TROTTING FIXTURES.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 7

TROTTING FIXTURES.

June 18, 22—Auckland T.C.

Nominations for the Wellington Eacing Club's Winter Meeting close on Monday next, at 9 p.m.

So far aa the jumping season has gofie Maunga stands out as the horse with the greatest possibilities. He ran particularly well in the Great Northern Hurdles and as usual was finishing better than anything else in the race. In the big steeplechase he was unlucky enough to strike an experienced horse on the Ellerslie hill, for it was there each time that Beau Cavalier won his race. The way he sailed down the hill was something of a revelation, and another, southerner in addition*to Maunga in Comical was not by any means at home on the. down grade particularly. Maunga, if he goes on the right way, is a decided possibility for the big jumping events ahead. He has had no experience over the big fehces_ at Riccarton, but he is such a good jumper and solid stayer that a Grand National at his first attempt is not beyond him. It must be said that A. Griffith for an unexperienced rider over fences did not shape at all badly at Ellerslie. Some rather remarkable things are being written about Comical by people who saw little or nothing of him last year, and nothing at all this year. Because he won the Grand National Hurdle Race at Riccarton some people seem to hold the idea that Comical was a proficient jumper over the ■mailer obstacles, while quite the contrary was the case. As a matter of fact his was not by any means a finished display in the big race at Riccarton, and at Trentham a few weeks before he had jumped very badly. This year he has raced at Wanganui and at Ellerslie, steeplechase courses which are within the compass of any proved hurdler. In point of fact Comical as a jumper is taking a good deal of making, and this season having had so many falls his confidence is being shaken. He lightened up a good deal with his racing at Ellerslie and was a very distressed horse when pulled up in the Great Northern Steeplechase a long way from home. Providing all goes well with Comical and he meets with no seriqus mishap he should make good aa a steeplechaser, but one cannot help hoping that this year at least he is taken to Riccarton.

Great Britain is acknowledged to be the borne of the thoroughbred, but it is evident that a more than average,number of culls have been brought to the Dominion lately. One could enumerate a sufficient number of English-bred horses in training in New Zealand at present to make up a decent-sized field and it would be a very poor class colonial-bred hack who could not give poundage away all round and beat them. In fact, it is surprising that the owners of some of the imported articles go on paying training fees for them; ■ It is somewhat rare in these southern lands to hear of a stallion developing the pronounced vicious temperament, but in the old countries there are horses which it i» dangerous to approach. In referring to the French stallion Massine a writer in "Horse and Hound" remarks:—"Massine, • six-year-old son of Consols, is very difficult to handle as a stallion. When I saw him is his box last season at Mr. O. Homberg's stud he had a long, heavy iron chain hang-rag from his head trailing on the floor of the box, and the stallion man darted in to catch him by the end of the chain as if he were a lion at the Zoo."

It is computed that up to date descendants of >lagp'e have won stakes to the value of £81,238 in the five seasons they have figured on the Turf. Though he will not have Windbag to compete for him next season, it -would seem to be pretty safe to conclude that Magpie's total will be raised to over £100,000 when the season of 1927-28 cloge*.'

Apart from the Napier Steeplechase the acceptances for the Napier Park Meeting On Saturday are quite good considering the fixture is a one-day one ' and at a dead-end so far as travelling is concerned. For all that there are a few visiting horses, two in Nastori and Mint Leaf from a* far afield aa New Plymouth. The half dozen left in the Napier Steeplechase hardly come up to the definition of moderate, and this race is not likely to throw any light on big lumping events ahead. Interviewed at his home by a Christehurch pressman yesterday, the veteran trainer, E. J. Mason, said that he had definitely decided to take Agrion and'Phillipic to Sydney. The pnir may be accompanied by the yearling Goblin Market, by Absurd—Cherry Mart, who is in the Breeders' Plate. When questioned as to Agrion's prospects in the A.J.C. Derby, Mason replied: "Though I do not think he is a typical Derby colt, I expect him to tun a big race at Randwick. The colt will j-eceive the full penalty in the Chelnißford Stakes, and unless he is at the top of his form, he.will not be a starter, for it wouldbe tiieleM knocking.him about." The team fill leave Wellington for Sydney on Ist ■July by the TJlimaroa. Courante, the dam of Valicare, is booked to go to Heroic this season. The progeny of this union will have threequarter relationship to the flying mare, for Valicare and Heroic are both by Vallus. ■■ - - ■ . -■■--..

An Australian club hag found a variation for the customary Juvenile, Hopeful, Debutante, and other names for two-year-old races, in the Piccaninny Handicap, the selection of the Moonee Valley- Club in .Victoria.

According io an Auckland writer, Memaahib has been sold by Mr. Mervyn Wells to Mr. A. Brown, president of the Bay pi Plenty Jockey Club. Right here I should like to apologise to Pilliewinkie (writes "Cardingan" in the "Australasian"). When I saw the old fellow looking as well as a two-year-old I felt ashamed because in writing about the ;weight-for-age', horaes for the coming aping meetings recently I did not have the courtesy to mention Pillie's name. Pilliewinkie might, for. all we know, prove the thorn in the sides of Limerick, Amou)Bis, Pantheon;, and Co. He has done -well JSnce .returning from his spell, and it is quite likely that lie will stand another preparation. " He certainly appears sound enough, and the-tendon that he struck in the Herbert Power Stakes that day that ha ran so badly seems normal again. As in many things, we have to turn to England for the record price paid for a' steeplechaser. ■At Newmarket in the autumn of 1925, Silvo, an eight-year-old gelding by Winter, was submitted to auction, and the competition that ensued for his possession .was-of-such a spirited character that the bidding was carried to 10,500 guineas, at which sum he fell to the bid of Mr. W, H. Midwood. Silvo was bought in the hope that ho would win the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase of 1926. Silvo started in the position of second favourite for the great cross-coun-try race at Aintree, but his large circle of admirers had not to wait lotig to realise that they had lost their money, for Silvo fell at the first fence. Such is the luck of racing.