TROTTING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 24 March 1926, Page 7

TROTTING NOTES

■ (By. "Vedette.")

Acceptances for. the TTellington Trotting Chib'a ileeting clow to-night at ' 8 o'clock. . The Now Brighton Trotting Club and Mr. L. G.' King were unfortunate over tiiEi'day that was chosen for the attempt i>y Onj'x to beat the mile and a quarter record of 2min 41 2-ssec, held jointly by Our Thorpe and Author Dillon. The conditions were perfect on Thursday, the first day of the club's meeting, but oii Saturday a strong wind was all against record breaking. Onyx paced freely all through, but it was apparent early in the journey that she had no chance of accom-

plishing hertaft, and she occupied 2min 44 2-ssec for ■th^mile and a quarter. ' ■.' It is stated bf : a Christchurch writer, that Mr. W. Norman, who hag acted as starter for a number of Canterbury clubs for about eight years, is retiring. He concluded his arrangement with the New Brighton .Club on: Saturday. The feature of • tils, racing at, the New Brighton Meeting .on Saturday was the performance of Waitslci; Girl in the principal event. StartiHg from the back mark, she gradually worked her way up to the leaders, and Jixe had the race in safe keeping at the' entrance to the straight, winning with ridiculous ease. It was an impressive performance, accomplished in a manner, which made it look as if she. would hayji kept all the cracks busy to beat her. Wajtaki Girl has now won three races in succession, and she has shown wonderful improvement, considering the class, in which she is racing. In, addition "to' her improved speed, her manners have becoine niuch better, and she is so well at present that further successes : may come her way before long. She is trained and driven by R.B. Berry, the one-time ' crack jockey, ■ whose ability with pacers has had to" .be recognised for some time. In one respect she must be accounted very' unlucky,' as though: she has 4oiin 26:4-ssec against her for two miles,, she: .has only ..secured.; £1040 in stakes for. her four wins this* season. Wakefield, a winner at the Manawatu Meeting, has been; sold to a North Island owner.' „ - ■ ' .■ '„ ■ .' - -_■•■■ The trotting stallion St. Kevin was found dead recently. The - horse had evidently reared up; and falling over back-: wards had injured'himself internally. Great Bingen's success on Saturday in Perth came as a surprise after the alarming reports, received-"during the week. The case is one which emphasises the danger of owners or trainers making any public utterance, for nine' times out of, ten the horse gives, a lie to the statements. There ar .some owners, too, who take the public into their confidence quite. in good faith, and it is just the ::imple cussedness of Fate that trips them up. The late news that' Taraire—who is described by the cable as West Australian, although the only thing about him West Australian is his ownership—beat Great Bingen in the run-off would- suggest that he is a much improved horse since leaving New Zealand. The time, 3min 20sec, for the mile and a half is very good, considering it was registered on a three-furlong track under electric lights. Onyx, on a mile course, with everything in her favour, holds the record,' 3min 13sec, for the distance. The result of the final would suggest that there was something in the earlier messages that Great Bingen was not quite at his best. The defeat to New Zealanders is without any sting, for'Taraire is New Zealand bred, and, did practically all his racing in the Dominion.