UNHOPPLED HORSES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 64, 13 September 1939, Page 13

UNHOPPLED HORSES

SHADELAND'S CONSISTENCY

(By "Ariki Toa.")

Unhoppled horses can always be relied upon to provide plenty of interest for trotting enthusiasts, and the two events to be decided at the Wellington Trotting Club's Spring. Meeting at Hutt Park on Saturday week should prove no exception. The fields are not strong numerically, but they embrace plenty of material, with the result that the contests should arouse patrons to their usual pitch of excitement.

In the past it has not been unusual to find a horse winning both trotting events at Hutt Park, and with each of ™c. te T n.entrants figuring in both the Nai Nai and Stewards' Handicaps it is not unlikely that such will prove again the case on this occasion. Backers will have the benefit of recent southern torm to assist them in defining the positions, and half the respective fields have been placed during the past month.

Shadeland is by no means a lucky trotter, but he can always be relied' upon to give of his best. Last seftson he did an extensive amount of travelling, but secured two firsts and seven placings. At Addington last month he was in the money on two occasions, and a repetition of the form would find him playing a prominent part in the decision of events ' for square-gaiters next week. .. MUCH IMPROVED. . Since being converted to the trotting gait Allworthy has registered a first and a second placing, and he shows great promise in this department. As yet he is inclined to strike out on the wrong foot, but once on the journey rarely makes a mistake. He is a free goer, and should be worth keeping in mind for near-at-hand engagements. His owner, Mr. B. Wainscott, recently turned down a substantial offer for the chestnut, and it was pleasing to find him having a welcome change of luck at New; Brighton recently. Gracie Fields won in convincing fashion on the first day of the Addington Meeting last month, and although she failed to gain a place on the succeeding two days her form did not suffer by comparison. The penalty she received for her success saw her well back in the handicaps, and she could not get within striking distance of the leaders. A pleasing feature of her displays was the fact that she trotted1 solidly on each occasion, and another winning bracket is not far off for the daughter of Native King. Violet Wrack has as much specd v as any other competitor in her class, but she continually fails to retain her correct gait all the way, and for this reason she invariably has to be taken on trust. She trotted a splendid race to run Swordsman to a neck on the second day of the Metropolitan Trots last month, but her form is patchy. FAILED LAST START. Chudic created a sound impression when he won at Awapuni last season. | but his display at Addington was an inglorious exhibition. He simply refused to strike a gait at the "start and galloped practically throughout the contest. According to reports from the north he has done exceptionally well in his work at Claudelands of late, and maybe he will atone in some measure at Hutt Park.

Biworthy secured a first and four placings last season, and it is in his favour that he is a previous winner on the course. He is a reliable beginner, and his solidness can be expected to take jhim a long way towards success. Bill Grattan has been most disappointing for some time, a tendency to break at the start often ruining a sound winning chance.

{ Reward has come solid with age,

and with two second placings to hit credit at his last two starts lie is entitled to consideration. He has previously been successful on a grass track and should not be troubled by the footmg at Hutt Park. Sphinx won a couple of races last term, but he is now getting towards the veteran stage. Glorietta has yet to make her debut as, a trotter, but at the pacing gait she has registered some sound performances. Her sire, Brigand, was a particularly smart trotter, but his career was cut short owing to unsoundness.