TROTTING Trotting Season Away To Successful Start

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30528, 25 August 1964, Page 4

TROTTING Trotting Season Away To Successful Start

Trotting clubs in Canterbury can look forward with confidence to the 1964-65 season if the results of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s national meeting are any guide. It was by far the most successful national meeting run by the club since the six “boom” years which followed the end of World War 11.

The on-course turnover on Saturday night, amounting to £137,090, was the highest at a national meeting since 1951 when £145,381 was handled.

Stakes for the eight-race programme on the second day of the 1951 meeting were £8450, while £BlOO was offered for a nine-race programme on Saturday.

Stakes at meetings run by the Metropolitan club have increased steadily in the last year or -two, the increases being most noticeable last season with the introduction of night trotting. The success of last season when the club showed a useful profit, no doubt prompted the committee to increase stakes for the national meeting by £lOOO over those for the previous year.

In recent years the club has done little better than break even at the national meeting, while more often than not a loss has been shown. This year the meeting should result in a profit, which could tempt the committee to make increases in stakes for the remaining meetings of the season. The club’s cup programme is expected to be announced shortly and it will be surprising if some increases are not made in stakes for the two days and two nights. The club has in the last 18 months increased stakes in races for fast-class pacers and trotters, and, while there might still be some increases made as far as trotters are concerned, it is possible the committee might decide to give increases to races for intermediate-class horses.. Stakes for the slower horses are better than were paid eight years ago, but they are still below those offered for comparable classes 12 or 14 years ago.

There has been a growing opinion that not enough is being returned to owners and trainers by way of stakes and, now that the club has had such a successful start to the season, it is expected that it will make every endeavour to disprove this contention.

Strong Pace Pancho Boy set a strong pace in the Improvers’ Handicap and Balcairn had to record 4min 18sec for the two miles to win. Pancho Boy tired badly in the run home and finished sixth. He looks well and should not be long showing improvement. Should Improve Grand Charge was having his first start at the meeting when he finished third to Ali Bey and Medieval in the Addington Handicap on Saturday. Grand Charge will probably have races to suit him at the New Brighton meetings next month. He should show improvement as a result of last week’s race and he could be an early winner. At Trentham Scotty McCoy, a winner from T. C. Nyhan’s Weedons team last season, is now being trained kt Trentham, by C. S. and J. S. Hunter. He was a winner at Hutt Park Raceway on Saturday when he recorded 3min 18 3-ssec for one mile and a half. Scotty McCoy races for 2.19 class horses at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting next Saturday and Tuesday. Lordship Lordship brought his record to 23 wins and 19 placings from 54 starts when he was successful in the £l5OO National Handicap at Addington Raceway on Saturday night. Mrs D. G. Nyhan’s six-year-old has now won £23,560 in stakes, his share of Saturday’s stake being £975. Lordship has now had seven wins under invitation conditions. Returned South Deft has returned to Wyndham after racing at the national meeting. She will probably, be brought back to Christchurch next month to race at the New Brighton meeting next month. Deft requires one distance win to qualify for the New Zealand Cup in November. She finished fourth in the Louisson Handicap on the first day at Addington, but finished well back in twelfth place in the National

Handicap on Saturday after breaking in the running. There was considerable merit in Rannack Song’s third to Smoke Screen and Massacre in a strongly-run sprint in the Farewell Handicap on Saturday. Rannack Song, a winner on the first day of the meeting, drew wide and had to cover extra ground to work into a challenging position at the six furlongs. From then on he was in the open and he fought on boldly over the last 100 yards for his placing, less than a length behind the winner. Rannack Song should extend his record next month. Overdue Ali Bey’s win in the Addington Handicap on Saturday was long overdue. He had not won Since he beat Royal Harmony and Grand Charge at the Canterbury Park meeting in May, 1963. Last season he showed speed in a number of races, but did not trot smoothly. He has trotted much better in his two races this season and gave hints of an early win when he finished third to Snow Globe and Fourina in the Opening Handicap on the first day of the meeting. Raced by Mr L. S. Smart, of Christchurch, he is trained at Yaldhurst by G. B. Noble. The Thunder On six-year-old should not be long winning again. Hutt Park (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 24 The Wellington Trotting Club has altered the order of its eight-race programme for the opening of its spring meeting at Hutt Park on Saturday night. „ The , Harold Murphy Memorial Handicap is now the seventh race and second leg of the T.A.B. double. The first leg is the Roydon Lodge Free-for-All. Acceptances:— 7 p.m.— WELCOME HANDICAP, £410; 2:18 class: trotters; Um.— Andy’s Double (1), Bonnie Rachael (5), Marcus Aurelius (2) Ra Ora (7), Roydon Chief (4), Seven Nights (9), Summit Talk (8), Sure Bill (3), Towser (6) It; Scotch Grattan (1) 24; Dancing Ways (3), Forward March (2), Super Glow (1) 48; Fourth Star (1) 72. 7.30 p.m.— TWILIGHT HANDICAP, £310; 2:19 class; 2m.—Frolic Song (6), John Robin (7), Landlord (1), Morano Star (2), Noisette (3), Our Kay (8), Real Song (4), Scotty McCoy (5) It. 8 p.m.— ELECTRIC HANDICAP, £410; 2:18 class; Um.—Admiral Adios (1) Backward (2), Bonvar (9), Dawn Hanover (11), Dresden Blue (3), Happy Ending (4), Joy Town (10), Killlecrankie (8), Megaton (5), Quesnel (6), Tivoli (7) It; Kilkivan • (1), Lady Luronne .(2) 24. 8.30 p.m.— ROYDON LODGE FREE-FOR-ALL, £1310; Um.—Affiliate (12), Dandy Briar (1), Gay Reel (5), Grouse (14), Jay Ar (6), Junior Royal (13), King Hal (11), Lady Charles (10), Lordship (7), Maisie Direct (4), Massacre (8), Master Alan. (3), Vanderford (2), Waitaki Hanover (9) It. Bracket: Grouse and King Hal. 9 p.m.— MEMBERS’ HANDICAP, £610: 2:16 class; trotters; Um.—Bonnie Eloise (2), Bruce Again (1), Forward March (4), Super Glow (3) It; Ali Bey (4), Highland Countess (3), Noble Medoro (1), Oro Brigade (2) 12; Fourth Star (2) Medieval (1) 24; Little Smoke (1), Prince Calumet (2), Tarseal (3) 48; Dark Lorene (1) 54. Bracket: Forward March and Highland Countess. 9.30 p.m.— PRESSMEN’S HANDICAP, £710: 2:16 class; Um—Dorian Gray (1), Red Brocade (3),. Robin’s Return (2), Stephen Water (6),. Thunderbolt (5), Victura (4) It: Control (T.) (4), Dark Wonder (1), Flying Ailsa (2), Miriam Hall (3) 36. M HAROLD murphy memorial HANDICAP, £510: 2:17 class; 11m. —Adiomorn (6). Adioway (4), Bonnie Lord (14), Carina Star (12) Count Windermere (7), Dorstan (5), Douce’ (3), Flying Melody (10), Golden Sari (11), Revel Time (9), Ruling Caste (16), Silver Mica (17), Smokey Hall (8), Sooty (15), Starjohn (1), Thunder Royal (2), Trysail (13) It.

10.30 D.m. — RACEWAY CHALLENGE STAKES. £560: three and four-year-olds: special conditions: ljm.—Bronze Falcon (4). Lusty Lad (3), Paranova (1), Snowfall (5), Waiuku (2) Jt; False Patch (2), La Scala (3), Password (1). Surely Not (4) 12: Happy Ending (2), Rocky Star (3), Scottish Flight (1) 24. J . Bracket: False Patch and Scottish Flight.

recording- 3min 11 3-ssec for the mile and a half. Not always a reliable beginner, Carina Star has plenty of ability and he should soon show form for his new owner. He is a five-year-old by Meadow Chief from Northern Star, the dam of another good winner in Distant Star.