TROTTING NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 24 June 1939, Page 6

TROTTING NOTES.

UENUKU A BARGAIN. 11AWERA CUP WINNER. (By “Square-Gaiter.”) Purchased originally at a cheap figure, the Key do Oro horse Ucntiku has proved to be the find of the trotting season, and lias now earned £1895 in stake money for his owner, Mr R. A. McMillan. Uonuku was a poor-looking sort when McMillan bought him, but ho was giver, plenty of time to develop, with the result that he gnidullv furnished into a nice horse. Ho showed promise, too, and early in his three-year-old career got oil the winning list at Cambridge. Ho failed in the Great Northern Derby of 1937, hut scored a win in sensational time, after a .very had break, on the second day of that meeting, and followers of the sport at; once sat up, took notice, and commenced to talk of Uenuku as a possible champion. He earned £3OO that season, and was produced next at the spring meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club to defeat l’arauri, who was conceding him 12yds. It was not until December 29, at Epsom, that Uenuku demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that he was a horse of distinctly high-class calibre. Ho was beaten that day, but what a wonderful race lie put up. It electrified the huge crowd. His conquerer was Van Derby, who recently established at Addington the world’s record time, for a pacer, of 3.9 3-5 for a mile and a-linlf against time. Van Derby was called upon to concede Uenuku 36yds. over a mile and a-quarter in the Summer Handicap, and they were practically on terms a furlong from the winning post. The advantage was with Uenuku, slight thought it was, and most of those present expected Yan Derby to continue his run and leave Uonuku behind. But the son of Roy do Oro washy no means beaten. lie battled out every inch of the ground in courageous style, and they flashed past the judge almost in line. Yan Derby had won by a head. It was a magnificent exhibition of pacing, revealing Uenuku in a new light, and when he ran a record niilo and a-half for the track (3.13 2-5) in the Bledisloe Handicap two days later nobody was surprised. . n Uenuku’s successes in the Ilawera Cup and Adams Memorial Handicap, both two-mile races, also puts the stamp on liim as a genuine stayer. lie won both races in hollow style,’ and will commence tiio new season on 2.45 and 4.30 marks. These should not trouble him, and Uenuku will surpriso if he does not enter the best company in Now Zealand before the 193940 season closes. Gentleman Joe’s Activities.

Onc of the most raced trotting horses this season is Gentleman Joe, who contested 33 events for seven firsts, seven seconds and two thirds, which netted his owner-trainer, W. J. Allen, £ll3O. Gentleman Joe won at both gaits, appearing at Auckland. Grey-mouth, Nelson New Brighton, Palmerston North and Invercargill. while he was placed in two starts at Ilutt Park, after racing successfully the day before at Richmond. Gentleman Joe has proved a rare bargain for Allen, who secured him for £l2, and the manner in which ho won pacing and trotting events gives the impression that he will rise to greater heights. Injury to Popeye. Owing to an injury to the pacer Popeye. 11 10 horses raced by L. F. Berkctt at the Auckland winter meeting did not. leave on return to Nelson until recently. Popeye was sore after his races, and Bcrkeit decided to give his team, which included Warship ami Worthy Merit, a spell before going south. While in the paddock Popeye ricked a hip, the injury proving serious.