TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22779, 15 January 1936, Page 11

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel.

Full Hand Full Hand has been sharpened up by his racing at the Gore meeting and renorted to be very veil at present. Chancellor C/hancellor has not been performing up to early anticipations.but is now reported tp be bearing an improved appearance. Indianapolis Indianapolis will have the assistance of a galloping pacemaker when ,he goes against the watch at Timaru on Saturday nest. The effort will be made at 3.10 D.m. Forbury Park The appearance of the nominations for the Forbury Park meeting will be welcomed by local followers of light harness racing who cannot find time and opportunity to attend outside meetings. The meeting will carry added interest through Indianapolis appearing on the scene. Filly Sold It is reported that Mr A. L. Johnson, who raced Logan Park in partnership with the late Mr R. A. Armstrong, has purchased the three-year-old filly by Rey de Oro from Escapade, and she will be trained by Y. Learning at Addington. The filly was bred by Mr W. J. Morland, who hag handled her and prepared her to a very forward state in preparation for racing. A Consistent Trotter One of the most consistent trotters at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting was the bay gelding Audo Patch, who, in three starts, gained second place. He had every chance on both the first and third days, but in the Epsom Handicap on the second day he appeared to be very unlucky. At the start he lost fully 50 yards, and this, with his handicap of 48 yards, set him a very hard task. In tho race he showed a fine turn of speed and was staying on well at the finish. Audo Patch has won three times and gained three seconds and a third in his lasi seven starts, and, judging by the improved way in which he is beginning, it should not be long before he again salutes the judge. A Good Colt The two-year-old colt Southern Chief has developed into a perfect individual, and he is the best colt (says “Argus”) that has ever been seen at Addington. He is built like a watch, and he can begin from the barrier like a seasoned performer. From a stand, he goes straight to his work, and he never attempts, to make a mis-step or a hitch of any kind. His action is nigh perfect, and his mile in 2min 13 4-ssec on Saturday was no trouble -to him. He pulled up as if he had enjoyed the outing, and was prepared to go to sleep if his trainer cared to yarn to an onlooker. Southern Chief is owned by Miss J. Cuff, of Invercargill, and is bv Wrack from Regina Logan, who is by Logan Pointer from Regina de Oro, who was by the American horse Copa de Oro (Imin 59sec) from Regina Belle, by Bellman from Regina, who was by Berlin from a thoroughbred mare. Fast Tracks

When records are being the question of fast tracks crops up. Some years ago a Trotting Guide was published and the various tracks were numbered according to speed. Then ran a s follows: Auckland, Otahuhu, Forbury Park, Addington, Ashburton, Gore, New Brighton, Canterbury Park. Oamaru. and Timaru. Gore was originally well down in the list, but as a mile circuit is faster than a four, five, or six-furlong one, it was shifted up. Canterbury Park also had a mile circuit, and in fine ■weather, with Gore, ranked as about the two fastest tracks in New Zealand. In considering the speed of a track the class of horse racing on them must be taken into consideration. Addington is now considered the fastest track iu New Zealand, but it should not be overlooked that the fastest horses in training are raced there. If a similar class of horse raced at Gore it might then hold good claims to be considered faster than Addington. The size of a track is important in regard to speed and that has long been established by the records compiled in the United States on mile and half-mile circuits.

The Fastest Track The prospective appearance of Indianapolis at Washdyke in a race against the watch has inspired some comparisons of the “ speed ” of different courses, and varying views have been advanced. It can be asserted (says the Timaru Herald) with some confidence that Addington, at its peak, is the fastest in New Zealand, the clay being faster than grass, and the banked curves more than counterbalancing any advantage of bigger courses. It is just possible, in fact, that it is little inferior in fine weather to any in the world. Many American trotting tracks are a mile in circumference, but few of these are hanked, and anybody with any acquaintance with cycle racing is aware of the difference in times made on banked and unbankcd circuits. Ashburton has a fast surface, and in theory its sjze should make it equal to Addington, but times prove that it is not. Some of the grass tracks in Southland, approximately a mile in circumference, became fast in summer. The Gore course at one time was extremely rapid, but lately has lost its bowling green surface. The Washdyke track is remarkably even and the turf is good, and its one drawback, a minor one, is that the contour of the land is apt to entice horses to run wide at the turn out of the straight. The two-mile race record at Washdyke is 4min 22 2-ssec, held by Sunny Morn, and it is interesting to note that this horse’s best time at Addington is 4min 18 2-ssec, made when he had reached higher class.