METROPOLITAN EVENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 69, 18 September 1937, Page 22

METROPOLITAN EVENTS

The Ollivier Handicap and Louisson Handicap, of £1000 each, the principal events on the second and third days of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's November Meeting, are both 4min 26sec classes, the same as the New Zealand Cup. The Metropolitan Trotting Club has continued the Riccarton Stakes, a race for maiden three-year-olds inaugurated in 1935. This event is run over the Derby distance, a mile and a half. The 1935 winner was Double Great, who defeated the favourite Frisco Lady in the Derby, and last year's winner, Frisco Boy, was second to Parisienne in the Derby.

DECOY BIRD AS TROTTER

GERALDINE POSSIBLES

(Special from "Irvington.")

CHRISTCHURCH, September 17.

The speedy but erratic Noble Prince has' been sold by Messrs. Archer and McFarlane to a North Auckland owner, and he will do his future racing at Epsom. He has some exceptionally smart performances to his credit, but they are separated by some equally poor efforts, and, on the whole, he has not proved reliable. However, there is no doubt that he has the ability to win good races, and it is possible that the "wrong way around," as Addington trainers describe Epsom, will suit him.

Although Norma Bingen has been kept in work at Oamaru over a long period there have been few races to suit her, and her trainer is finding it difficult to place her to advantage. 'i.'here are few events for trotters in her class, and the growing tendency to eliminate races lor tightly-handi-capped unhoppled horses will probably force her connections to race this fine mare against the pacers.

Plain Pearl, Torquemado, and Chancellor, previously owned by Mr. G. J. Barton, were all recently sold and shipped to Australia, where they should not be hard to place. When trained as a two- and three-year-old in the Auckland Province Chancellor was considered by many as being the equal o£ War Buoy, but he proved a grade below the standard necessary to win races in Canterbury. Plain Pearl was only fair when at her best, while Torquemado, a maiden, is a brother to Indianapolis, without any other recommendations.

Agile is steadily coming to hand, and although he is still somewhat on the big side it should not be long before he is back to his best racing, order. He and Agility are at present the only two horses G. S. Smith has in training, and both look well.

After several changes of stables Aircraft has been returned to W. Crookston's care, and he is again working attractively at Addington. He has raced well in recent months, and appears likely to maintain his form for some time.

BECKY DIRECT READY.

Becky' Direct has made good progress since she returned to the tracks, and she is almost ready to race. She has built up well, and it is possible that she will now stay on much better than previously.

Although his New Brighton display did not hold out any great hope for him, Carl is being kept in work and is to be given another opportunity. He has been trotting well in his track essays for some time, but race day finds him telling a different story. After a long spell from the tracks Bluff has been placed back in work, this time under J. Davidson. When previously trained at Addington, Bluff displayed a fair amount of promise, and while he failed to win a race in his few starts he gave indications of improving with more age. Jane Worthy, a half-sister by Frank Worthy to Silver de Oro, Llewellyn's Pride, and Blair Athol, has been taken over by S. A. Edwards. When handled by G. McKendry she ran some fair races without winning, and now that she has had time in which to develop she should prove a useful pacer. At one stage of his career Decoy Bird gave indications of proving a good pacer, but his form over a period has been poor, and it has been decided to give him an opportunity as a trotter, at which gait he shapes quite fairly, although he will have to make further headway before he can be considered as a good proposition. Colonel Grattan will probably have his next outing in one of the lightharness events to be decided at the Geraldine Racing Club's Meeting next week. He should be improved for his outing at the recent New Brighton Meeting, and it will not be long before he is displaying the, ability which brought him into the limelight late last season. D. WETHERS MOVES. D. "Withers has left Addington to take charge of a hotel in Greymouth, and most of his team have been distributed among local trainers. He has kept a few horses, and will work them at Greymouth, where his services as a trainer are in great demand. His presence there will do much i or the sport in that district... . . For some time Happy Knight was located at New Brighton under N. C. Price, for whom he won two or three saddle races, but he was recently transferred to J. Seibel at Addington. Happy Knight is now in useful company over all distances, and he has not impressed as likely to win out of his turn, although he should pay his way. ■ Until recently trained by B. Jarden, Donalda has been taken over by J. Davidson, and so far that pacer has kept sound in his work at Addington. While he has plenty of speed, Lord Axworthy has not proved a good stayer, and J. Young has decided to return him to his owner.. When he was taken over by Young he was unreliable and a hard puller, but even when these difficulties were overcome hfe did not show any great improvement, although he managed to win in minor company. ~ The promising three-year-old pacer Sentiment, another member of Young s team, was recently added to the list.