TROTTING Addington Entrants Competing At Epsom

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 5

TROTTING Addington Entrants Competing At Epsom

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. A sore shoulder forced the cancellation of plans to try to qualify Mister Chips for the New Zealand Cup, to be run at Addington Raceway on November 8.

His last chance would have been at the Auckland meeting on Saturday and Monday. He was not nominated for either night because of soreness in the shoulder. The Mangere trainer, W. K. Gee, who races Mister Chips in partnership with Mr R. Scagline, said at Alexandra Park on Tuesday that “the mission would now have to be the Auckland Trotting Cup.” As long as he made good progress, Mister Chips would be given races beforehand at the Thames meeting in December. Mister Chips is on 2min llsec, the probable limit for the Auckland Cup. Missed Entry Great Adios is absent from the list of nominations for the New Zealand Cup at Addington because his trainer, R. P. Norton, mistook the closing date. Entries closed on Monday. “It was entirely my own fault,” said Norton at Alexandra Park yesterday. “I thought the entries closed on October 18. When I rang the club this morning, I was told it was too late.

“I had intended as well to enter Philldora for three-year-old races at the cup meeting.”

Great Adios is raced by Norton’s mother, Mrs P. M. Norton. Mrs Norton’s husband said: “We will enter him now for the inter-Dominion Championships at Perth in February.” Auckland is likely to have strong representation at the New Zealand Cup meeting, in spite of the absence of Great Adios. May Make Trip Among those expected to make the trip are Oakhampton, Bobbinet, Rannack Song, Miles Gentry, Miss Gentry, Tutta Tryax, Wyambie, Shadow Prince, Viking Water and Tobias. Whether Rannack Song Viking Water and Tobias go will depend on their form at the Auckland meeting on Saturday and Monday. Rannack Song’s trainer, A. K. Holmes, said at Alexandra Park yesterday that the gelding had been entered for the New Zealand Cup. “A win on either night of the Auckland meeting would put him in the cup on his right mark,” Holmes said. Rannack Song at present is on 2min llsec. The connexions of Viking Water and Tobias are anxious to qualify for the Auckland Cup in December. Both horses are on 2min 12sec. The crack four-year-old, Tobias, was in top form at Alexandra Park on Tuesday, when a large number of candidates for the Auckland meeting on Saturday competed in barrier trials staged by the Auckland Trotting Owners, Trainers and Breeders’ Association. Win For Tobias Tobias won handsomely in the free-for-all, after coming the last half-mile brilliantly in 59sec. His performance strengthened, his claim to favouritism for the F. J. Smith Memorial Handicap, the first leg of the T.A.B. double on Saturday. The trial was run over one mile and a half and Tobias won by a head from Great Adios. Rannack Song was a length back third, followed closely by Bobbinet, John Dee, Viking Water, Thunder Royal, Friendly Persuasion, Lonesome Valley and Herby Tryax. All are candidates for the F. J. Smith Memorial Handicap. The fastest time of the day was 3min 12 2-ssec by Elegant Hanover in winning from Superior Chief, Willycan, Top Copy and Sparkling Brew. The last half-mile was done in Imin 1 4-ssec, and the last quarter in 31 l-ssec. It was an outstanding performance by Elegant Hanover because he raced one out without a trail nearly the whole way but finished full of running. A winner at his last start, he looks certain to make a bold showing in the Epsom Free-for-all, the second leg of the T.A.B. double on Saturday. lii Free-For-All Superior Chief and Willycan are also in the Epsom Free-for-all. Willycan finished gamely after setting a hot pace. The main trial for trotters was won impressively by Our Luck. She surged to the front once round the home turn and won comfortably by a length from Single Cash. Apollo, which made the pace, was a length and a half away third, followed by Our Eileen (finishing well), Fair Song (always handy). Cover on, Whizit, Control and Scotty Dillon. Our Luck and Our Eileen form a formidable bracket in the Mountain Handicap on Saturday. The Tinwald trainer, J. A. Donaldson, started two horses in qualifying trials at Alexandra Park and both made the grade easily. James,

a three-year-old gelding by Hi Lo’s Forbes from Responsive, made no race of the first heat. He won by 20 lengths in the smart time of 3min 19 3-ssec. Chief Blue recorded 3min 21 3-ssec, finishing second in the third heat. He is a five-year-old gelding by My Chief from Light Blue. Both horses are owned by Donaldson.