TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21300, 2 April 1931, Page 8

TROTTING

By Sentinel. The abandonment of the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting deprives owners of a chance to share 2500sovs in stakes and the earthquake funds of several thousand pounds. The pacer Acron arrived from the North Island by the ferry steamer on Sunday. The mile record holder has been doing stud duties in the Wairarapa district for the past two seasons. Acron looks in capital health, and will probably join Mr J. R. M'Kenzie’s stud at Yaldhurst. A. E. Bussell has made a big improvement in Happy Land, and the gelding now fights out the finishes of his two mile races in a manner that might be expected of the best stayers. Happy Land is to be sent to the Hawera meeting in the hope that he may win the Hawera Cup, but in this race (says the Press) he is likely to meet very strong opposition. In each of his recent engagements Happy Land has not met with the best of luck but conditions next time out may be in his favour. During the Manawatu meeting Mr J. A. Mitchell purchased the trotter Arapai from Mr E. L. Breed. Arapai is a three-year-old, by Worthy Bingen—Aranui, and won a race at his first start in December, since when he has failed in his engagements mainly because he has been erratic and would not settle down to trot solidly. Arapai is said to possess a rare turn of speed for a young trotter, and perhaps now that he has gone into W. Hughes’s stable at Longburn he will improve in his manners.

As Harold Logan is entered for sprint races only at the Metropolitan Easter meeting, it points to the New Zealand record holder being specially set for the New Zealand Cup next November, a race that will suit him to perfection. Any sprint race he might win in the meantime is not likely to affect his two miles handicap, and though the Cup is eight months off, time soon passes. At this time last year (says an exchange) Wraokler was a rod in pickle for the Cup, and he duly won it, and did not look any better proposition than Harold Logan. Undaunted by Ihe heavy financial loss suffered over the meetings at Ballarat and Geelong, members of the Trotting League of Victoria decided at a quarterly meeting to subsidise another meeting of the Geelong Trotting Club next month; In order to SVoid clashing with a galloping fixture, a week day is to be selected for the meeting. Prize money to the value of £325 will be distributed, and the main event will carry £IOO and a trophy. Although no official figures are available (says the Globe), it is reported that the three previous meetings financed by the league have resulted in a loss of approximately £BOO. It speaks volumes for the enthusiasm of league members when the necessary guarantors for the forthcoming meeting were obtained at a minute’s notice. Although the league has met witu many rebuffs, it is determined to do its best to popularise the sport, and the action of these fine sportsmen in providing good stake money is deserving of the highest praise. The trotters who raced at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting were above the average, and the mile and five furlongs and two-mile races provided good contests. In the shorter race Biddy Parrish was made favourite, and she looked -to have the, race in safe keeping (says “Argus”), as she made a capital beginning and took the lead with a round to go. Merce Bingen was with her in the Straight, and just when an exciting finish seemed in prospect, Biddy Parrish stumbled and broke. Before she could settle down Merce Bingen got well clear and won rather easily, while Biddy Parrish was so slow to get back to her ga,ic again that she only got fifth place. Ben Bingen did not go steadily, and Blue and Gold broke repeatedly. Biddy Parrish made no mistake in the two-mile race and won comfortably. Worthy Queen, who won the Linton Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club’s meeting last week, is owned by Mr J. R. Corrigan, of Hawera, who had a very successful day. She is a well-bred filly, by Worthy Bingen from Queen Chimes, and was bred by her owner. Her sire. Worthy Bingen, is by Nelson Bingen from Bertha Bell, and therefore is a brother to Peter Bingen and Great Bingen. He raced as a trotter and showed good form till he went wrong, and was put to the stud in the North Island when quite a young horse. It is worth mentioning (says “Argus”) that Great Nelson, another brother to Worthy Bingen, also goes at the trotting gait. Worthy Bingen’s dam is Queen Chimes, by Coldstream Bells from the Vancleve mare Vanquish, so that the young trotter has the best of blood in , her veins. Queen Chimes as a three-year-old won the Champion Stakes at the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on Easter Saturday in 1918, driven by J. Bryce. She was shipped by steamer the same night for Wellington, and was sent by motor lorry to Hawera, where, on Easter Monday, she won the first Waimate Plains Trotting Club’s Futurity Stakes. She was one of the first horses in the Dominion to travel by motor lorry, a means of transit that has now become very popular. Those who saw Worthy Queen race predict a great future for the young trotter. A writer in the Melbourne Globe says that Paddy M'Kinney, Gunbourne, and The Admiral returned home from New Zealand in charge of their trainer-driver, G. Gath. At his last start in the Dominion, Paddy M’Kinney struck himself rather badly and injured a fetlock, which will necessitate a spell. As a result of the three victories gained in New Zealand, this champion square-gaiter will have to accept a 2.15 mark in Victoria, and he is not likely to be seen in action again in this State. He will be taken to New Zealand again later in the year. '.The Admiral, who was the only member of the team not to win a race, suffered a recurrence of knee trouble in New Zealand and he is to enjoy a let-up. Gunbourne is in perfect condition, but will find it difficult to win a race in Victoria on his present mark—2.ls. He registered one win two seconds, and two thirds during the tour. His winning record was 2min 12 l-sses, and this will be lightened for handicapping purposes by the application of concessions which are proving a boon to the automatic system of handicapping in this State. Gath speaks highly of the treatment he received in New Zealand, and he is grateful for the advice received from the former Victorian, W. J. Tomkinson, with whom he stayed during his visit. Tomkinson, Gath states, has worked wonders with Surprise Journey. This former Victorian square-gaiter registered the finest performance of Lis career at the recent Auckland meeting, when he accounted for a double. He won his first race, of two miles, at a 2.174 rate, and completed the double by defeating a field of hoppled pacers in a mile and a-quarter race, in which he travelled at a .2.15 i gait. While trotters are well catered for in the Dominion, there are no races for unhoppled pacers. Unlike America, New Zealand evidently encourages the strapped horse.