TROTTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20081, 19 October 1928, Page 18

TROTTING.

• SEASON'S FIXTURES. October 22 —Northland,.Trottinn Club. . November 6, 8. 9—New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. November 17, 21—Olahuhu Trotting Club. November 24—Wellington Trotting Club. December B—Waikato Trotting Club. December 27. 29. 31—Auckland Trotting Club. AUCKLAND SPRING MEETING NOTES ON THE FORM. BY PICADOR. It wm unfortunate for the. Auckland Trotting Club that inclement weather ; necessitated a postponement of the first day of its spring meeting. Saturday racing is always better attended than that held on other days and the club, therefore missed, what would have been'the best revenue-producing : day. All things considered the meeting went off well, but the lotalisator turnover was over £ 15,000 below last year. There has been a general falling off in totalisator business this season, and unless the figures keep up better at later meetings clubs may' have to seriously consider llio advisability of reducing stakes next season. It is unlikely that the receipts from gates and other sources would be as large an in some previous years, and the profit would not be np to the standard of some previous spring meetings. How a horse's form will vary according to the way he is driven was instanced in the case of Harvest Child. Off the limit in the Stewards' Handicap his driver made no use of his handicap and in a race that developed into a sprint home Harvest Child missed a place. Different tactics were adopted in the Junction Handicap. Harvest Child being made to set a solid pace, with the result that he won easily in 4.30. There is more success awaiting this pacer, who should be racing in better company in the near future. After being slow to begin, Gold Dial paced a sound race into fourth position in the Junction Handicap. Nelson Tasker also made a good showing in tho same event, and the pair should add interest to the contest for the Northland Trotting Cup on Monday next. It is difficult to see, howevor, how they are going to concedo GOyds, to Tho Abbey, who wont 4.37 3-5 into third placo in the Remnera Handicap. The Abbey is likely to be improved by his race, and on figures he should require considerable beating in the leading event at Kensington Park. Etta Cole's Double. Tho two winning performances of Etta Cole stamped her as a young trotter of more than

average ability. On the first day she won by a bare margin, but on the second occasion sho made light of a penalty and scored impressively. Etta Cole opened the. meeting on n 3.42 mark, but will in future bo on a more difficult mark, as she stopped 3.35 1-5 in her socond success. All the same, she will still be nicely positioned to achieve more victories and these should come later. Age is likely to improve her considerably and she should so on to better company. Despite the fact that he failed to make his numerous supporters any return in either of his engagements. Bright Light will not be overlooked in his next few starts. The chestnut trotter wont two good races without being quite thoroughly attuned, and he should bo a better horse a month hence. On the second day he stepped 3.34 off a 3.37 mark and could only finiah third. This demonstrates how difficult it is on occasions to win in slow classes where some of the runners offon have a good margin for improvement. One thing that will always stand to Bright Light is his solidity and his turn should come early. . , . Tiger Salvo must be getting old, but he is bettor than ever at present. His two winning performances were achieved in good stylo and his effort in recording 4.35 2-5 in the Hillsboro' Trolling Handicap was the best of his career. Two qualities that are always likely to stand to Tiger Salve are his solidity and staying ability, os they frequently go toward success.

Making his first appearanco this season Great Peter was unable to finish closer than third in the Newmarket Handicap, but his display was very encouraging. Over the first mile he was a good distance behind.the leaders. but ho came home brilliantly and would have been closer only for being checked running into the baok stretch. Great Peter has never been robust and is still rather light. Still bo soems to be improving in stamina, and. like his full-brother Peter Binpen. he should eventually come really pood. There is no doubt that he possesses the necessary brilliancy and another few months might mako a big difference to his form.

Gold Jacket's Form. Without reaching a place Gold Jacket wont a Rood race in tho Spring Handicap and was in the firing lino at tho home turn. That run improved the black pacer for lie finished in better stylo at his next appearance and narrowly defeated Loch Moich in tho Alexandra Handicap. Having won two important handicaps Gold Jacket has already paid his way handsomely this season. His improvement during the past twelve months has been remarkable, for ho has developed from a shifty pacer into a real cood horse. In future ho will be on a tight mark, but horses of his ability have a habit of winning in (lioir turn. Despite tho fact that he annexed £515 in stakes by his win and two minor Jackie Audubon was" one of tho unlucky horses of the meeting. His driver persisted in sticking to the fence and waited too long for openings that never came in two of the events he contested, otherwise tho bay. pacer would have notched another victory. Jackie Audubon trailed a bunohed field into tbf straight in the Campbell Handicap and it was only by a brilliant run that he got up second. Had be not boon checked in the last hundred yards he would liavo beaten Jewel Pointer, because he had to be eased to voer inwards. Jackie Audubon has not -finished winning yet. On various occasions Young Blake has treated local trotting enthusiasts to some brilliant exhibitions of trotting, but none better than he recorded in the Hillsboro" Trotting Handicap. Conceding starts ranging from 12 to 114 yards to his opponents ho made a gallant attempt to win and registered the fast timo of 4.28 3-5. This must bo close to a record for a trotter on the local track, and it was a pity that such a splendid display did not meet with a better reward than third. Young Blake was produced among the pacers earlier in tho day. but ho failed to strike a gait atHhe start and was pulled up. Had he bogan correctly he would have mado matters merry for tho hoppled brigade in tho Alexandra. Handicap, because ho went a second better ill his later engagement than tho winner of tho chief event.

A Good Three-year-oH. Ko bettor performance hns boon registered on tho local track by a three-ycur-old at this stage of tho season Ihnn thai of Wrackler in running second in tho Jloniueni Handicap, After being responsible for bo was only beaten by half-a-head in the last few strides and registered the Rood time of 4.3G 2-5 for the two miles. Wrackler is » real racehorse and tho manner in wlijch ho battled out tho finish under" pressure was proof that ho possesses courage of the highest order. One would have preferred to see the youngster miss such a hard race so early in his career, but he is a h nr d.v customer that will come up with renewed vigour. ■ Wrackler promises to reach the first flight at an early age. Track conditions were more in favour of Western King on tho second day than they were on the Monday, and he pleased his admirers by making a considerably better showing to finish third in the Alexandra Handicap. It is probable that he would have won only for being alow to begin, as ho only failed in the last furlong after being in front with nearly a lap to go, 'A'here an impression that Western Kin? is abetter horse on the dirt. track at Addington than he is on the grass and he will be in favour in his engagements at the southern centre next month. Despite ■ the fact that ho wii8 r very sore after running second in the Spring Handicap, Loch Moigh again raced well in tho Alexandra -Handicap and was only defeated in the last few strides. As lie wob beaten by a nerk and half-a-head in tho two principal events of the meeting he was not, by any lneiiua lucky. Loch Moigh is » genuine race horse who may be still susceptible to .improvement, and ho only ■■requires to keep sound to figure prominently on moro occasions during the season.