TROTTING

NZ Truth, Issue 770, 7 August 1920, Page 7

TROTTING

(By "Silenus.")

General Link. Metropolitan on Saturday. Keep an eye on Cfctd. Moving Picture won at Ashburton m the equivalent of 4.7 for thirteen furlongs. • Homeleigh Dick haa arrived. He will not be seen at his best next week. Mintson and Reta Peter never looked better. Dusky Locanda does not seem too sound. (So it is said.) Trix Pointer will race m the" Two-mile Thousand, third day. . ' I The brilliant Demonio mare has been making some excellent showings over the shorter distances m which she will race the first two days. Paul Default might look rough, but he can. get over the ground for all that. Author Dillon is m great nick. Probably he will be seen to the best advantage m the mile and a quarter, second day. Reappear has had a lot of work. Don't be surprised if the Disappear gelding picks up a stake soon. Irvar has not won a race for two seasons. Probably he's a back number. Aldington track after a long spell of fine weather is m tip-top condition. Afore than one of the "heads" have ticked off Ramitiairi as an early winner. He's sure to be hard m the 2.19 mile, first day. Old Mushroom is m excellent heart and will not be far from the leading horse m the first race on Saturday. Silver Nut is engaged m the Canterbury Handicap, second day. j Bluewood, on performances, must have something to say m some of the events for trotters. Madelne ran two good seconds, late m the season. She's m the 3.54 mile and five furlongs. Taraire, the little Four Chimes colt, who ran auch an impressive race In the Sapling Stakes at Ashburton, figures among the probable starters m the race for three and four-year-olds, third day. So does Peter King. Old Billy Parole will be hard m the Stewards' Handicap. The winner should be found among some of those near the limit. Emilius does not seem wound up sufficiently to reproduce his best form next week. The same might be said about the imported trotter, Maoriland, whose 1 appearance on the Addington track, the ; other morning, gave the impression that he would repeat his Australian successes later on. E McDermott sent Cappriccio over ,a two-mile try-out, the other morning. The performance was not particularly impres- ■ sive though the speedy O.Y.M. mare was

not hurried over the earlier stages of the journey. Robert Dillon is on a handy mark m the Electric mile. The big race, first day, will have additional interest by reason of the presence therein of two straight-out trotters— Reta Peter and Whispering Willie— both of whom are very well at present, but they will be carried off their feet m the first mile by the fast-beginning pacers. Frandocia is" looking well, but it is doubtful if this once great stake-earning gelding will be brought back to the form he showed some years ago. Punters would be well-advised to note carefully the performances on Saturday, before committing themselves to any reckless betting. A big proportion of the horses engaged are not ready to race yet, and it will be exceedingly risky to venture far on past reputation alone. • Granger won the mile saddle very easily at New Brighton m 2.18 3-5. H6 will race m saddle on Saturday, when ha ' will be asked to go 2.16. If Marietta steps out on Saturday aa . she did at New Brighton, the back markers will have to hustle to head her off. South Canterbury folk will hear of nothing but Rangitata Lass and Albert Cling the August Handicap. If either of them can head off General Link the win will be well deserved, provided that that race Is his mission. Idris and Proudspring" were on the same mark when they ran first and second respectively (m harness) at New Brighton m 2.17 4-5 and 2.18. On Saturday the former is handicapped to go 2.16 and Proudspring to go 2.17 (m saddle). Xavler and Ramitlairi went the mile saddle m 2.15 2-5 arid 2.15 3-5 at New Brighton. In the Electric they are handicapped to go 2.15 and 2.16 respectively. Master Hal, on April performances, must have more than a rough show m the Selwyn Handicap on Saturday. His win. m 4.40, m the Hawke's Bay Trotting Cup was a meritorious one. Sal Pointer's easy win m the Stewards' Handicap, at Wanganui, should be borne lin mind when next this nimble-footer' four-year-old steps out m harness. Moneymaker is right at the top of hia form, arid gives every indication of fur.ther justifying his name. Those who remember the brilliant performances of Trix Pointer, Author Dillon and Paul Default m the High Class Handicap, last Aprils will eagerly look forward to the Speedaway Handicap, on August 11 (second day), when this formidable trio will match strides with a very classy field, including Our GirJ. Moneymaker and Emperor. • : Emperor has 2.12 4-5 against him for a mile, while Our Girl has covered the distance m 2J3. In the International Handicap, on Saturdaj-, they are set to do, 2.13 and 2.14 respectively, as opposed . to the tasks of Author Diilon 2.10 and Trix Pointer 2.11. Retreat, winner of the Farewell Handicap at Timaru, and the Oxford Handicap at the Metropolitan, figures m the mile saddles, second and thir"d days. The . Prince Imperial gelding is said to be doing all that is asked of him these days. Paul Huon, who has been sheltering m Bryce's stable since last he raced, some months ago, has not made any appearance on a public track recently. If this sterling trotter is well, he can be depended on to make his presence felt'during the meeting. The great majority of the horses engaged at the meeting are trained on private tracks, their doings being withheld from the vulgar gaze. It is, therefore, impossible to say how many of them . are fitted to perform the various tasks assigned to them. For this reason peo- . pie should wait to see them race and ' thus act on their own judgment, rather than take the position on trust from interested rumor-mongers. By the time the third, days' racing heaves In sight, followers of the. sport will have been given an opportunity of moulding their- . own judgments. Embracer, who .is handicapped to go' 4.46 m the trotters' two miles on Saturday, is a five-year-old gelding by Young^ McKinney. He has ■ been off the scene for a long time, not having raced since his three-year-old days, what time he; stepped it at the pacing gait. He was second to Locanda Dillon m the 1919 Derby and won the Champion Stakes " and tlte Ashburton Trial Handicap. , Huon Patch, who occupies pride at place m the Electric Handicap (one mile) ! had his last win m February, 1919. when '■'.■ he cut out the Farewell Handicap .m \ 2.15 1-5; He is giving away up to six,' seconds on Saturday m a 2.11) class. Congratulations to trainer Harry Frost, j who, last week paid up the final forfeits •, m the Matrimonial Stakes. Mrs. Frost , is a daughter of "Manny" Edwards.