TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21386, 14 July 1931, Page 5

TROTTING

V* By Sentinel. The death is reported of the imported mare Neeratte, the dam of Bingenctte. Glenelg, Neerson, and Neeoro. The two-year-old. by Nelson Derby from Ilegina de Oro, the dam of the brilliant Native Chief, is reported to be progressing satisfactorily in his work and he may be a useful performer as a three-year-old for W. J. Tomkinson.

A much-travelled pacer who gained a victory in Perth recently was Red Derby. Originally raced in Sydney' as Argus, he

was brought to New Zealand by P. Riddle, who raced him here for some time. On returning to Sydney he was still raced as Argus, but when taken to Melbourne the name Argus was not allowed, and it was changed to Red Derby. J. N. Clarke has very few horses at present, having sold most of them at his clearing sale at the end of last month. The New Brighton trainer, however, still retains Fifa, Who is being worked in view of the meeting at Addington next month. Fifa is one of the most promising young trotters in commission and should be capable of a lot more improvement. Claiming Nelson Fame as his sire, a colt in S. August’s team should be able to step to some purpose when the time comes for hind to go to the races. He is a rising three-year-old and is engaged in the Derby, but August is not unduly hurrying him in his preparation. Nelson Fame himself was one of the fastest pacers the public ever had the pleasure of seeing, and just how fast he could go nobody perhaps knows. On the occasion when he attempted to establish a record at an Auckland meeting for a mile he had the bad luck to fall after going six furlongs, but (says “ Orion ”) he paced the first half-mile under a minute. Nelson Fame is a brother to Nelson Derby, whose stock are showing a lot of promise in the South Island.

By the effluxion of time seven membeffc of the committee of the Auckland Trotting Club retire from, office, but all are seeking re-election. But so are others offering and already there are four candidates in the field who are opposing those men who have held office for a number of years. It. has for some time been contended (says an Auckland writer) by the majority of trainers and owners that those holding office should be men whose whole interests are in the sport of trotting. A strong claim can be made out for the contention, but it must not be lost sight of that there are always men, who, though they may not actually race trotting horses, are true sportsmen, and their presence on any sporting body is an acquisition. Two owners and successful business men of the city who are candidates are Mr D. R. Revell and Mr George M’Kendrick. Both are well known, have a long experience of the sport from every avenue and are well versed in business administration.

The committee of the Auckland Trotting Club has dealt with the programme for the August meeting, and hae appointed the officials to fill the various positions. These will be the same as at the recent winter meeting, but the appointments are made' for the August fixture only, and will be reconsidered after the annual meeting of members is held in the third week, of next month. There was an impression (says the Herald) that the position of handicapper might have been held over until after the Trotting Conference nest week, as- there was a possibility of a system of fixed penalties being introduced, under which horses would automatically handicap themselves by their performances. With a fixed system from which no departure could be made, there would be no necessity to employ hanciicappers. Evidently the committee of the A.T.C. feels that the most the conference will do is set out a table of penalties for intermediate distances, that is, the penalty a horse winning at two miles should get fdr races of shorter distances. Under the rules the committee had no power to appoint officials for the season until after the annual meeting, therefore it was decided that those who acted at the winter meeting should be appointed for the August fixture. Although T. G. Fox shows a decided preference for trotters, he has at present a couple of pacers (says “ Argus ”) in his team that look likely to make good. The big mare by Sheik, winner of the New Zealand Cup in 1924, from Lovebird, grew very fast as a young mare and very little was done with her, but she has now furnished into a solidly built pacer. She is in regular work, and is one of the best actioned young pacers in work at Addington It may take some time before she is at her best in the meantime she is doing well. A mare by First Fashion from-Britt Audubon is also a promising pacer. Britt Audubon was bred by the Addington trainer, being by Great Audubon from an O.Y.M. mare, but she was not a success on the race track. Her daughter by First Fashion is a very quality looking young mare, whose sire was a fine trotter in his time. He has had very limited opportunities at the stud, but he has produced a few useful performers. One of them, Ratloc, a pacer in J. J. Kennerley’e stable, was going well until he broke down. The Britt Audubon pacer can already muster up a good deal of speed and Fox’s pair of young pacers may do good service for their popular trainer in the new season. Amongst the remits which are to be considered to-day by the Trotting Confei’ence is the following:—New Rule 455 (1) —The table of penalties prescribed in the schedule set out in the appendix hereto may be altered or added to from time to time as may be decided upon by the Stipendiary Stewards’ Committee, who shall have power to make regulations and additions, and also regulations dealing with any other matter in relation to handicapping. Such regulations shall, when 'signed by the president, and transmitted to the secretary to the conference, be notified in the official calendar, and shall thereafter be binding on all handicappers and other persons. Nothing contained, however, in this rule shall empower the Stipendiary Stewards* Committee to substitute for the method of handicapping by limitation of handicappers’ penalties to be applied to placed horses, any different method or system of handicapping It will be fathered by the conference executive, and aims at placing the control ot handicapping in the hands o! a number of men well verse. 4 in trotting affairs, but will not give them power to institute a different system. It is stated that the remit, which aims at paying three dividends at trotting meetings, will not be binding, on all clubs. ■ It may not be extravagant to say that there are to-day a dozen horses in the Dominion who could pace a mile in better than. 2.5 under the conditions which obtain in America. It is just possible (says “ Abaydos ”) a horse like Peter Bingen, presented at his best at Addington with the track and atmosphere right, would show something verging on two minutes, and it is possible there may be a better miler than he racing, Peterwah, a trotter, warmed up to his work, and being well under way, would trot a mile at a merry clip, while Native Prince could put up time for a mile unhopplecl that would take "some beating. He may go 2.7 without the straps and from a flying start. Jewel Pointer, a couple of seasons back, went an exhibition mile at Hamilton in 2.6, and he would do much better at Addington. These items are merely mentioned to show that our horses, with few exceptions, are retired from the race track without being given the opportunity to show just what they could go one mile in under the most favourable conditions. The records show that at least four horses have, paced a mile in better than 2.5 Acron holds the honours with 2.3 3J5. Realm has done 2.3 4-5, Native Chief 2.4 1-5, Happy Voyage 2.4 1-5, and Logan Chief 2.4 §-5. There are 30 or more with records of 2.10 or better done in races. Early in the present season it was given out that Mr Fisken would send Peterwah against time in the hope of putting up a record even better than his 4.23 4-5, but the attempt was not. made. Then Mr C. Hudson, owner of the brilliant three-year-old trotter, Todd Lonzia, twice during the season arranged to send his horse a trial to put up a record, but each time something cropped up to cause the arrangements to be cancelled. However, Todd Lonzia went 3.26 2-5 in a race.

Although it is rather early yet to discuss the prospects of Auckland's candidates for the next Great Northern Trotting Derby, the chances are the hopes of northerners will centre round Bismuth and Pegaway (says the Auckland Star). Bismuth is by Nelson Bingen—Jewel, and v.’as given a run in the Waitoa Handicap at the Te Aroha meeting. The gelding, without getting in the money, was near enough at the finish to suggest that had J. T. Paul been a little more vigorous over the last furlong the youngster ifiay have earned a little of the prize. How-

ever, Paul, when he saw he could not win, wisely refrained from knocking Bismuth about. He is a fine pacer, and, all going well, Paul will probably take the opportunity to give him a race in August ill the 3.0 class at Auckland. Pegaway, owned by A, Cook, at Te Awamutu, is also a gelding. By Worthy Bond— Lottie Audubon, he is a particularly striking sort. He was entered for a slow class race at the Waikato winter show meeting, but could hot start, as the distance was a mile and five furlongs, and the rules do not permit a two-year-old racing at more than a mile and a-half. However, driven by A. Broughton, Pegaway was taken on to the track and worked with the colours up, and the manner in which he strode along made it clear that his education had not been neglected. It is possible 'Pegaway may be brought to Epsom shortly and trained.