TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 25

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel. Donalda « With better behaviour at the barrier Donalda would be hard to beat in the Advance' Handicap. He is, however, a member of the “ ifs.” At Timaru The Timaru Trotting Club’s summer programme has stakes ranging from lOOsovs to 250sovs. A False Run Race ■lf they wait again for _ Vesuvius in the President’s ■ Handicap it _ will be a race for speed instead of stamina. Noble Prince Noble Prince was apparently not anything like fully extended when leading the way home-in the Spring Handicap in 3miri 4sec. He is on a 3min 12sec mark in the Brighton Handicap with seven opponents. Autogo Autogo was a winning horse in 3min 2Ssec on the comparatively slow grass track at Invercargill. He failed on the first day at Forbury Park but is on 3min 39sec in the Advance Handicap. # Gloucester Park As a compliment to the Duke of Glow jester, who honoured the West Australian Trotting Club with his patronage, the Perth trotting course will in future be known as Gloucester Park. Rocks Ahead Recks Ahead doubly handicapped, herself by over apxiety on the first day at Forbury Parle, and also by striking patciiy going when looking all over a winner. The race may steady her. A Handicap Eighteen Carat went 2min 51 4-ssec at Invercargill, which works out at about a 3min 9oec gait.. He is on a 3min 15sec mark in the Brighton Handicap. Sea Trail rvent 3min 4 2-seec in the Spring Handicap, and is giving 12yds to Eighteen Carat, and hence the so-called handicap reads anything but a definition of the term between the two horses. Extending Betting Facilities

In future the Trotting Association in Adelaide will extend the betting facilities at the totalisator by providing for a straight-out section as -well as the "place” pool. In the place machines the dividends will be available on horses that run first, second, or third, when there; are eight or more starters, and will be on the basis of one and two when there are not less than five nor more than seven starters.

Searching for Soreness Many .trainers who have been at a loss to discover the causes of ill-manners on the part of otherwise valuable performers, and who have developed extreme speed only to have that speed hampered by breaking and jumping, have solved the trouble by careful examination of the feet, only to find contracted conditions barely recognisable at first glance (says an American exchange). Contracted feet and similar unsound conditions only too common among horses in training, and which are so difficult to determine in their first appearance have responded quickly to treatment in a wide number of cases.

Open House The Forbury Park Trotting Club has decided to issue tickets free of charge to women who wish to patronise the meeting. This is a lead from the Oamaru Trotting Club, who for years past have admitted free of charge women to race meetings, although tickets have been sent to many outside the North Otago centre. If is said (says an exchange) that the popularity of trotting in Canterbury, many years ago, was gained mainly through the issue of complimentary tickets to ladies, and it seems .that for certain clubs a reversion to the old order of things might be an advantage. Some might even consider the advisability _ol throwing the gates open and inviting everyone to come to the fair. It would be a most interesting experiment.

Speed m* Stamina Unless the ideas held by drivers • and trainers in connection with races over two miles are completely changed, clubs are wasting money in providing stakes over the distance named. When drivers take a seat behind a horse for a two-mile race t h&y seem to be obsessed with the idea that the distance is far too long, and hence endeavour to make the first halt of the journey as easy as possible. This idea prevails in connection with the Trotting Cud down to the lowest stake provided for a race over the distance. The result is that races over the distance are more frequently won on speed instead of stamina, and apparently the average trainer is blind to the that a hoiee trained to run over two miles must also be a sprinter. Such a combination of speed and stamina is extremely rare. It is frequently stated that a horse has failed to stay two miles when as a matter of fact the failure is due to a lack of speed in horses trained to race over a distance. After the W. F. James Cup, an opinion was heard expressed that something in the field failed to stay. How in the name of common sense racing knowledge can a horse fail to stay two miles in a 4min 32sec class after the first mile takes 2min 21sec, or, comparatively, a 4min 40sec class. The last mile is clipped out at 2min lOsee or better, and hence a horse running half a dozen lengths or more from the leaders is forced to step a final mile in 2min Ssec or better to get near the money. Where, then, does the question of stamina arise? Speed Inheritance At the conclusion of the spring meeting at Addington F. J. Smith decided to send Nell Volo to the stud and to mate her with Gallant Knight, a horse imported

from America by Mr J. R. M'Kenzie. Gallant Knight is by Mr M'Elwyn (Imin 59isec), who was a world’s champion, and is the sire of over 100 horses in the standard list. Some of his progeny are Me 1 Win. with a three-year-old record of Irnin 59isec, Kashmary (2min iSsec), Musseltone (2min 2sec), and Maid M‘El- - (2min 2fsec), a champion two-year-old trotter. Etaday, dam of Gallant Knight, is a full-sister to Star Etawah (limn 59Jsec), and is by Daystar, son of Peter the Great from Bmeta, whose sire, Etawah, has produced 200 in the standard list. Mr M'Ehvyn is by Guv Axworthy, who also sired Lee Ax’worthy (Imin oSfsec), Guy MTvimmey (Imin SSJsec), Avion Guy (Imin 59Jsec]I, and Frank Worthy (2min Sjsec). Nell Yolo, one of the finest .trotters ever imported to New Zealand (says Abaydoa”), is by Peter Yolo from Katie O Neill, a mare who produced eight trotters and two pacers with records of 2min lOsec and better. Peter Yolo (2min 2 s ec), by Peter the Great—Nervolo Belle, lias sired seven in the two-minute class. Katie O’Neill was sired by Walnut Hall, from Ozalina, by the Bingen horse Moko, from Ozana, daughter of the Hainbletonian horse Director.