TROTTING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 7

TROTTING NOTES.

FORM OF EPSOM HORSES. MOUNTAIN DELL'S CONDITION. NELSON TASKER ON HARD MARK. Mountain Dell has been having a fairly comfortable time since her unsuccessful trip to Addington last month, when she went off colour while travelling, and has now brightened up considerably. When required to undertake more serious duties in the near future, 6he will be in good heart for her allotments. Having worked her way back among the better-grade pacers, Mountain Dell is finding it difficult to get suitable races in the North, and L. Mitchell mav not require her to reach her true form again until the Auckland Cup meeting. Nelson Tasker is, again shaping up into something like racing condition, but, in epite of repeated failures, he is still kept on a good horse's mark. He earned his penalties in the days when fast tracks affected the marks, and the change in the system has proved of no use to him. Although he only once succeeded in winning over two miles, he is kept on such a tight sprint handicap that it puts him on a 4.31 lino for the longer journey. While every sportsman would appreciate a win for Nelson Tasker and his owner, it must be admitted that his present-day prospects are not rosy. Gold Treasure is doing well all that is required of him at present, and by the time of the Auckland October meeting A. J. Julian should have him in solid order lor the chief two-miles events. When started at Epsom last month Gold Treasure was not ready, but when properly attuned he is more than useful and over two miles and on a holding track is always dangerous in his class. Progress of Carnui. Without being set any exacting tasks, Carnui is going along in the right way at Epsom and his solid condition suggests that when F. J. Smith elects to send him along in earnest he will not be long in striking his right form again. Last season Carnui demonstrated that he was a genuine stayer, and, while ho is also useful over 10 and 12 furlongs, ho will probably be seen to better advantage over two miles. Without earning much money, Dan Direct is gradually creeping back in handicaps over various distances and difficulty may be experienced in placing him. lhat ho is not a genuine stayer was again demonstrated at Epsom last month, when, after having a raco run to suit him. ho could not raise enough finishing dash to coax Kewpie's Ouv out of an cxerciso jog. Admitting that Kewpie's Guy is exceptionally smart, Dan Direct should have been able to make a better showing. His condition was right, but the requisite stamina wus lacking. . , . ~ , Nella Dillon is bearms a very bright and robust appearance and her solid racing campaign last season did her a lot of good. Although considered by many to bo a nonstayer, she eventually proved this judgment to bo incorrect, for, while the To Aroha Cup was the only two-miles race she won. she made several other creditable showings over the journey. As Nella Dillon has improved in staying power with age, it will not be surprising to find her this season playing a prominent part in ono of the bjg events at Epsom. Tumatakuru's Prospects. While Tumatakuru is etill a possibility in races over a mile and a mile and a-quyrter. he looks to have the hardest part in lion! of him to win from his present mark in twomiles events. Last season W. J. Tomkmson had a good run of successes with him over sprint courses, but he failed repeatedly over two miles from 4.38 and 4.37. Under the new assessments Tumatakuru suiters considerably in being placed on tho 4.34 line. When TorHedo Huon came north to torn J. McKeudrick's stable some weeks ago he looked low in condition and it was generally conceded that the season would bo we] advanced before ho would show anything *like form. However he has come along in fine style during the last couple of weeks and is putting on so much condition thai hopes arc entertained that ho will be well forward for the Auckland meeting next mouth. When Torpedo Huon first came to' Auckland from Australia he displaced fine form for J. S. Shaw, winning at his first two starts, and when back to form he should prove useful in his class. No fault can be found with the condition of Great Fame, who should bo well forward for his engagements next month. Great Fame has furnished into a solid type of four-year-old, but he still inclines to " greenness" on race day in spite of the fact that he has been given plenty of opportunities to gain racing experience-. Ho is developing useful speed riowers and with age should become a sufficiently good stayer to win a stake or two. Benefice in Good Order. Prince Etawah. who went off colour on the eve of the last Auckland meeting, has brightened up again and is ready to fake up serious work for immediate engagements. Prince Etawah appears to be delicately constituted and susceptible to colds, which on more than one occasion have put him back in his training. He is not big. but, is well bred and ranks as a very close relative to Enawah. Both are by Pcterwah, while Princess Em. dam of Prince Etawah. is a daughter of Ena Bell, dam of Enawah. Benefice is nice and big in condition and will not require a great deal of solid work to fit her for next month's racing. K. Morrison is very attentive to her and at times gives her a change to the trotting gait, on the trades. Judging by the square manner in which she tarries herself when working in this fashion, she would hrr;e mrde a useful trotter if educated to this department in her younger days. While is a little deficient in Fta-ing power. Benefice is not larkiutr in brilliancy and over 10 and 12 furlongs is one of the lies! propositions in the North Island. Since her fine, victor- nt Alexandra Pari; last month Parrish Belle has _ not been bustled in her worlr and she thriving on light tasks. She has never lookc' better fid brirVer, and, having become more robust, should race much moresnlid'" (llis Fo.tson. There v.-i'll be very little to suit her in the trottinsr line until the Christmas me.etincr. but she may be give" n chance to test herself acainst the racer? at the meetings next month. IMPROMPTU'S GOOD FORM. FAILURE AS A TROTTER. The Hamilton-owno 1 Impromptu, who continued his successful run by winning the Bollard Memorial Handicap at Wellington on Saturday, should add further to his laurels before going too far bad: in the handicaps. When first, secured by Mr. C. Moran, Impromptu was tried at the trotting gait; but on the advice of R. A. McMillan, who early formed a good opinion of the horse's capabilities as a pacer, he was given a chancre-over, with happy results._ Last season he won four races in succession for McMillan, and judging by his present, form it will not occasion surprise to find him repeating lhat performance for J. S. Shaw. NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE. TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP. W. I). Moloney, who purchased Verli»ern al the dispersal sale of Mrs. Elgar's horses, has registered his racing colours. '1 hey are dark green, violet crossed sashes, and they will bo carried for the first lime by Vertigorn in tho Seafield Handicap at Wanganui on Thursday. Quite a few of the youngsters entered for the Wanganui Debutant Stakes were unnamed when the nominations closed but mimes have recently been claimed for a couple of them, the Grand Knight-Rapture colt having been registered as Grand Joy and the Chief Ruler-Merry J winkle colt as Merry Ruler Owing to the fact that he has been slightly sore Hunting Cry was allowed to drop out of the Plying Handicap at Wanganui and it is unlikely that he will keep any of hut early spring engagements. It is to be hoped that Hunting Cry's trouble will soon disappear, as it would be a creat pity if soreness were to seriously affect his preparation at this stage. It is evidently the intention of R. J. Mateer to run both Standfast and Valroe in the Avondale Cup, as he has engaged riders for both horses. R. McTavish is to be Valroo's pilot and J. Cammick will ride Standfast McTavish's other tnounls al Avondale will include Lolerie, Foreign Money and Karangapai and Cammick has also been engaged for King Ford, Rippling Waters, Aulahi and Gay Lap. The forward running of Ptolemy, who finished second, in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwiek on Saturday, revives memories of the complications that aroso over the brecdin" of Prince, Humphrey some months nf'er lhat colt had won the Australian Derby in Ptolemy is by Moabite from Shepherd Princess, which mure was credited with being the dam of Prince Humphrey, until investigation revealed that there bad been confusion and that Princess Ha_zel was really Prince Humphrey's dam. In 1929 the lato Mr. John Brown paid 2fioo guineas for a colt by Valais from Shepherd rvmeem and in the following year Mr. E. J. Watt paid 825 guineas for Ptolemy, who races in Mrs Walt's colours. Prince Humphrey was bought for only 70 guineas by Mr. H. R. Mackenzie in 1926.