TROTTING Acquit And Uteena Show Fine Form At Addington

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30368, 18 February 1964, Page 4

TROTTING Acquit And Uteena Show Fine Form At Addington

Acquit’s return to form in the Waimairi Handicap and Uteena’s win in the Autumn Handicap highlighted the two races for trotters at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s autumn meeting at Addington Raceway on Saturday. Both horses won convincingly and they should continue to do well in the next few weeks.

Acquit, a five-year-old gelding by Court Martial from Jubilant, was having his eighth start for the season when he outfinished Halberg and Elpestre on Saturday.. He was a little disappointing at times in some of his earlier races, but usually looked very big in condition. He still looked to be carrying plenty of surplus condition before Saturday’s race, but ran the 13 furlongs out in most determined style to record 3min 32 2-ssec, a smart time for a horse in his class.

Acquit is trained at Templeton by M. J. Minogue and on Saturday he was driven by J. A. Carmichael, who is enjoying a most successful season. Last season he won four races and £ 1015 in stakes. In most of his races he was driven by J. G. McDonald, who had Vague engaged in Saturday’s race. Uteena gained her third win for the season and advanced her winnings for the period to £lBOO when she followed up some most consistent racing by beating Nimble Grattan in. the Autumn Handicap. As a ; result she is now eligible for rich races at the .New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting next month. Uteena, which is raced, by Mrs M. and Mr R. C. Monk, of Christchurch, has shown considerable improvement this season. She is much more solid now; than earlier in her career and she should not be troubled to continue to pay her way in the stronger company she will encounter from now on.

Uteena, a member of O. M. Quintan's Roillestoin team, has always shown promise and last season she gained three wins and a number of placings. Sthe is bred to be good, being by U. Scott from the Light Brigade mare, Teena Marie, a descendant of Bonilene.

Uteena is only a five-year-old amid she should show further improvement in the next 12 months. She has a splendid style of trotting and could develop into one of the top performers of her gait. Well Related Aidamae, the winner of the Probationary Handicap at Inveaxsargiill on Saturday, is a five-year-old half-sister by Fallacy to Robin Dundee. Adamae graduated from maiden company at a nontiotal'isator meeting at Forbury Park at her previous start. She is trained at Gore by L. F. Norman. At Templeton Maori Falla is one. of the latest additions to D. G. Jones’s team at Templeton. A seven-year-old gelding by Hal Tryax from April Hall, the dam also of Mighty Falla, Whirlwind and Mighty Lucky, he was formerly trained at Invercargill by his owner, J. W. Duncan. He was a winner at his last start, beating Throwaway in the Southland Handicap at Invercargill on January 18. For Hutt Park

The Yaldhurst trainer, G. who has been campaigning a team in the Auckland district in recent weeks, left for Hutt Park on Sunday with Meadowmac and Adios Heather. Both will race at the Wellington Trotting Club’s

meeting, which, opens on Thursday. They will probably, be joined by Filet Mignon, which made a fresh start at the New Brighton meeting on Saturday. She dropped out to finish tenth in the Marine Handicap after being reasonably prominent for 12 furlongs. By Hal Try ax The Oamaru owner-trainer, F. Oliver, who won the Burwood Handicap with Strip at the New Brighton meeting on Saturday, has a well-bred four-year-old gelding ready to attempt to qualify. This is Moutere Bay, by Hal Tryax from Mighty Song, which took a record of 2min 5 3-ssec for one mile and was a big winner when trained at Washdyke by P. P. Gallagher. Mighty Song was got by Springfield Globe from Nell Grattan. She was a halfsister to Tactics, the dam of Tactile and other fine performers. Good Result The New Brighton Trotting Club has every reason to be pleased with returns from its autumn meeting at Addington Raceway on Saturday night. The crowd of 11,500 was most satisfactory and gate receipts must have exceeded £2OOO. On-course turn-over amounted to £98,816 10s, compared with £70,761 When the club raced in daytime at its own course 12 months ago. Off-course turn-over increased to £88,085 5s from £46,134 ss. The results were outstanding considering the loose classes catered for in most races. Jogging Track Owners and trainers of horses worked regularly at Addington Raceway are keen that a clay jogging track be laid down at the course. A set of shoes, which lasted at least three weeks when trainers had the use of the outside training track, now last less than a fortnight. Horses now have to jog and work on the main track, which has a crushed metal surface. As well as difficulties arising from frequent changes of shoes, trainers find the sharp metal very hard on the frogs of their horses’ feet. For Sydney

The smart Auckland three-year-old, Full Sovereign, might contest the New South Wales Pacing Derby in Sydney next month. His part-owner and trainer, J. E. Smith, of Mangere, has tentatively booked Full Sovereign to leave on Saturday. A final decision about the trip will not be made for a day or two until Smith has

made arrangements about other members of his team. Full Sovereign, by Hal Tryax, has won four races this season, the last two at the recent Auckland meeting. Sold Ship Ahoy has been sold by Mr N. J. Taylor and Dr. J. J. Sullivan, of Auckland, to Mr W. Cowden, of Colwyn Bay, Wales. She is to he shipped to Britain shortly and will race at the night trotting meetings at Prestatyn. Mr Cowden bought another New Zealand-bred pacer in Count Down last year and won several races with the Fallacy—Blink Bonnie mare. Ship Ahoy, a four-year-old mare by Meadow Chief from Grand Fleet, gained two wins and four placings from 11 starts this season. She was trained at Templeton by D. G. Jones.