TROTTING.

NZ Truth, Issue 282, 19 November 1910, Page 3

TROTTING.

Metropolitan T.C. Recent Carnival Summarised. It is astonishing the hold that trotting has m ChristchurGh, where' a meeting; like that of the Metropolitan. T.C. puts through more money than some • of the largest "gallop" clubs m the Dominion. On the nxs't day of the gathering at Addington m Carnival week, for instance, £17,036 was machined, as against £16,291 on the corresponding day of last year. The club has just ■ erected a new stand, with a seating capacity of 2500, which is the most gorgeous south of the line. Its length is. 340 ft, and the roof is by steel columns. The ceiling is Wunderlich metal and gives the building a very handsome appearance. There are numerous other fresh buildings and Appointments, showing the wealthy position of the club. People flocked out m thousands, and the sight was sufficient to make the savage wowser jveep, for a club that can afford to give a £1000 Cup must have been well patronised m the past. The handsome prize m question was for horses that can do 4.44 or better, And was won from scratch by Wild-. wood Jum., with Bright (Ssec) second, and Ribbons (7 sec) t.h'ii'd. Dick Fly was made favorite witli Albertofious, the winner being next m demand, whilst other competitors had a considerable number of friends. A Cerriiic bustle was caused at the start by Mandarene and Walnut, and four horses lost their riders, whilst Durbar was left at the post. This unfortunate incident, probably due to excitement on the part of both horses and men, robbed the race of a certain amount of interest. Verax was m a prominent position for some distance, but Wildwood Jun. came through at the finish and won- easily by four lengths m 4.33. Armamenter eas ; ly settled a little backed one m Bold Maid, the favorite (Volcano) j getting no nearer than third. An extraordinary Held of S4 got into harness for the Bracelet, and it I says much for the astuteness of the British public that it picked the correct pea m Lyonnaise, who got home rather easily from Rexcdrdium and Prince Reynard. That sterling performer, Lauderfale, had 4sec. start m the Empire Handicap, and was too good for Combine, King's Lynn, and several others.

The Riccarton Handicap (harness) attracted a large field, Silver Princess, popular fancy, being beaten out of a place by Wallace M., Millie C, and Starchild.

There was some excitement about the finish of the Middleton Handicap, White Rock, the people's fancy, making frantic efforts to get up to Lord Cardigan, whilst the crowd went temporarily mad. The two were out on their own, and beat Lula Child and a large field by a street. The public made no mistake about Ripon Child m the Au Revoir Handicap. In fact, it is astonishing how often the great mass of the crowd got on to the right animal. There was also much bullion for Little Tib and Ariel, who ran into places. Iranto, Eulogy, and Vermont, who filled the places .m the St Albans Handicap, made themselves very unpopular by beating Lucky Mount, who proved an unlucky investment for many r.ueful persons, who caught their car for home. It is even possible that some of them congratulated themselves that they had taken out a return ticket.

Features of the day's outing were the large fields and the excellent management, for which Mr Rattray, who is secretary for several trotting clubs, was largely, responsible. There is evidently plenty of lucre m Canterbury, for on the second day the sum of £14,085 went through the "chaff-cutter," as compared wi^h £12,422 on the corresponding day last year, whilst vociferous "Tommies" presented the club with £620,. as compared with £540 last year. m view of their, threatened extinction, they hastened to make money while the punters' gilt shone. The Hornby Handicap attracted an 'extremely large field, of which Solo and Volcano were the leading fancies. Bellas, however, proved too speedy, and outed Repeater and Troubadour h at the finish.

; There was weeping among the punters and joy with the bagmen when Wallace Jtm. was beaten by Silver Princess, Lord Ash'ton and Bonification. The silver lady, who had a fair number of friends, won m hollow fashion and pulling up. Miss Nightingale should have won the Bracelet, but broke at the bend for home, when a mare called Vigarata came on full of running and caught th"c judge's eye m front of Miss Nightingale and Lucknow (the favorite). . In this event the riders were dignified by the title of "Mr.'' The public had a good win over St. S within m the Courtenay Handicap, which is worth £400, and, naturally, a large field of good ones was attracted. This was the best race of the day, £>t. Swithin and Emmeiine finishing the two-mile journey very .strongly, the saint getting home by a large nose. Wilfeie came next, then Derringcote.

The £200 November Handicap was another gift to Laudervale, who prevailed on the first day. "Decoration's name was loudly proclaimed, at the straight entrance, when the gelding broke, and L'audervale came on and Won pulling up, with a considerable distance away "third.. Vanclare, public fancy, finished next. A pxam'ment gentleman m Wellington received an advertisement whea Sir Joe passed G.T.F. and' White Rock at the right end, to the dismay of an extremely large number of punters, for the winner didn't seem to be popular.

It seems to be a habit to name animals after prominent personages, the winner of the next event being Marie Corelli. who had considerable trouble m beating First, Pet and Hue Elect at the finish of the Railwxy Handicap, m which there were a large number of competitors, including the unlucky Lucky Mount.

That serviceable performer, Vcrax, did the trick m the*. Royal Handicap, which is worth £210 soys, lor which sum Wilkie and King Cole made a strong bid at the finish. Mandarene, who was unlucky enough to meet with an accident on- th r - previous day, and carried the confidence of a lar^e number, was beaten m the run home, finishing fifth.

Two outstanding features of the third day's racing were the amount of pelf machined and the Australasian record for two miles m saddle put up by Redchild. The sum passed through what Tommy Taylor would call the infernal machine was £.19,78-7, making a grand total of £50,889, exceeding the amount speculated at the corresponding meeting last year by £5871. In view of these figures, the. attempts of the church people to abolish gambling are as futile as- using a bar of soap to. take up a collection with. .

Rodqhild was developing a tendency to break at New Brighton, and the crowd must have heard of great im-? provement m the breaker afterwards, because he was - made third favorite m the Australasian Handicap m a : field of good horses, although Clarkson's gelding always has plenty of friends at Addington. The favorite selections were Lord Chancellor / and | Marie Oorelli, and it was a splendid contest to witness-. Redchild, ridden " by Many Edwards, was on the 2sec, mark, with Laudervale scratch, and the way Redchild came through the field was inspiring to watch, Beslwsry, who was prominent throughout, was beaten by two lengths only, and must have ptit up fast time, seeing that Rodchild erected au Australasian record of 4m in 40sec. That it should have been recorded m the Australasian Handicap is merely a coincidence. j The performance of the two dividend ! payers may be . appreciated when it lis remarked that Derringcotte was ! outdistanced by about fourteen yards.

There was interesting racing m the other events. Bellis slipped the public up by beating A rial and Maelstrom after an exciting clatter up the straight, m the Governor's Handicap, probably named after whatever "His Ex." may happen to be on the premises at the moment.

Like Bellis, Adventuress, winner of the Sockburn Handicap, is a Rothschild. In fact, three winners almost m succession were Rothschilds ; but the circumstance shouldn't induce punters to stand • around and stick to a particular sire. Adventuress was fancied considerably, but the unplaced Lady Cherry was liked better ; nevertheless, Electrocute and Havelock followed Fox's mare m, several yards of handkerchief berhg capable of covering the three, an uncommon occurrence m trotting, m which the chances of the correct pea should not be endangered. However, there are often several correct peas, and m a race like the £1000 Cup there is a whole kitchen garden, '

Many Edwards' luck was m on this last day of the meeting, for he won the Christchurch Handicap with Dillon Bell from Terra Nova, Aberfeldv and a host of others m a most rfd^F eulewsly easy manner. Everybody was on it.

The Metropolitan Handicap was taken from Princess Louise, Silver Princess and four , others by Mir amar, who is probably named after the wild arid windy ex-pony haunt m Wellington, because she is by Wildwood-Wild Wave, and is said not to be inbred.

Elderly St. Simon stole the Enfield Handicap from a field of 22, but treated Factory Boy and Robert Emmett, the placed animals, with considerable respect at the finish — about two lengths* worth of respect.

The Provincial Handicap, m harness, Is a sprint of a mile and a half and is worth 350 golden soys, Prince Alert being snapped up early m the betting. The intuition of punters was marvellously accurate, for he won by a street from Wilkie and Discoverer.

The last race of the day was the Recovery Handicap, probably known as such because people put their last bob on for a come-home. Dayspring, who was well beaten m the first race of the day, made hacks of the field m the last event. Marie Narelle and T.i<\C. were the placed animals, and on this occasion many of the public .forcusn't cash back into town with them.