her effort was a grand one as she is inexperienced in this class. She is an older sister to When and while she is not as brilliant as that runner, she looks as though she will soon win a race. , Improver Kennoway. which looked on the burly side, should soon show sharp improvement on his fifth placing on Saturday. He was about eighth to the straight and came home in grand style to shade Flaming Way, Our Own and With You. Flaming Way broke early and was soon back with Moon Boy. The Sormyway

five-year-old showed great speed once properly balanced and he looks as though he will continue to be a good winner for his Ashburton owner-trainer, J. Wilson. Our Own is a certain improver. She was most disappointing at the trials nine days before the meeting and it was not entirely surprising that she failed to return a dividend. She was in the first four to the straight and over the final furlong her condition gave out. She should show sharp improvement as a result of that race and she should be a winner in her next few starts. With You, which was bracketed with When and Chances Are, was reasonably handy most of the way, but he was badly placed and was never properly in the clear. He is in grand order and while he may lack the brilliance of When, he still looks to be capable of winning another race or two, especially when tried over distances of 13 furlongs or less. Like most of the top-class trotters. With You will have extremely limited opportunities in Canterbury until the New Zealand Cup meeting in November, buj there will be races to suit him at Auckland jn the next few months.