TROTTING IN AMERICA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21910, 20 September 1934, Page 9

TROTTING IN AMERICA

MR. J. R. McKENZIE'S VISIT THE HAMBLETONIAN STAKES "I went, to see the race for the Hambletonian {stakes at Goshen, 50 miles from New York," said the New Zealand trotting owner, Mr. J. It. Ale-. Kenzie, who returned to Wellington from San Francisco by the Mnunganui on Monday. "The Hambletonian is the biggest trotting event in America. Owing to there being no pronounced favourite, it was expected that there would be a record crowd. This proved to be the case, as 35,000 people wero present ; •••• ' "Before the start, Emily Stokes was the favourite, and Muscletone was second favouri'e. 1 was surprised to find that mos| of the runners had raced the previous week some thousand miles away, and four weeks prior to that they raced still further away. It was necessary to transfer them by motor-' floats over 1000 miles a few days before the running of the Hambletonian Stakes. "I am sure no New Zealand traineT would attempt to do this with a horse that lie had entered for the Near Zealand Cup. Somehow, however, in America they seem to be able to get their horees in better racing condition than we do hera, and horses there will stand up to more racing than our horses. Fastest Time 2.21 •"In the Hambletonian Stakes I witnessed the best-contested race I have ever seen. The race was run in three heats and a final. The horses all took part in all the heats, but only the winners in the final. There happened to be different winnere of each heat. The slowest timo for any heat was 2m 41s for the mile, and•the fastest was 2m 2js. "Princess Pegg won the first heat. Lord Jim the second, and Muscletone th» third. Ip the final Lord Jim was successful, Muecletone second, and Princess Pegg third. I consider that the winning of the race waß largely due to the clever and heady race driven by M. Parchall, and he got a larger share of the stake for his etahle, as t he sp manoeuvred as to let Muscletone win the third heat, a horse that was also <>ut of his stable, and he was content to run second in this he%t with Lord Jim. In the final Muscletone went out to make the pace, and he and Princess Pegg fought out the race for the first three-quarteTs of a mile, and when these horses were put down Parchall brought Lord Jim with a good run and easily won the race: Princess Pegg broke under pressure. Muscletone coming ud and' beating her for second rlace." Delay in Starting "There is no doubt they have a number of very fine drivers in Amerioa. One cannot, however, fay a great deal for the management of trotting there. In my opinion, trainers and drivers have far wore control and eay than they have in New Zealand. In one of the heats of the Hambletonian Stakes a horse pulled a shoe off, and this was after several false etarte. Every horse and driver left the ground. The horees were taken out of the sulkies and the publio was kept waiting half an hour before they returned to the track. In another heat there were 12 false starts. Repeatedly there would be from 36 to 48 yards between the first and last horses wheii the starter would let them go. I did not see a really good start at the whole meeting—that is. a start in which the horses got away in line with one another. This seems to me to be almost impossible, as the drivers score up themselves whenever they think they are ready. If these tactics were adopted in New Zealand the public would walk off the course. This meeting should have finished at, five o'clock. However, it was seven o clock before the last race was run. FOXTON RACING CLUB SATURDAY'S ACCEPTANCES LARGE FIELD IN; GOLD CUP [by telrgraph—press association] FOXTON, Wednesday Acceptances for the Foxton Racing Club n Spring Meeting on Saturday are as follows: MAIDEN STAKES, of £SO: weight 8.5; 6 fur.—Chaste, Dampier, Eketere, Enif. Uolden Empire. Harvest Moon. Leith. J->ora Moutoa, Martinness, Misfire, Royal Allianco, Saxony, Tannin. ; >, . PAIAKI HURDLES, of £Boi Inula 5 fur. —pahu, ll.U; R«»ttui, .9:7;"Manawaln. 9.3; Red Sun, 9.1; Calydon. Kotaki Eka, Royal Papa, Agrestic, The Storm Wind, 9.0. MOTTJITI HAGK HANDICAP, of £7O; 6 fur.—Pladie, 9.0; Sanguine King, 8.13; Arena, 8.11; Courtega, 8.6; Land Tax, 8.6: Wasteland, Bellbroney, 7.12; Whetuma. 7.10; Hybiscus. 7.7; Dick Whittington. Sweet Music. Royal Passion, 7.1; Mercian Queen, Gay Boy, 7.8. CARNARVON GOLD CUP. of £l5O and gold cup valued at 50gns. presented by Mr. J. F. McKelvie, 11 miles.—Red Manfred, 9.0; Carfex. 8.6~ Gold Trail, 8.5: Arikira, 8.3; Ha*oor, Catalogue, 8.2; Princess Doreen. 8.0: Rereatu, 7.11; Lalla Quex, 7.7; Lady Ronald. 7.6; Ida. Merluuf, 7.3; Korokio, 7.2; Spearform, Headmistress, 7.0. FOXTON HANDICAP, of £6O; 4i fur.—Legatee, 8.13; Symcony, 84; Alchemic, Heritage, Bumble, Hunting Scene, Maestro, 8.3; Going Gay, 7.12; Nightlass, Sergia, Pomposity. 7.10. AWAHOU HACK HANDICAP, of £80; 9 fur.—Davistock, 8.10; King Thomond, 8.7; Dorado, Boudoir, 8.1; Leo Colossus, 7.10; Wasteland, 7.9; Kalmuk, 7.4:. Purse. 7.2; Bee Acre. Raparaharii. Mnnawatu, Flaxen, Inveresk, King's Lancer, 7.0.

ROBINSON HANDICAP, of £9O; 7 fur.— Red Manfred, 9.3; Good Hunting. 8.10; Rereatu." 8.8: Copper King. 8.2; Foreign Queen. B.o< Pin Money. 7.12: Walton Park, 7.10; Korokio, 7.6; Midian. 7.5; Spearform. 7.0.

MOUTOA HACK HANDICAP, of .£66; dI fur.—Sanguine King, 9.0; Pheon, 8.12; Bodyline, Whetuma, 7.12; Hybiscus, 7.9; Flarnmarion. 7.7; Ethiop. 7.5; Gold Mission, 7.4; Dick Whittington, 7.2; Lord Moatoa, Royal Passion, 7.1; Harvest Moon, Acrehct. Mercian Queen, Gay Boy, 7.0. RICCARTON JOTTINGS FREE AIR'S PROSPECTS [by TELKGRAPH —OWN correspondent] CHRISTC&URCH, Wednesday Monastic has made marked improvement as a jumper during the past few weeks and at Riccarton to-day, with H. Turner in the saddle, Rave a very creditable display over four hurdles. Free Air, who haß not raced over hurdles since she filled third place in the Grand National Hurdle Pace to Huntique and Pahu, will be an interesting contestant m the hurdle event at Geraldine to-morrow. She ran a good race into fourth place in the Longbeach Hack Handicap at Ashburton last Saturday after having an unfavourable passage in the early stages, and as she schooled well Mgterday she will be entitled to strong support. Ranelagh and Red Dance were given ft useful task over seven furlongs to-day, covering the distance in 1.30. Ranelagh appeared likely to beat his companion home but Red Dance hung on well and finished as if a longer journey would not have troubled him. He is engaged in the Geraldine Cup and under hie light impost may effect a surprise. . Davolo has had two serviceable gallops this week and is to take his j lace in the Geraldine Cup. He has a big weight but should take part in the finish. His success under 9.G in the Islington Handicap, one mile and a-fjuarter, at Riccarton last r.'onth whs easily attained, but it bcis to be lupine in mind that the race was run to suit him and superior judgment on the part of ma lider «s compared with that of other pilots in the race had much to do with his win. He will be ridden to-morrow by D. O Connor. Vintage continues to execute pleasing work and will make his reappearance at Trentham next, month. His owner does not like the idea of training him for two miles race early in the season and'the gelding may not contest the New Zealand Cup. but is likely to go to Ellershe for the Auckland Cup. ■