South Auckland Scratches

NZ Truth, Issue 999, 17 January 1925, Page 9

South Auckland Scratches

(By "Quin Abbey.")

At present the intention is for Illumination to go to Wellington. Bob McMiken's success with Glencairn at Taranaki was "the first of the season. , Matamata, which only raced on a tempprary last year, is ! o.k. for a permit again this season. Te. Kuiti and Rotorua have . been advised of their right to two days' meets this term. If the Wailcato Trotting Club gets an extra day it will ,race on March 7 at Claudelands. A £1600 programme will be put on. - Rumor has it that the Hamilton Racing Club will get only one additional day. Peter Maxwell has been schooled over hurdles at Te Rapa, and shows promise. Tommy Tito has made ,a - splendid recovery from the accident at Waipa, and left' the hospital at Hamilton this week.

Heisler was not started at Ellerslie, but will most probably line up at Takapuna.

Paddon looks all the better for his racing at Ellei'slie. '

Matinee was expected to go better at Auckland than he did. Still the chestnut has time to enter the money round the circuit.

Spanner was freely entered for Pirongia, but the once top-notcher did

not appear.

Peter Maxwell's owner apparently looks on small fish as sweet, and the Jubilee Cup at Pirongia was taken out by .the Ngaruawahia-trained one.

Willie ', Taylor, the Ohaupo owner, had .a field day at Pirongia, where he won with Warnui (twice), Monastery, and Loch Abbey.

Abbey Bell returned at the week-end from her Taranaki visit, where she tore off one win.

The English-bred Great Fun (better known m certain quarters as Great Fund) came back to the scene at the non-totalisator Tirau meeting, where he won the Cup, worth about half a hundred, and ran second to Bitholia' in the Welter. ,

Bapidary was hurt when he fell at Te Awamutu. Owner Burch may npt be able to start the Black Jester colt for some time. In future he will be trained at Ellerslie instead of Te Awamutu. -

King Merv has come through his throat operation quite successfully so far as ability to return to the tracks is concerned. That will be the place to determine whether speed has been impaired or not.

Fraser Smith has left the pubbery at Frankton to' live/ in Auckland for a term. He has been! good to sport m this district. His horses have remained behind. E. R. Baddiley, Town Bank's owner, has taken over, the management of the hostelry.

Tom Kelly, of Ohaupo, has gone m for the game, and has a Nassau youngster to first carry his colors.

Dick Hannon keeps slicing off the stakes .in 1 steady fashion, and will be weil up on the t list by the time the country circuit is done with. His share was £800 at Ellerslie.

The action of Te Kara's owner »m placing- a cheque the right way after his Cup success was that of a Man. ,

Ernie Warner, had a narrow escape from injury while schooling Peter Maxweli over fences at Te Rapa. His mount shied suddenly and threw Warner, whose foot caught m the iron and he was dragged some sixty . yards before he got free.

Since the innovation of girl clerks m the totalisator locally much has been said for and against them, "but as long as they carry out their duties as they should this scribe is easy. Nevertheless, an incident occurred at the 'recent meeting which places them m anything but a favorable light. While tliis writer was' making his modest investment one girl called out to another, "Charlie Blank has just invested £10 on No. 2." Now, as Mr. Blank owned No. 1 m the race (which was favorite), such a statement was apt to do that gentleman a great deal of harm, more so as No. 2 finished fir^t with No. 1 second, and as others could hear it just as . well as this writer. Mr. Blank supported his own mare heavily, while the £10 investment was a "saver." Tote I clerks should know not to divulge anything just the same as bank clerks.