TROTTING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 9

TROTTING NOTES.

EPSOM TRACK GOSSIP.

PREPARING FOR WHANGAREI. ■ 1 j, i j. i ■ { MIGNONNE'S . PROGRAMME. Matters generally at Epsom are-quiet for the present, and excepting : for the few probable candidates for Wellington, no fast work is being indulged in. However., this stato of" affairs will not last long, as a number of horses , trained at Alexandra Park are booked to visit Whangarei at the end of the month, and another week should see the tracks bearing ft livelier appearanco. A. J. Julian will in all probability take five of his team to the .Northlancl meeting, but the consistent stake-earner. .Cold Trea sure, is oil the easy list and will not bo required until the Auckland February fixture. Etta Cole, who failed to reproduce lier track work at the recent carnival. i» a likely starter in the big event at Wliatignrei. and Rolfe Audubon. Worthy Chief. Worthy Cause, and the trotter Moicopuna may also make the trip, Rolfe Audubon only requires to race in his besit style to win some handicaps on the country circuit. L. McM'uhon has decided not to neraevore further with the education of Grand Downs, tho novice trotter by Grand Voyage—Miss Marvin Downs. At times he showed signs of promise, but in' spite of the fact that lie is bred on good trotting lines ho failed to make sufficient progress to satisfy his trainer. McMahon has a useful novice pacer in commission, a filly by Tho Triumph who, although still very green, displays promise. Tho well-seasoned pair. Gold Jacket and Mignonne, are going along pleasingly in their work, and while the former ia .likely to go to Wellington for the- Gold jCup/'Mignonne's-'missloil will be the :principal events on ■ tho'Northland progrernme.

Oliver ' Thorpe Improving

W, Willetts has despaired of doing any good with Brutus," especially 'wliile the tracks are in such & Tiard 'state, arid ho has sent the old pacer.'hofne, I the vacancy in the stable beirur.filled by Nathaniel, "who fins been spelling. appears to' be a difficult horse to get ..rjght;,. to sonic recurring leg trouble, and Just as ho begins to show form "that r suggests A victory, he has to be easdd in his work. : Nathaniel will not bo ready'for-the Whangarei meeting, but his brother, Oliver/ Thorpe, will keep his engagement -on Japuary 29. Oliver Thorpe should bo in,good condition for his engagements. .. , George Webb is keeping. Lord Haldane up to the collar in view of the tro'lting events on the Northland programme, ftitd'by the' date of tho fixture the ex-pacer should be well forward to tackle tho opposition. Lord Hnldane seems to race better on big tracks and in this respect he should bo well suited nt Kensington Park. Vanity Boy. who is also billed to appear at the same fixture, is hitting out in nice style after a good respite. Vanity Boy shows to tho best advantage when racing fresh and last year he put up a rattling good performance in winning a mile at Whangarei. W. Clifton is allowing The Abbey and Explosion to take things a few days, but his other charge, Dad's Hope, is receiving sound work with a view to racing at "Whangarei. Dad's Hope certainly inspires hope by bis fine track displays but when' it conies to actual racing he does not reproduce his best efforts. Dad's Hope has so far done best with the weight on top, T. J. Smith's Team.

P. J. Smith is getting the youpg trotter Carl Mack into racing trim and the A 1 Mack horse is making good progress. When first stepped out on the Epsom training groundp last year Carl Mack showed a lot of promise for T. McQuoid, but when taken to the races he did not appear to know what was required of him. consequently his work in public was considerably discounted. If Carl Mack races now as lie works his' new owner, Mr. J". Stormont, should not bo long in. securing a return on his pur;chase price. Queen Elizabeth and Pavlova are also going along smoothly under Smith's care, and Pavlova, who is a half-sister to the crack colt, liod Shadow, should find the compuny at Whangarei to her taste. Last season Pavlova ran creditable races at ten furlongs and on one or two occasions shaped encouragingly over two miles., Queen Elizabeth last year failed in races over the longer distance, but a handicap' like the main event at Whangarei should 'suit her' all right. Man o' Bello will represent the stable in tho novice events. So close and exciting was the finish of the Telegraph Handicap at Epsom last week between Gold Treasure and Migponne that few onlookors noticed the tight struggle between Master Huia and Glandore for third place. There was little or nothing between them as they, passed the judgo, the Otahuhu pacer .securing; the decision by a narrow margin. Glandore raii one of his best races for niany a long day and if. he reproduces that effort' in the big race at Whangaroi ho would havo excellent prospects of repaying his trainer, A. McGarry, for his patience and perseverance. Glandore. however, will never win while restricted to a 4.39 mark. . :

Enjoying a Spell.

G. Fairman is treating Warplane and Warspite to ft- short rospite, and they will havo the freedom of the paddock until their trainer returns from the "Wellington meeting. Warspite raced in Bullen mood 'at tho recent carnival, but ho may do better nftir tho spell away from the tracks. Warplane's form was disappointing during the mooting, and!ho appeared to lack finish in his races. lie had every chance in the mile dash and . was early in' the lead but when the pressuro was oil Warplane faded away to finish outside the .money. Prior <o the Auckland meeting" Nelhi Dillon was given a lot of long-distance work and while slio was accepted for in tho two miles d'hristmns Handicap, she did not start, preferring tho ton furlongs raoe. which alio wou in cood stylo. Nella Dillon's training over the longer distance would suggest that her owner has his eye on tho principal event at Whangarei, and while she has nevoi shown form in her two miles essays under silk to cause enthusiasm over her chances, there is no reason why she should not now display stamina, as sho is well matured and bred on right . lines. Margaret Wallace has been enjoying an easy time during the Christmas racing season but her owner-trainer, E. G. Sandal), will soon put tho polish on tho littlo mare again in view of tho Northland meeting. Last year at Whangarei, Margaret Wallace put up two sound performances, and was unfortunate in striking two fine novices like Mountain Princess and Gumdigger, who both finished in front of hor in her two stnrts. Margaret Wallace has not had tho beat of luck in her racing career, and a victory for her would be well received. Carnui in Good Heart. A. Nixon has discarded the idea of converting Carnui to the trotting gait and 11 io pacer is making satisfactory progress on the track at Avondale, where he does - the bulk of his preparation. When in need of a run in company Carnui visits Alexandra Park, and his condition attracts favourable comment. Although C'arntii. has not succeeded in winning a race he is a useful sort of pacer, and should prove equal to piiying ft dividend at some of the ( country fixtures. . . ~. It is quite on the cards that Benefice wilt lie an early aspirant for country cup lion ours, and in her present fine form she should be equal to the task of seeing out tho two miles. Last season she was tried over tho longer distance when sho made a couple of ffti;.' showings for K. Morrison, who has suptooded in getting her. to the top of'her form. Morrison is also attending to tho preparation of the Australianbred horse Metal, who. is in work again at Epsom after'doing stud duty. Golden Huifi'continues to-trot along'in a satisfactory manner for her <swner-trainer, F LoVegrovo. and she has boen giving indications of better pacing performances in .the not-distant future. A younger half-sister to Golden Huia, by The Triumph, who is receiving her early tuition _ from the same source, i.s a real trotter in tho making, and her bold swinging action has already attracted considerable attention on the Epsom training grounds. Huia Girl, dam of these two trotters.' was a useful performer in tho Lovegrove livery,