TROTTING

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 52, 24 November 1928, Page 15

TROTTING

.WELLINGTON MEETING TO-DAY FIELDS REVIEWED

(By “<

‘Overcheck.”)

Everything points to the Wellington Club having a most successful gathering to-day.' The fields are of nice size, and the racing should be interesting throughout. The course is in good order, and it may be anticipated that fast times generally will be the order of the day. Special trains will be running, in addition to which taxis and motor-buses will be plying for hire as usual, so that patrons are assured of ample means of rapid transport to and from the course. The first race, which is times to start at 12.15, is the HUTT PARK TRIAL (harness), o£ 200 sovs.; 3.42 class. Ono mile and a half. Musical scr Hinkler scr Ola trice scr Lady Author .. scr Rafa scr Logan’s Pride scr Security scr ys. bhd. Star Lady .... scr Lightfoot 12 Bara Gold .... scr Drift Wave ... 12 BiUy Brent ... scr Halmore 12 Chrystal scr Steel Wire .... 24 El Direct scr Fair Lad 24 Erie Dazzle .• scr. Matenga -4 Goldore scr Baron Bingen 36 Harold Lee.... scr. Great Delight . 36 Security and Hinkler contested the Great Northern Derby at Auckland, the latter being made second favourite and finishing fourth, the time of the third horse being 3.36 4-5. Chrystal ran third at Whangarei, going 3.39. El Direct ran in the Novice Handicap at Wellington in September, and was finishiing on strongly. He appeared to be on the jolly side then, and should give a better account of himself on this occasion. Drift Wave has 3.35 against him. He ran second to Hollo in September at a mile and a quarter, but was stopping somewhat at the finish. He commences very smartly, and this is a consideration, as it should enable him to reach a good position early in the race. Lightfoot ran second to Bon-, me Prince at Banks Peninsula, his time being about 3.33, so he reads well on 3.41. Of Baron Bingen and Great Delight the latter may do best,, but I shall not be surprised to find Hinkler, Lightfoot, and El Direct in front of the field when the deciding line is crossed.

NAI NAI HANDICAP TROT (harness), of 200 sovs.; 3.45 class. One mile and a half. Cairnvale .... scr Nancy Bingen, scr Great Way .... scr yds. bhd. Kyra scr Kitty Patch .. 12 Victor Bingen scr Hardy Grattan 4S Tot Logan .... scr Lonesome .... 60 Black Palm ... scr Miss Leda .... 72 Cairnvale is an unknown quantity. Great Way is a promising juvenile, and on Saturday last ran fourth at Otahuhu, a position he would probably have bettered but for going to a break as he raced up to the leader about four furlongs from home. Still he ran inside 3.45, the mark he is now on. Kyra ran 3.51 4-5 at Winton last December, and on last season’s form does not appeal. Victor Bingen is a young horse, and at Methven last month ran second at two miles, his time being 5.2 1-5. Tot Logan is reported to be working in promising fashion, but she has done nothing in public so far. Black Palm is too erratic to be recommended. Nancy Bingen has* been showing' consistent form this season. At New Brighton in September she ran second to New Metford, registering 3.49. At Greymouth last month she was once second and’ twice third. A repetition of this form should see her putting up a good fight to-day. Last season Kitty Patch won twice and was six times placed out of eleven starts, her best performance being registered at Greymouth in February, when she won over 12$ furlongs in 3.54 on a fast track. Hardy Grattan appears to be definitely on the down grade, while Miss Leda has shown no form for a long time. Lonesome, however, ran 3.41 3-5 at Oamaru in May, and 3.38 4-5 at Auckland last month. Great Way appears to have sufficient pace to win if he can be induced to go at all evenly, and with Kitty Patch and Lonesome may carry most support. RAILWAY HANDICAP (harness), of 200 sovs.; 3.34 class. One mile and a half. Florrie Pointer scr yds. bhd. George the Young Bingen 12 Fourth scr Athalone 24 Bichore scr Mercury 24 Sylvia Logan . scr. Nan Brent .... 24 Walnonl .... scr White Sun .... 24 yds. bhd. Zella 24 Great Logan .. 12 Cora Tacks ... 48 Exclusive .... 12 Travis Axworthy Kiowa 12 incl. 48yds. pen. Rollo 12 84 Of the scratch division Sylvia Logan makes the strongest appeal, as she has recent good form to her credit, having won the Little River Trot Handicap recently in 3.34 4-5, and incidentally paying a sensational dividend. Richore would be extremely hard to beat if be has struck form since joining Mr. Corrigan’s team, but his sort are best left alone until they have given evidence of honest intent. Great Logan ran 3.29 2-5 at Addington in June, and with Rollo reads best of the 12 yards division, the latter having gone 3.32 3-5 at New Brighton in September. Athalone raced well here last meeting, but I am inclined to think that both Nan Brent and White Sun may finish in front of him in this race. Zella is unreliable, Cora'Tacks would be suited by a shorter distance, while Travis Axworthy has been set a very difficult task in being asked to concede Great Logan and Rollo 72 yards. Possibly the latter pair and White Sun will have the largest following. NOVEMBER HANDICAP (harness), of 350 sovs; 4.30 class; two miles. Maraha! Neil . scr yds bhd yds bhd Billy Sea 48 Avenger 12 Pageant .... 60 iMenember .... 12 Mate o’ Mine ..' 60 Maxegin 12 Free Advice .. 60 Jolly Chimes .. 24 The Abbey .... 72 Wharepiana .. 24 Talent 72 Golden Bubbles 36 Marshal Neil now meets Jolly Chimes on 24, Mate-o’-Mine on 36, and Pageant 60 yards better terms than he did in the Bollard Memorial Handicap, so must be regarded as nicely handicapped through them. Avenger is not too good a stayer, but being a comparatively young horse may be expected to show some improvement in this respect. Menember is handicapped up to his best form, and as he Is getting on in years the probabilities are he is not now as good as he was. Maxegin ran 4.35 3-5 at Addington earlier In the month, but in a field of pacers I am afraid he may be carried off his feet. (Jolly Chimes ran a close second to Pageant in September, and now meets the latter on 36yds. better terms. This should enable him to reverse placings, though Pageant appears to z have improved most In the interim. Wharepiana is not fancied at two miles. Billy Sea reads better |to me than Golden Bubbles, and he is mow meeting that mare, Pageant, and Mate-o’-Mine on much better terms than he did. in the Bollard Handicap. Billy Sea and Mate-o’-Mine contested the two big races at Otahuhu, the former finishing fourth in each, while the latter ran second to Dillon.. Huon on Wednesday. The former now comes in on 12yds. better terms and he may do best. Free Advice was awarded the Onehunga Handicap on Saturday last after running Laplander to half a head in 4.29 1-5, the latter being in receipt of 24yds. On Wednesday Laplander, 60yds., and The Abbey, 84yds., Were second and third respectively in the Franklin Handicap. Taking a line through Laplander, Free Advice reads the best of the pair. Talent has 4.28 4-5 against him, but is not a good stayer, and I do not think he will run better than 4.30 on the’ Hutt course. AU things considered, Marshal Neil, Jolly Chimes, and Free Advice look likely to have something to say in the settlement of the race. WILFORD HANDICAP TROT (harness), of 200 sovs; 5.0 class; two miles. Black Palm.... scr Victor Bingen scr Cairnvale .. ret Nancy Bingen scr Great Way .. scr yds bhd Kitty Patch .. scr Lonesome .... 72 Kyra Miss Leda .... S-l Form in the Nai Nai Handicap should throw some light on to the prospects of the runners in the race. Kitty Patch and Nancy Bingen have each gone the distance, and with Lonesome, should give a good account of themselves.

MIDDLE CLASS HANDICAP (harness), of 200 sovs.; 4.47 class. Two miles. Alexis scr yds bhd Dilworth .. scr Mercury .... 1Florrie Pointer scr White Sun ... Great Delight scr Athalone .... -4 Kiowa scr Zella V/””* "« Matenga .... scr Real Light .... oo Richore scr Royal Serene .. After her winning performances at Greymouth, Dilworth appears certain to be one of the prime fancies. Great Delight ran second to Hostess at Taranaki, last April, registering 4.53, but he should be an improved horse now. Kiowa has yet to show form at 2 miles, and the same applies to Matenga. Richore’s form earlier in the day should be noted. Mercury registered 4.45 3-5 at Marlborough last year, but has done nothing since. White Sun is a promising sort, but Athalone and Real Light appear to hold him safe. These two ran first and third over the distance at Wellington last time, and should be all the better for the work they have had since. Royal Serene won a couple of races at Ashburton 'last yeaiv—one of a mile, and the other of a mile and a half. Her times were good, being 2.16 and 3.29 respectively. The three likely to command the most attention are Dilworth, Real Light, and Athalone.

SHARPE HANDICAP (saddle), of 300 sovs; 2.16 class; one mile. Marshal Neil ..scr yds bhd Pearl Coronado scr. Granite City .... 4yds bhd Brutus IS Bing Boy .... J2 Acre High Jinks .... 12 The Abbey .... 48

Bing Boy won a mile saddle race at New Brighton last year, in 2.15 1-5, and ran third the following day, in 2.16 3-5. High Jinks won at New Brighton a couple of months ago, in 2.17, and again last month, at Greymouth. Granite City was second to Rebel in the mile .saddle race last meeting, and as he registered 2.15 3-5 on a slow track, he is entitled to respect. Brutus was second to Sahib at Addington, in August, his time being 2.14 2-5, while at Oamaru, last month, he was third to Event and Lady Matchlight, going 9.13 4-5, Granite City being unplaced. Acre has won in saddle, and as his 4.30 at Addington, early in the month, shows that he is in form, he is likely to be well supported. The Abbey, too is racing most consistently, and is not harshly treated in being placed on a 2.12 mark. He and Acre may give most trouble to Brutus.

ELECTRIC HANDICAP (harness), of 400 sovs; 2.46 class; one mile and a quarter. Audacious ..scr yds bbd Double Event .. scr Talent Jo Quality scr Logan Park .. oU V J yds blid Jackie Audubon 48 Black Admiral .. 24 Epigram ....48 Of the three on scratch, Quality is probably the best, but she and Double Event are so unreliable at the barrier that many will pass them by on that account alone. Black Admiral usually races well at Wellington, and he promises to be hard to beat on this occasion. In December of last year, he ran second to Logan Park, when conceding 24 yards, while in April be finished second to Epigram, Logan Park, who was on the same mark as him, running unplaced. Talent raced particularly well at Addington last month, but as Logan Park defeated him in the Hagley Handicap when conceding 12 yards, he should hold him safe again now that they meet on level terms. Jackie Audubon deteated Logan Park by only a length in the Hagley Handicap, when both started from a 2.44 mark, so that the latter has a good chance of reversing positions with the Great Audubon gelding. On her showing in the mile -race, on the concluding day of the Metropolitan meeting, Epigram should go well, though 2.42 may be beyond him. To me, Black Admiral and Logan Park read as well as anything. If a surprise is in store, Audacious may provide it.

In order to cater for the large atteendance expected at Hutt Park to-day the Railway Department has made arrangements for a fast and frequent train, service to run direct to the course. A popular fare has been provided for the occasion, and it is expected that racegoers will avail themselves of the opportunity of using such a cheap and convenient means of transport to the course.