TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21986, 22 June 1933, Page 5

TROTTING

By .Sentinel. Among the novices entered for the trotting events at Ashburton and at Oamaru is Garry Thorpe, a six-year-old gelding by Lee Thorpe, sire of Girvan, from Mooney, owned by Mr J. P. Kerr, Geraldine. One of the interesting features of racing in Australia is betting on the running. At a recent meeting held at Victoria Park an, exchange said that it was impossible to support Romany Queen after she had turned into the straight, but she suffered defeat. Near the winning post she unaccountably broke, and took so Jong to get back to her stride that an outsider T got up and won by less than a length. . . Peterwah proved that he is not yet a spent force by his second in the Adams Cup. It is one of the drawbacks on light harness racing in New Zealand that a high-class trotter has to compete against the pacers owing to a lack of sufficient ’Opportunity amongst those of their own Direct won at Greymouth in a style suggesting that he is training on to do better things in the future. He has always displayed a good turn of speed, and on breeding should develop into n very useful performer. Golden Direct was got by Rey de Oro from Becky Lon-nu, by Logan Pointer—Miss Becky, by Electioneer— Becky, by Vanderbilt—Lady Grey, by .Berlin Abdallah. Lofran Pointer mares are proving great producers, and he has established the right to be considered one of the most valuable importations ever brought to this country. Logan Pointer’s stock are gifted with good manners, allied to racing merit. There should, however, be no occasion lor surprise at the fact that Logan Pointer has* greatly enriched ' the New Zealand Trotting Stud Book. He was got by Star Pointer flmin 59Jscc), and came out with a spei d inheritance which has been passed on to bis stock. Originally it was inteml-d that the champion pacer, Walla Walla, would attempt to lower his Australasian mile record at the meeting of the Australian Trotting Club hold on June 13. I he cinder track, however, was too sodden to permit of its being oiled and rnlp.l In order to give the public an opportunity of seeing the horse in action. Walla Walla was stripped, and, paced by Lila Rock and Brentloc, he ran half a mile in Imin 2Jsec. The sprint xvas made on the course proper, which was very heavy, and Walla Walla kept wide out all the way. He was not driven right out at the finish. According to “Argus,” the four-year-old pacer Gunmetal was a trifle unlucky in the Railway Handicap at Greymouth. It was a mile and a-quarter race, and Gunmetal drew the outside position at the barrier, which means a great deal on a half-mile track where a start is made close to a turn. In jumping into his stride he lost his balance, and it was a dozen yards before he got to work. When the field had settled down he made a smart run to be fourth, and had to go

round hi* opponents at the bend for home, which cost him additional ground. He paced fast down the straight to get within half a length of the winner. It waa a good performance. Gunmetal has improved with racing, and next season the son of Man o’ War and a Prince Imperial mare should win good races.