MATCH ARRANGED

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 144, 14 December 1940, Page 15

MATCH ARRANGED

TROTTERS VERSUS PACERS

(By "Ariki Toa.")

Completion of the arrangements for the sjtaging of a match race between the champion three-year-old trotter Certissimus and the champion three-year-old pacer Special Force at the Timaru Trotting Club's Summer Meeting, to be held on January . 12, has aroused a lot of interest in light-harness circles, and the event is likely to prove the titbit of the season's activities. The field is not to be limited to these two performers only, and there is every likelihood that other candidates will be Ronald Logan, Gold Chief,- Shadow Maid, Walter Moore, and the . North Island colt Peter's Find. The lastnamed will probably be at Ashburton, for the Champion Stakes over Christ-j mas, and efforts will then be made to secure his appearance. Unique Contest. If the' race eventuates, and there is no ■ reason why it should not, it will provide a contest unique in the history : of trotting. Never before has there j been a three-year-old trotter with the credentials apparently equal to those of the best pacers of his age, and if all the horses whose names have been mentioned as probable candidates are brought together the field will be definitely superior to that which contested the New Zealand Derby at Addington last month. Cup Candidate. An interesting candidate for the Auckland Trotting Cup is the promising four-year-old Ned Worthy, who, although a failure at his last three starts, created a big impression when he won over two miles at Addington last month. On that occasion he ran his first mile in 2min 17sec, the last mile in 2min ssec, and the final half-mile in lmin. These figures are an apt illustration of his relative ability, and providing he makes the trip north he is likely to be one of the favourites. Training On Well. Although Molly Direct was not produced at the Waikato Meeting last week there is nothing amiss with the daughter of Jack Potts, and at the moment she is a certain starter in the Auckland Trotting Cup. This mare has won at her last three appearances over a mile and a quarter, and as she has previously shown that she possesses stamina above the ordinary, her prospects cannot be lightly assessed. She will be driven by her trainer, M. Stewart, who is at present the leading reinsman for the Dominion. Cheap Purchase. Vain Lad is turning out a fine, proposition since • being purchased by Mr. W. Hosking last April at the low figure of £8, for since then he has won a couple of races, besides securing several placings. He is by no means a champion, but his steadiness of gait usually enables him to collect some of the stake-money. Fine Record. Short Wave is building up a splendid record since being ■ converted to the trotting gait, and his recent victory at the Waikato Meeting was his fifth out of six starts as a trotter. He is one of the most solid trotters in commission, and as it is understood that he will now be taken north for the Rowe Handicap at Epsom at Christmas few will care to look further for the winner. Quick Return. Betty Boop did not take long to return some of her purchase money in , winning at the Waikato Meeting at ■ Claudelands last Saturday, when making her first appearance in her new colours, and the manner in • which she covered a mile and a half in the fast I time of 3min 19 4-ssec suggested that she would take a power of beating in near-at-hand engagements. An idea of ; the value placed on this mare is re- • vealed by the fact that her connections ' paid £600 for a lease of her for part of : her racing career, with no right of pur- : chase. • 1