TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21530, 30 December 1931, Page 4

TROTTING

By Sentinel.

The American two-year-old Calumet Cheater recently reduced the world’s record for his age and gait to 2.0}. This juvenile wonder accomplished this mile against time, and in an actual winning race did 2.2 J—also a world’s race record, Black Lion, the favourite for the Boxing Day Handicap, met trouble at the start, through no fault of his own. He drew an outside position, and when some of the other competitors broke he was pushed off the course. He was giving the leaders a long start (says “Argus”) in the back stretch, and he registered one of the best efforts of his career to finish fourth.

Free Advice was making up ground at the finish of the Ashburton Cup, and evidently retains the form displayed at the Addington spring meeting. The 4.29 2-5 put up iu the Auckland Trotting Cup is considerably outside the race record of 4.25 3-5 jointly held by Ahuriri and Carmel. Red Shadow failed to stay on in the Ashburton Cup after looking like a winner down the straight when in charge of the field. He has generally shaped like a stayer, and perhaps made his effort too far from home. The Dunedin owner, Mr G. J. Barton, has had a run of success at the Auckland meeting, and Golden Pedro carries every promise of adding to it to-day. Cii’o and Tempest will carry the big money iu the Great Northern Derby today. Free Logan looks nicely placed on the front of the Tramways Handicap at Auckland. Worthy Queen will be a short-priced favourite at Auckland again to-day. On Saturday morning on the Oamaru show grounds, prior to the Jockey Club’s meeting, several promising maiden pacei’s and trotters will go under the hammer and as they are all rich in winning blood there should be a big attendance of prospective buyers. Among the two and three-year-olds the sires represented are Kentucky, Marvin Wilkes, MKinney, Lieutenant J., Nelson Bingen, and Satinjvood, while the yearlings claim Cathedral Chimes and Four Chimes as their sires, a particularly handsome colt being by Cathedral Chimes fi’om a Nelson Bingen mare. At the same time two brood mares with colt foals at foot and in foal again to Cathedral Chimes will be offered. All the horses are from a stud which has produced many winners, and buyers will be interested in the advertised particulars of them. Gold Country scored his first success over two miles, when he won the Gore Trotting Club Handicap, thereby dispelling the doubt that he might not see out two miles. Gold Country’s successs marked the fourth occasion on which that race has fallen to Mr W. J. Morland, who usually enjdys a good innings on the southern circuit. His earlier winners were Countrymen (1922), Lady Joan (1931), and Moneymaker (1914). It must be highly gratifying to Dunedin sportsmen to see the success achieved by Mr J. M. Samson in the Auckland Cup followed by Mr G. J. Barton’s wins on the first day of the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting. Both sportsmen have been strong supporters of both branches of sport and deserve success because their big teams cost both cash and courage to establish. Both Mr Samson and Mr Barton have launched out on a scale never previously attempted by a Dunedin owner, and they would have to be very unlucky if some reward did not follow. Backers were astray in their selections for the Ashburton Trotting Cup (says the Press), as Warplane, the seventh choice, and Arethusa, fifth choice, returned the dividends. .. Regal Voyage, and the Rollo-Dundas Boy bracket, carried the most money, but the best the favourite could do was to finish fourth. Pageant lost a great deal of ground at the start, while Red Shadow and King Pointer did not begin v.ery smartly. The leading division over the first part of the journey was comprised’ of Milo Minto, Avenger, Hollo, Warplane, Sunny Bob, Wakataua, and Arethusa. The field began to bunch over the last quarter, but Milo Minto was still in front when lined up for home, Avenger being next, with Rollo, Warplane, Wakataua, Regal Voyage and Arethusa close together, and Red Shadow following. The field spread out when well in the straight, and with a fast run Red Shadow took command, but when challenged by Warplane, he did not offer much fight, and Arethusa also got up to heat him out of second place. Regal Voyage was a neck further back, followed by Free Advice, with Rollo at the head of the others. Warplane was always lying about fourth’ or fifth till halfway down the straight, when he responded to the urge of his driver and came on well to score a popular victory. 'Arethusa was travelling very fast at the finish, but Red Shadow disappointed as after looking all over a winner he faded badly in the last 50 yards. Regal Voyage raced very well, but the pace set over the first mile may not have suited her, ae she was. under a strong pull during that stage of the journey. • Free Advice pleased by her excellent effort. She.did not appear on the scene until the finish, when she came with a great burst. Milo Minto, Avenger and Rollo failed to stay, after being in the van until the straight was reached. Wakataua, having his first race for some time," showed that he is nearing highest again. King Pointer, Carmel and Dillon Logan were always in the rear of the field.