TROTTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1941, Page 16

TROTTING

FORM AT HUTT PARK

GOLD BAR'S BRILLIANCE

(By "Ariki Toa.")

It is a long time since patrons of trotting at Hutt Park have witnessed such an exhibition of extreme speed as that given by Gold Bar on the first day of the Wellington Trotting Club's Summer Meeting, and even veterans in the sport passed the opinion that they had never seen the equal of it. . On numerous occasions horses have gone out to set a pace that has strung a field out, but last Thursday the impression was gained that the other competitors were not equal to matching s such speed. It was therefore all the more surprising to note his abject failure on Saturday, when on this occasion he was restrained to set only what might be termed a solid pace for a two-mile race, in which class was well represented. It is probable that Gold Bar is the fastest horse over a mile and a half raced in the Dominion for a number of years, and as he is still somewhat handily placed in leading events he should continue to pay his way handsomely. One thing is certain, and that is that he will set fields a difficult task to bring about his defeat in sprint races of the future. A Good Sort. An improver of whom a good deal will be heard in the future is Positive, who, prior to last Thursday, had not made an appearance.with the.colours, up. There was an air of confidence expressed in his ability to account for the maiden event on the first day, and he duly materialised, after having to reveal fine courage to overhaul Spencer Volo. On the second day his defeat can be put down to the luck of the running, but for which he would have won comfortably. He is a splendid type of young pacer who is still susceptible to improvement, and now that he has gained experience he is likely to win his way to much better class in quick time. He is yet another of the highly-promising stock of the American sire Quite Sure and is trained at Washdyke by P. P. Gallagher, who also prepares the seasons outstanding three-year-old Special Force. Expensive. After her two easy wins at Auckland at Christmas, Toeeetie was expected to perform prominently in the principal handicaps at Hutt Park last week, but she failed to reveal her best form, and really never looked like being in the money of either of her two engagements. She looked well, and it is possible that she will prove this form wrong when next produced. Local Success.

The victories scored by locallytrained horses are so few and far between that any that do go their way are popularly received, and so it proved with Gold Flight, who got the best reception of the meeting when he won the Waiwhetu Handicap on Saturday. There was a lot of merit in the success, for the Rey de Oro pacer had to make up a lot of ground from the rear of the field at the half-mile, and even though he was fortunate that Positive got a bad passage, still it was a welldeserved victory. Gold Flight was feeling the effects of a leg injury prior to the meeting, and it was thought he would *not be at his best, but he revealed brilliance and stamina in gaining his success on Saturday. Out of Luck. It is not often that the Belfast trainer C. S. Donald returns home without winning a race at meetings at Hutt Park, but so it proved on this occasion. He brought Mazaire, Distributor, Labour Day, Tan John, and Kaulala to the meeting, and the only one to contribute towards the expenses of the trip was Kaulala, who secured two third placings, for £40 in stakes.' The stable is right out of luck at the moment, and although it was represented at all the big meetings during the holidays and since the only victories that have gone its way have been secured by Distributor and Clockwork.