WAIRARAPA TROTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 72, 18 December 1937, Page 15

WAIRARAPA TROTS

Useful Cup Field SUMMARY OF FORM (By Overcheck.) The Wairarapa Trotting Club has received excellent nominations for its. meeting on Boxing Day, and it is anticipated that there will be a few dropping out when acceptances are taken. The club is doing everything possible to make the gathering a successful one from all points of view, and there is every prospect of its hopes in this respect being realised. During the next few days it is proposed to review in these columns the form of the horses engaged in the various events, and to-day a start is made with those due to contest the two principal races. Wairarapa Cup Handicap. This race will be run over two miles, the limit being -1.46. Some ten horses have been nominated, and the field includes Superior Rank, from the South Island, and Bonnie Direct and Sir Frank, from the Auckland province. L. O. Thomas is represented by Ideal and Trevor de Oro. and if both start it is not unlikely that they will carry most support on the machine. Ideal has bad only one race this season, and so one must refer to past seasons’ form to determine his qualifications. Last season this seven-year-old son of Rey de Oro —Logan Maid failed to reach the winning list. In all, be contested eight races for a second and a third. At Nelson in January he ran second to Red Flusli in tile Nelson Trotting Club Handicap, registering 4.31 4-0, while nt Addington in May he ran third to Repeal and Agility over a mile and a half, his time being 3.35. The track was heavy, so the strength of the field rather than the time must be. the deciding factor in judging the merit of his performance. The field was a large one and o'f much better class than the one be will meet at Clareville. If at his best Ideal must be deemed to be a distinct possibility. Trevor de Oro ha s shown very consistent form this season, for a win, two seconds and a third out of five starts. At the Manawatu meeting last month he ran a splendid race to dead-heat with Shrewdie ill the George Luoni Handicap, of two miles, his time being 4.38 2-5, while he followed this performance up with a second to Musketeer in the President s Handicap nt the Waikato meeting. On that occasion he recorded 4.32 4-5. Trevor de Oro a small horse, but he is decidedly useful, genuine and game. Superior Rank is one of C. S. Donald s team. He has raced four times this season for a third nnd a second. At Forbury Park he ran third to Southern Chief and' Colonel Grattan over II furlongs, recording 2.58 4-5, and was second to Colonel Grattan the second day over the same distance. Superior Rank has not yet been tried out. over a distance, but bred as he is by Jack Potts from Quality there is no reason why he should not stay well. Jack Potts has already sired many good stayers, while Quality was a good mare, stamina being probably her strongest virtue. Activity has always appealed to me as better over a short than a long distance, notwithstanding that she ran second to Winshow in the McDougall Handicap at Carterton last December. On that occasion the going was slightly holding, and Activity ran the two miles in 4.41 3-.>. Activity has had two unsuccessful outings this season, and should now be approaching her best form. 1 Bonnie Direct has raced successfully at Carterton on more than one occasion, but she is somewhat erratic at the barrier and is not therefore a sound betting proposition. She has not raced so far this season, and this may tell against her in races of two miles. Nevertheless she is a proved stayer. Last season she raced five times unsuccessfully, and her her age improvement is unlikely. Two years ago, ns a six-year-old, she raced eight times for two wins, two seconds and two thirds. Her two wins were registered at Clareville, where on the first day she won the cup in 4.37 4-5, and on the second the McDougall Handicap in 4.37 1-5. She was also twice placed at a mile and a quarter. Roadster is another who has not raced this season. He is a seven-year-old gelding by Hal Junior from a Van Dillon mare. Last season he won the Bey Handicap at Clareville, a mile saddle race, and was second to Activity in ihe Clareville Handicap of one mile and a half. Later in the year he won the Oinata Handicap at the Taranaki meeting in April from Mountain Flight, to whom he was conceding 12 yards. Teri King! lias a fair turn of speed, but he has reached an age when any improvement is problematical. He has had one race thia season, while last lie contested six races for one .second.. This latter performance was registered in the Masterton Handicap at Clareville, where on the second day he finished jhst behind Activity in the Masterton Handicap, recording 2.52 1-5 over 10 furlongs. Ropata is a four-year-old colt by David McElwyn from Zella, and has met with a fair measure of success. Last season he won one race and was placed in another. This year he lias a much better average, having won two of the three races he has contested. At Wellington in October he won the Novice Handicap in 3.30, while at the last Manawatu meeting he scored in the Bridge Handicap of 13 furlongs, which he covered in 3.43. Ropata sticks on well, and this is a consideration in a two-mile journey.

First Aid has not raced for some time, and this may tell against her in a race of two miles. Last season she contested 18 races for two wins, three seconds and five thirds. One win, over a mile and a half, was registered at Nelson in February, while the other was recorded at Marlborough in April. This race was of eight furlongs. .She does not appeal to me as a prospect at two miles. Sir Frank has been racing consistently this season, having been second three times, and. third twice out of the seven races he has contested. At 'Auckland in October he was second to Crocus over a mile and a half run in 3.23 4-5, and was again second to Great Chum over the same distance, run in 3.28 1-5. At Thames he was third to Nawton Parrish and Handicapper at a mile and a Quarter. At Manawatu last month he was third to Shrewdie and Trevor de Oro over two miles, bis time being 4.41, while in his last start, which was at the Waikato meeting, he defeated all but Jlearsny in the Newstead Handicap, his time being 3.21 2-5. Sir Frank now ranks as a six-year-old and appears to be on the upgrade. Still he will probably never reach the best company. .1, F. Thompson Handicap. Three fresh horses are engaged in the