TROTTING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 77, 27 September 1924, Page 20

TROTTING NOTES

FIXTURES. October 11, 15—Auckland T.C.

(By "Vedette.") Receipt is acknowledged of the booklet programme for the 1924-25 season of the Otahuhu Trotting Club. h^'^m- ?■ Ni Cu Oll had hia Sported horse Wrack on the course at the Ashburton Racing Club's Meeting last week. The American sire was greatly admired. The Addington trainer" H. Gaskill has ; a useful team in ,work, several of whom* will Tace at Greymouth next month Among them are: Zelica, Miss Marion ™d,. ,tev> and tlle half-brother to Willie Lincoln. Mr. J. R. M'lCenzie has'purchased the -three.year-old filly' by Great Audubon from Millie C, so a half-sister to Acron. lie filly, for wliom a big price was'paid, has classic engagements. Native King, lias been put into work again by R. Pollock. This handsome trotter is stated to be very big in condition, and some time will elapse before he will, be at bis best. Logan Lou, provided she goes on aa 5" present, will strip- very fit on Cup •day. A good door and a generous worker, she is a treat to work, and D Withers thoroughly understands her. The distance of the Cup journey will not trouble her. On Thursday morning she paced evenly over two miles, the last two furlongs being done in 35sec. Sheik continues to go on the right way. He seems to be one.of the easiest of pacers to handle, and his work appears no trouble to him. Steady jogging, medium or three-quarter speed, all come alike to the well-mannered, solid looking pjcer, who seems destined to play an important part in the decision of the big November race. It will not be his trainer's fault if Sheik performs badly. The pacer Realm seems to be even better now than he was last week, states a Southern writer, and W. J. Tomkinson is well pleased with his Cup candidate. The big November race is still a long way off, but in the meantime Realm is doing well. Since his breakdown at the August meeting he has lost none of his condition. His trainer is confident that he will get the Australian pacer, to the. races in November, and. certainly Realm looks as though he is quite right again. ■ ■ In March next the West Australian Trotting Association will hold' a Free-For-All on the Perth course, slates an exchange, and while1 the details are not complete, the secretary stated that the eveiit would be decided over three distances, and would be open to approved champions in the Commonwealth and New Zealand. The total prize money will be £2000, including substantial amounts for the winner of each race. Points will be scored for a win, a second, and a third, and the horse securing the largest number of points will be declared the winner. The institution of a i'ree-For-All is a bold step on the part of thft association, for the race will, be unique as an Australian championship, and should attract visitors ffrom all parU of the cantiuent aud the

Dominion—in the event of horses being nominated by New Zealand owners and trainers.

Trotting is rapidly making good in Sydney, as is evidenced by the great stfudes recorded during the past twelve months (says the '"Sportsman"). The crowds assemble at the meetings of late, and new owners 'are being introduced to the sport. Many improvements have been made in an endeavour to cater for patrons, but the experimental field has not yet been exhausted. A proposal which should commend itsch to trotting enthusiasts has been thrown out, to the effect that the authorities should put on a scratch free-for-all race. Say £500 and a sweepstake with a cup-^the winner to bejproclaimed the champion horse of the year. The time best suited would be Easter. Apart from tfie impetus that such a race would give the sport, there are other advantages. For instance, it would be some compensation for tli6 jgood horse which now becomes less valuable the faster he becomes. With the same stone it would kill that unwelconTa bird the' "ringtail." \ Such 'i*'«i.-es as .'Globe ' Derby, Dixie Derby, Dixie's Chance, Admiral Wood, Harold" Wilkes, Kola Girl, Machine Brick, Minton Derby, and Beahn could contest such a race. Perhaps a few New Zealanders would b* inclined to make the trip, as the end of the big prize-money is over by Easter time in the Dominion. The suggestion is offered to the trotting committee, and Mr. Howell for what it is worth. They could do worse than include it in their enterprising methods of popularising the sport. The following comment on the two trotting races on the opening .(Taj at Ueraldine appeared in j the Christehurch Star :—Sea Pearl, ' a three-year-old nlly by Nelson Bingen from Pearl Child, was sent out a strong favourite for the Ueraldine Taot Handicap. She duly pulled her backers through, but it was only by ths narrowest of margins that she beat Whetu, the patient horsemanship of F. E. Jones contributing -largely to her success. The time was fast, ana Pearl must be classed as a very ['promising youngster. She was being prepared to represent Mr. H. F. Nicoll in the Sapling Stakes, but on account of a minor, ailment she had to be' eased up, her place being taken by Gibraltar, who finished sobond. Provided Sea Pearl goes on all-right now she should be a useful candidate for the classic races later in the season.

Backers picked |the Orari Trot) at Geraldirie very well, as Moonlit and Great Epsom, the two best-backed horses, filled the leading positions, though Moonlit, who was a strong favourite, had to be content with second place. It was a very interesting race all.the way, Jimmy Chimes just failing in the last few-, strides,' while' Thelma Pointer and Winsome Melody were also prominent throughout. Great Epsom, the winner, is. a well-bred four-year-old by Great Audubon from' Santa Rosa, who was a speedy miler in her day. Great Epsom ■ has a fine turn of speed, but this was the first time he had shown anything like his best form iii- a race, his win being long overdue, after several disappointments.