TROTTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20075, 12 October 1928, Page 18

TROTTING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES.

October 13, 17—Auckland Trot tine Club. October 22—Northland Trotting Club. November 6, 6. 9—New Zealand Metropolitan

Trotting Club. November 17 Ql—Otnhuhu Trotting Club November 21—Wellington Trotting Club. December B—Waikato Trotting Club. December 27. 29. 31—Auckland Trotting Club

AUCKLAND SPRING MEETING

TO-MORROW'S INAUGURATION.

The Auckland Trotting Club's Spring Meeting opens to-morrow and the fine list of acceptances received for the eight events forming the programme points to a capital day's sport nt the Epsom ground. The first event ia timed to bo started at 11.30 a.m., and the programme will be brought off in (he following orderWaitemota Trot Handicap (H miles), Improvers' Handicap (1{ miles). Spring Handicap (two miles). Great Northern Trotting Derby (IS miles), Stewards' Handicap (two miles). October Handicap (oiid mile). Mountain I rot Handicap (two miles), and Electric Handicap (lit miles).

NOTES BY PICADOR. It is very unfortunate for visiting and local trainers with horses engaged at the coming Auckland meeting, that wet weather lias rendered the dirt training track at Alexandra Park unfit to work on. tor the most part those horses to put in an appearance yesterday were restricted to logging on the sand. Others did a little exercise on the roads and their trainers are hoping for improved conditions this morning.

Once he realised that ho would be unable to do any serious work with his charges nt Alexandra Park yesterday W. J. Tomkinson lost no time in having Pageant, Young Blake. Dalmeny and Ilinkler conveyed by motor to Mangere, where ho was able to work them on the grass. Other trainers to visit Mangere yesterday were P. Gilchrist with Etta Cole and A. Julian with Nelson McCormack and Rolfe Audubon.

The Spring Handicap candidate Dalmeny was indulged in a useful piece of work over two miles on the grass at Mangere yes.terday. lli3 stable mate, Pageant, acted as a companion and they both paced freely without going after time. Dalmeny is a solid and reliablo pacer, whoso excellent condition should be a factor in his favour in coming engagements. Several horses seem to be more favoured in connection with the Spring Handicap than the black pacer, but i( has only to keep wot for his prospects to bo regarded more highly. Dalmeny is distinctly partial to soft going.

Tho Croat Northern Derby candidates Rolfe Audubon (A. Julian) nnd Ilinkler (W. •T. Tomkinson) were associated in a useful effort over a milo and n-half on the crass nt. Mangere yesterday. They were in close company most of the journey, with Rolfe Audubon slightly in front at the finish. Neither youngster made any mistake and their performance was oatisfactory without being impressive. Rolfo Audubon is scarcely seasoned enough to compete successfully with more seasoned opponents in tho classic and in that respect he will be at. a disadvantage with Ilinkler, who commenced his education earlier.

One of the most interesting items on the grass track at Mangero yesterday was the performance of Young Blnko in stepping two miles in faultless fashion. For the first, mile and a-half ho was going round about a 2m 30s gait and then he increased the speed to come homo stronrly. There are few more brilliant trotters in thy Dominion than Young Blake, and, despite tho fact that ho is on a tight mark, he can bo expected to make his presenco felt again soon. Last season ho won three races at Alexandra Park nnd it is rarely that ho fails to perform well in his visits to Auckland.

Good judges who ha7o witnessed the latest fast work of Trustworthy have been favourably impressed with her efforts. It is therefore a pity that sho> has been under a cloud for several days with an injury to her olf kne3. Her connections have hopes of getting her to tho post to contest the Great Northern Trotting Derby, though they would have been more hopeful regardin;,' her prospects had she finished her preparation without tho mishap. Still she has done u lot of work and perhaps several easv days may not be entirely detrimental to her prospects. Trustworthy at her best might thoroughly test tho beat of the southern three-year-olds

Despite the fact that ho does not stay well, Billy Carbine registered several fair performances among the slow-class trotters. One of his best efforts was to go 3m 39 3-5s in running third off a 3m 41s mark, and another was a placed performance of \m 52 2-5s over two miles. Ilia mile and a-half record was made on a day when tho track was very fast. Nevertheless Billy Carbine reads nicely placed on a 3m 'los mark in the Waitemata. Trot Handicap. As he has been trotting with freedom, there is reason to believo that ho may show further form in the near future. This season Billy Carbino will raco in the interests of A. McSweeney, who had some success with My Junior a few years ago.

A prominent visiting trainer who went out to Mangerc to have a look at the work yesterday was very impressed with the track conditions and expressed the intention of making his headquarters there on future trips to Auckland. It was really a surprise to find the grass track in such splendid order after the heavy rain that fell over night. The conditions were really good and there is no doubt that when wet weather comes near a meeting tho trainers at iMangere aro certainly much better off for training facilities than tlioso using Alexandra Park, where tho dirt training track gets very heavy quickly when rain falls.

There ia a disposition in some quarters to consider Lonesome lis a likely winner among the slow-class trotters at the cominf? meeting. Up to the present ho has not a great, den! to his credit, but he recorded one performance last season that should make his prospects worthy of consideration. The effort referred to was when ho finished second to Nelson's Princo in the Innovation Handicap at Oamaru and went 3m 41 3 ss. A reproduction of that form should give Lonesome a chance in the claps he wil! have to meet here.

Although Betty Moko failed to win a raec last season, she was responsible for several really flood efforts and notched three minor placinga in five starts. Consistency has always been a feature of the form of this fine trotter and perhaps it will not be long before she is again seen to advantage. Handicapped on 4m 31s in tho Mountain Trot Handicap, she will begin from a mark o(T ivhicli her last placed performance was re corded, and she can therefore be regarded as nicely treated. Betty Moko has been trotting well on the trade and whenever she does this she invariably docs so in public. It is on tho cards sho will carry a lot of support in her coining engacemenls.

After a. long sequenco of defeats Rose Bingen Bhowed, a welcome return to form last winter by winning tho Members' Trot Handicap. On that occasion she was handi capped on 4m 3tis and trotted in her best style to narrowly beat that Bolid performer Tamerlane, who subsequently went 4m 31s at Addington. Rose Bingen comes into tho Mountain Trot Handicap in a nice position on a 4m 35s mark and would only require to be in the same form ns in Juno to get another shortly. A. Broughton has her in splendid trim and that may induco many to support her at the meeting.