TROTTING When To Make Debut At Yonkers Raceway Today

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30110, 19 April 1963, Page 5

TROTTING When To Make Debut At Yonkers Raceway Today

I he champion New Zealand trotting mare, When, will make her debut at Yonkers Raceway, New York, this afternoon (New Zealand time) in the Transoceanic Trot, a race over one mile and a quarter with a stake of 45,000 dollars. , When is unlikely to be at her peak after a particularly trying trip to New York. The horses were 34 hours on the aircraft which took them from Christchurch to San Francisco, and they were quarantined overnight at the airport in a horse float, which had had the partitions removed.

Jet aircraft screamed close by the flat throughout the night and When was upset. Then followed a nine-hour air trip to New Jersey, afte: which the horses were sent by float to Yonkers Raceway where further difficulties were encountered.

When had left New Zealand in wonderful condition but after almost six days travelling with limited walking exercise had lightened up considerably.

When took time to settle down to being boxed all the time, although reports received in Christchurch from her trainer-driver, W. J Doyle, say that she was starting to pick up about a week ago. When’s race today will not be an easy one. Brilliant Rival

The French mare. Ozo, is e brilliant trotter and has the added advantage of experience under American conditions.

She won the Transoceanic Trot 12 months ago trottine the mile and a quarter in 2min 36 3-ssec. She was second favourite for the final, the United Nations Trot, run over one mile and a half for a stake of 60,000 dollars. She raced on the outside of the leader until the home turn, but then broke m the heavy going. Czo won the Prix d’Amerique at Vincennes, near Paris, in January and won more than 53 000 dollars during the f.xir-month meeting there Tnree other horses won more at the meeting, but they won their races in saddle events, which are popular in Paris. MinereUe H., the other French representative, is a seven-year-old. He spent the winter on the Riviera and won several races on the flvefurlong track at Cagnes He rarely met first-class opposition. but the track and race conditions there closely resemble those at Yonkers Raceway. From Italy The Italian trotter, Firestar, is a six-year-old with an outstanding record. He is by Star's Pride, which took a record of Imin 57 l-ssec. Star’s Pride has sired many tine trotters, including Matastar. which recorded Imin 55 4-ssec last year. Firestar won the recent Premio Della Costa Azurra n Turin. Italy, and in another race there he beat Ozo mos’ convincingly.

Raivoli. which will represent Belgium, is at presen: being trained in New York Raivoli won money at Yonkers Raceway last year without actually winning a race Zadacha and Villa, two six-year-old mares from Russia, wild be other opponents for When. They have attiracted great attention since their arrival in New York last week and impressed greatly when fir«t they were jogged on the course

The two mares nave been ou standing m their own country, but have never raced outside However, their times are reported to be well up to the required standards Zadacha is reported to be mare striking in appearance than Villa She is a light grey Orlovsky, a breed which is supposed to have originated in Russia late in the eighteenth century Villa is a chestnut and is supposed to be a cross between an Orlovsky and a standard-bred which decends from a horse originally imported from America.

The field is completed by a Canadian trotter Sprite

Kid. which is reported nave shown great promise. The first four place-gette: in today's race will qualil

to meet four American trotters in the United Nations

Trot, run over one mile and a half for a stake of 60,000 dollars next Friday (New Zealand times >

Gotham Trot

The first leg of the threerace international series, the Gotham Trot, was won last Friday by Orbiter, which was hard driven to beat Su Mac Lad by half a length after taking 2min 37 3-ssec for the mile and a quarter, the final quarter in 30sec. Duke Rodney and Merrie

to Duke were more than a length behind Su Mac Lad »rs and are the other two which ify will contest the United

Nations Trot next week. Orbiter, another of the sons

of Star’s Pride, is only a five-year-old and American critics expected this to be his best season. He was purchased last December for 45 000 dollars. Su Mac Lad. a nine-year-old. has Ifeen one of the outstanding trotters in America in recent years He had won 575.349 dollars before last week's race He forced most of the pace in the Gotham Trot and was run down only in the last few yards. Su Mac Lad is certain to strip a fitter horse next week.