To-day’s Racing News

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 February 1931, Page 11

To-day’s Racing News

Trotting

Meetings to Come

March 4, 5 —Invercargill T.C. Annual. March 6, 7 —Cromwell J.C. Annual (two events each day). March 7 —Banks Peninsula R.C. (two

events). March 7—Nelson T.C. Special (at Wellington).

Logan Park: Is at present having a short spell, but he will be brought in again early next month, to be prepared for events later in the season.

TOdd Lonzia: The three-year-old trotter Todd Lonzia is now doing plenty of useful work and will be racing before the season is much further advanced.

Bay Nut: . , n Is doing some of his training work in saddle. Bay Nut is a good stayer, but he has not raced well in his recent efforts. He looks in good order.

°Now looks quite sound again and he is doing good work at g t°m When at his best he is a useful sort over any distance. His manners at the barrier have, also considerably im proved.

S< This pacer, who has been racing for some time, is evidently not on the improve, judged on his showing at Kaikoura.

Nelson Ata: Hhs mended his ways at the barrier, aiid now begins smartly in a race He is also staying better over two miles, than formerly.

Harry Audubon: Has been purchased by a local sportsman from C. S. Donald, but as yet he has not inade his <tppeararice on the training track at Victoria Park.

Kawanar Continues to put plenty of dash into his work, and is now being sent along without the straps.

Vican; Is being trained ast New Brighton, where the grass track suits him bettei' than Victoria Park.

Approaching his Best: Wilma Dillon has come on fast since last being put into work. The exSouthland pacer has hardly raced up to the expectation first formed of him when he came to W. J. Tomkinson’s stable. Out for a Spell:

Granite City, who has done a good deal of racing this season without much success, has been turned out for a spell. Over all distances Granite City has raced very consistently.

Keeping Sound: Aleron seems [o be keeping fairly sound, a.nd if G. M'Kendry can give him sufficient work to get the pacer to his best he should soon win a race.

Dollar King: / v The Drusus gelding Dollar King, a four-year-old brother to Dbnard, went a COuple of solid races at the Kaikoura Trotting Club’s meeting last Week. Like his relative, he is a big 'pacer, with a long striding action. Unfortunately, up to the present he is a slow beginner, and it takes him some time to get properly going, but once at top speed he looks like going oh and staying two miles.

F. Gilbert’s Latest Pupil: A. Holnies sent his twoyear-old filly by Wrack —Youfig Ivy to F. Gilbert to train, but the big chestnut will require some time to get into racing condition.

WANGANUI TROTS ABANDONED WANGANUI, February 27. At a meeting of the Comnlittee of the Wanganui Trotting Club to-day, the following resolution, abandoning the 1931 fixture, was carried: “That, in view of the prevailing financial position in the Dominion and of the result of recent trotting and racing fixtures, this Committee deems it advisable to abandon its fixture this season, having received an assurance from the President of the Trotting Conference that he will use every endeavour to safeguard the. Club’s permit.”

TROTTING HANDICAPS.

AUCKLAND CRITICISM.

[SPECIAL TO “STAR.”]

AUCKLAND, February 27. When the President (Mr J. Rowe) at the annual meeting of members of the Auckland Trotting Club, had the courage to state his candid opinion that the handicapping system, or whatever it may be called, was a “nightmare,” he came in for considerable adverse criticism from the South Island, but the position to-day, despite what may be said to the contrary, is that, like “Barnum,” Mr Rowe was right, and the farcical position which the system or its interpretation has brought about is not doing the sport of trotting any good. For some unaccountable reason, the supporters of the system refuse to recognise that unless every horse entered for a race is given a reasonable chance of winning, the handicap is not fair. Any system is, or should be, fail’ to all winners at least, but the handicappers have differed so much in their -interpretation of the present one that the position has become eccentric, so much so that many owners are now in favour of either going back to the old order or having a hard-and-fast system which will do away with handicappers. To

introduce a fixed system of penalties would not improve the position to any great 'extent, because it does not make for good racing. There is only one way to handicap, and that is to place all the horses in a race on marks which will presumably give them an equal chance of winning. Because a horse wins by a head, it does not follow that the handicapper has done good work. We had three instances of this on Wednesday. When Free Advice won the Mackenzie Handicap and Surprise Journey captured two other races. In each instance, ;Tomkinson drove the winners, and won by inches, but one did not require a pair of field glasses to see that Tomkinson could have won by considerably more. When the handicap for the Mac-

Galloping

Meetings to Come

February March 2—Te Aroha J.C. March 4, s—Rangitikei R.C. March 6, 7 —Cromwell J.C. March 7—Banks Peninsula R.C. March 7 —Franklin R.C. March 11, 12—Dannevirke R.C. March 14, 17 —Wellington R.C. Local Owner’s Success:

Mr. F. L. Turley had a successful outing at Marlborough yesterday, his pacer, Loco and The Dove scoring a win and a thii‘d placing each. The Dove has, until yesterday been restricted to sprint racing, and his victory over a distance was unexpected.

A New Arrival: Mr. M. (Jonza has a new addition to ■his string of horses, in Thursby, the aged son of Thurnham-Hessian. Thursby has not enjoyed much success during the past two seasons, only minor placings being gained by him, but he has been a useful performer in his day, and under Conza’s handling may be a success in Coast racing events.

Monastic:

Is developing into a fine colt and the two-year-old being trained at Reeft'on by C. McCarthy gives promise of turning out to be a good stayer.

Sleipner:,, Has so far been disappointing, but looks in good health, >,and something better may be expected from him before the end of the season.

May be Retired: The cause of Ceremony’s bad showing the the Jackson Stakes was his bleeding, and the Once brilliant sprinter may be permanently retired from racing.

To Meet Nightmarch: Laughing Prince, who declined 10.8 in the sprint on the second day at Wanganui, after a brilliant success on the first day, will make his. next appearance in the Awapuni Cup, a weight-for-dge event.

MARLBOROUGH —FIRST DAY. CONCLUDING RESULTS BLENHEIM, February 27. ' The Marlborough summer meeting was held to-day in ideal weather, but with only a fair attendance. The course was in good order. In common with other places the money investments were scarce, the tote handling £2,781, as against £5,938 last year. Concluding results: — Brookby Hack, seven furlongs.—2 Courtlike 9.13, 1; 1 Cesssation 9.5 and 3 Peep 9.0, dead heat 2. Also started: 5 Exhibition 9.5, 1 Gourmet 9.2 (bracketed with Cessation), 4 Fallow 9.0. Won by three lengths. Time 1.28 1-5. Awatere Trot, 1 mile. —6 Lifebuoy scr., 1; 2 Radiola 48, 2; 3 Loco 12, 3. Also started: 4 Waipuki scr., 8 Logan Way scr., 5 Adjuster scr., 1 Nelson Chum 12, Grey Thorpe 36. A runaway Victory by twenty-five lengths; three lengths between second and third. Time 2.53 1-5.

Pelorous Hack, • six furlongs^ —-2 Winlock 7.11, 1; 4 White Doe 7.7, 2; 1 Rothen 9.0, 3. Also started: 3 Projection 8.8 and Johneen 8.5 (bracketed), 6 Tapestry 8.7, 5 Ahitu 7.2. Half a length each way. Time-1.13 4-5. Blenheim Handicap, one mile. —4 Fallow 7.11, 1; 1 Lady Rene 8.13, 2; 3 The Dove 8.3 3. Also , started: 2 Makeup 9.3. Won by two and a-half lengths; three quarters of a length. Time. 1.43. BANKS PENINSULA ACCEPTORS CHRISTCHURCH, February 27. The Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s acceptances for March 7th are: — Terawera Highweight Handicap, one mile. —Quinopal 10.6, Semper Paratus 10.1, Juniper 9.9, Homecoming 9.6, Some Acre 9.5, Miss Bradbury 9.3, Giggleswick 9.2, Coll, Lambent 9.0. Ahuriri Hack Handicap, six furlongs. —Tray Bond 8.8, Pixie Gold 8.1, Craigavon 7.11, Winsome Hind, Sleipner 7.8, Crash 7.5, Grand Acre 7.4, Proud Knight 7.3, Royal Love 7.2,,Dawn o’ Day, Hustley, Fortune’s Wheel, Mistress Quickly, Gay Nita 7.0. Kinloch Handicap, seven furlongs (minimum weight 7.7): —True Shaft 9.8, Taku Tama 8.11, Charmeuse 8.10, Miss Mercia 8.4, Semper Paratus 8.0,

kenzie Handicap was issued by Mr Paul, there was at once a storm of protest. Mountain Dell, the winner of the Otahuhu Handicap, had been penalised 12yds and Free Advice, who was second, was not penalised at-all. Naturally, their owners were satisfied but/ what about the owners of the others? Were they not to be considered? Mr Paul makes an explanation of his handicap which is about as weak as water, and condemns the whole system. He says that for 12 months, except in exceptional circumstances, he has in tight classes at two miles imposed a 12yds penalty on the Winners, and no penalty on the second horses. If this is so, and We have Mr Paul’s word for it, does he contend that the handicap is fair, and that the horses, who finish out of a place on the opening day of a meeting are treated correctly when they meet the winner upon the opening day on the same terms?

The system or, the handicapping, or both, is responsible for the horses racing to-day being with few exceptions the second raters, and the really good ones are only raced occasionally; not because there are only one or two races to suit, but because they are placed on such marks by the handicappers that they have little hope of winning. Here are a few of the horses pushed out of the sport since the system came into operation: — Ahuriri, Great Bingen, Prince Pointer, Jabk Potts, Peterwah, Elzear, Moneyspider, Trampfast, Padlock, Petei’ Bingen, and Young Blake. New Zealand has been looking to the future to one day see a two-minute horse in the trotting sport, but it will have to be a freak performance because long before a horse could show such a speed he would be useless as a racing proposition, and would be with other champions in the paddock. It is certain that the end of the present season will see the handicapping position reviewed, and it is to be hoped that Mr Rowe will stick to his opinion, which is the right one, and vote against any system which does not give every horse an equal chance of winning.

Sapient 7.10, Thorndale 7.8, Shatter Pangolin, The Viscount, Counter-' march 7.7. I

Forsyth Hack Handicap, six furlongs—Adelphi 9.3, Tray Bond 8.11, Solwit 8.2, Some Acre 7.10, Arrow Maid 7.9, Sharp Thorn, Crash 7.8, Dawn o’ Day, Jason’s Quest 7.3, Totolomai, Bronzewood, Verden 7.2. Wairewa Handicap Trot, 1J miles.— Free Logan, Tatsy de Oro, Te Aike, Aristotle, Vagabond King, Beautiful Rose, Adjuster, Jessie Beils, Lola Bingen, (Brixton, Oro’s Pride, Broker scr., Ratloc 12, Sadie Huon 24, Dusolina, Location 36, Audrey Dillon 48. Waihora Park Handicap Trot, two miles. —/Patsy de Oro, Neil Dillon, Te Aike, Zane, Denver Jack, Vagabond King,’ Dice, Shortly*, Major Brent, Bushlight, Shining Light, Compromise, Accras, Broker, Dollar King scr., Ruth Logan, Netta Oro, Oxford Queen 12, Audrey Dillon 24, White Stranger 72, Schoolmate 84.

FRANKLIN R.C. ACCEPTANCES.

AUCKLAND, February 28. Following are the Franklin acceptances: —

Puni Highweiglit, about one mile and five furlongs:—Claremore 10.12, Powri, Glena Bay 10.7, Stonehenge 9.11, Neil 9.10, Kairuri 9.6, Lucess, Kouranui, Billy' Boy, King Swift 9.0. Bombay Handicap, six furlongs: — Searcher 9.0, Smithfield 8.7, Tafirua 8.4, Camp Princess, Stimulant 7.10, Operatic 7.7, Hit the Deck 7.5, Magic Mint, Captain Dollar, Semi Circle, Click Clack, Escalus, Sensola, Bons Tray, Hollyholm, Desert Star, Antaris, Newlant Mari 7.4. Waiuku Hack, of six furlongs: — Maurianena 9.2, Chief Joy 9.0, Waimuri 8.10, King Ford 8.7, Parfait Armour,, Searcher 8.3, Sea Song, Vita 7.13, Taurua, Grand Spirit, Justify, British Princess, Camp Princess, t Click Clack, Royal Survey,. - Maunga King, Kowranui, Rangikaka 7.7. Franklin Handicap, of one mile and a-quarter: —Paganelli 9.3, Eaglet -8.4, Royal Doulton 8.1, Sir Mond 7.12, Eager Rose 7.11, Brampton, Clopton, Haviland 7.3, Llanore, Cynthia N., Sub Editor, Patutahi, Manawhonua, Luminary 7.0. Onewhero Hack, of one mile and one furlong:—King March .9.0, Werata 8.8, Claremore 8.7, Spring Abbey 8.6, Miss Albyn, Principal 8.1, Good Idea. 7.10, Land Measure, Gold Lily' 7.6, Neil 7.5, Justify, Arniutum, Trustee, Emancipation, Grand Spirit, Wee Boy 7.0. Tuakua Flying Handicap, of six furlongs:—Paganelli 10.5, Supremacy 9.7, Refresher 8.7, White Wings 8.2, Mervette 8.2, Big Bertha 7.4, Havaspot, British King 7.3, Hampton Park, Operatic, Ruffles 7.0. Buckland Hack, about seven furlongs and 22 yards:—Chief Joy, Principal 9.8, Tambourine 9.4, Good Idea 9.3, Land Measure 9.0, St. Ames 8.6, Royal Survey, Stimulant, Ding Dong, Town Beauty, Armutum, Escalus, King Swift, Howick, R’angikaha, Hit the Deck 8.0. Pukekote Handicap, about seven furlongs and 22 yards:—Havering 9.13, Ti Tree 8.6„ King Willonyx 8.2, Haviland 7.13, Rosshire, Big Bertha 7.12, Havaspot 7.11, Envoy 7.3, Cynthia N. 7.4, Hannibal, Good Boy, Patutahi, Storm Fiend, Jaeldy Karo, Maurianena 7.0.

INVERCARGILL T.C. ACCEPTANCES INVERCARGILL, February 27. Following are the acceptances for the first day, March 4, of the Invercargill Trotting Club’s meeting: — Miden Handicap, (3.45 class) one and a-half miles —War Paint, Capt. Sun, Lena Bingen, Jack Hammer, Bracken, Martelli, Special Sun, Chiming Wave, Lindrum, Lady Direct, Sea Wave, Single Lee scr., Godetia, Arabis 12, Scotty Bingen 24, Free Chimes 48. Monowai Handicap (3.48 class), one mile and a-half— Maliinerangi, Erin’s Court, Wild Ridge, Goodwood, Bon Fleur, Patchwood, Frisco Maid, Keen Derby scri, Royal Stan 12, Bon Jour, Binatra 24, Cathedral Rose 60, Jade 120.

Crescent Handicap (3.42 class), one and a-half mile —Sunflash, Jack Hammer, Chiming Billy scr. Nyallo Silk, Probationer, Meditate, Bright Sun, Jack Hobbs, John Appear, Sadie Bingen, Baker Girl, Master Roy 12, Madam Locanda 36, Erin’s Fair, Cheap Money, Baby Joan 48. Lady Vita 60. Invercargill Trotting .Cup Handicap (4.44 class), two .miles —Belinda, Chimer, Reo Chimes, Bay Admiral scr., Black Lion, Silver Jack 12, Coldwood 24, Meteor 36, Lydia 48. Thomson tlandicap (3.39 class), one and a-half miles —Prairie King, Paramount, Deste, June Nelson scr., Winning Wave, Erin’s Chance, Jock’s Pal, Erin’s Star 12, Celeste 24, Luath 36, Ellegro 48, Spring Chimes 84. Travis Memorial Handicap (5.4 class), 2 miles —Gardenella, Episode, Bell Norris, Modern Girl, scr., Bon Jour 24, Sunny Gold 48, Sunspeck 96, Jade 144. Members’ Handicap (2.55 class) one and a-quarter miles —Lady Zita, Musical Chimes, Suncross, Marvin Dillon, Bay Admiral scr., Alva Lass. Silver Jack, Imperial Bingen 12, Guy Bingen, Mister Pointer 24, Nelson’s Victory 48,

Takitimu Handicap (2.24 class), one mile —Madam Locanda, Radio, Sea Mist, Rona Bell, Master Jack, Baker Boy, June Nelson, Merry Wave scr., Woodbura Direct, Honest Dillon, Erin’s Chance, Celeste, Wave Soon 12, Sunstorm 24, Jazolock, Jolly Wave 36, Erin’s Boy 48, Dick Swithin 60.