TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22081, 11 October 1933, Page 4

TROTTING

By Sentinel.

The Gay Parrish gelding Wild Guy stepped 2min 13 l-ssec at New Brighton, and recorded, a rather smart performance under saddle. • . Renegade developed lameness when doing a preliminary at New Brighton, and was allowed to be withdrawn by permission of the stewards. . Several big dividends were paid in connection with.the New Brighton meetin", but nevertheless the totahsator returns were greater than last years figures. , ... Idanoe, who won and paid a big dividend at New Brighton, won in 3min 33 2-ssec from a 3min 50sec mark. lne two placed horses went 3min 34sec and 3min 35sec from 3min 50see, and here again we have the slow class race existing as impossible to win in slow time. It is rather interesting to note that Marie Celeste, who ran second to General Wrack at New Brighton, was on a 3min 38sec mark. She won at Ashburton in 3min 24 2-ssec, at Geraldine in 3m in 24 l-ssec, and got beaten at New Brighton when going 3min 23 2-ssec from a 3min 38sec mark. So much for the present system of automatic handicapping. Recess, who ran third in the same race, went 3min 24 4-ssec from a 3nnn 39sec mark, and when such things are possible some of the races should be called the "Joke Stakes" instead of a handiCa it is understood that the Forbury Park Trotting Club's spring programme will show and increase in stakes on the amount attached to last year's meeting. The club is wise to be as extravagant as possible, because the fields are almost entirely composed of horses from a distance. In fact, without the Canterbury patronage the fields for the principal events would be almost non-existent. It is understood that some of the Jjorbury Park Trotting Club's committee are in favour of extending the limit attached to slow class races. Last season the club catered for a 3min 48sec trotter and a 3min 39sec pacer. It would be impossible to tempt anyone to buy and tram a horse with such a speed limit. Any extension of the present class really means catering for a horse that would not be accepted a s a o-ift. In other words, those advocating for an extension of the limit desire to" cater for a horse that a sane man would not take to the races. In comment on the New Brighton meetin<* the Press said that one of the most attractive performances for a maiden trotter seen for some time was that of Kotinga in the Innovation Handicap. This mare, a four-year-old by Sonoma Harvester from a Harold Dillon mare, was making her first appearance and she shaped very promisingly to finish fast in third place after she had dropped back approaching the half-mile. She is owned and trained by G. F. Clarke, of North Canterbury, who drove her. Probably there has never before been a trotting meeting held which could com-

pare with the New Brighton fixture in the matter of large dividends. It is not uncommon to win and record sensational dividends, but half the programme at JNew Brighton was won by horses whose chances on the totalisator were neglected. One pound invested on each of the four horses concerned—ldanoe, Don Chenault, Checkers, and Vagabond King, would have returned a net profit of slightly more than Placed horses at the New Brighton Trotting Club's October meeting have been reassessed as follows:

Horse. Table. Line. Checkers 31 Chemvood 26 Don Chenault 26 Eureka Boy .. 2.12 2.45 4.33 Enigma 17 General Wrack 14 ■ George Key .. 2.12 2.45 4.33 Grand Finale 13 Guy Denver .. 27 Holly Bank .. 27 Idanoe .. ."•■•■ 7 Kotinga .. .. 1 Marie Celeste 13 Manoeuvre 31 Molly Desborough 24 Norman Fox .. 1 Recess 11 Royal Drusus .. 29 Silk Coat .. . 18 Sunny Morn .. . Vagabond King 2.11 2.44 4.27 17 War Boat 19 Waress .. ;.. . 29 Wild Guy 29