TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23504, 19 May 1938, Page 15

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

Blue Logan

Blue Logan created a favourable impression by winning in 3min 24sec at Forbury Park. Eddie Tolan

Eddie Tolan has improved in his barrier manners, and a win should soon come his way.

Rehandlcapped Privateer has been rehandicapped to 48 yards behind in the Opihi Trot, and Token to 24 behind in the Beaconsfield Trot. Grade Fields

The Native King mare Grade Fields gave a good display of trotting when she won the Peninsula Handicap in 3min 42 2-ssec from a 3min 56sec mark. No Straps Unhoppled pacers in Sydney are the best in Australia. Performances prove that they hold their own with our best hoppled pacers. It is significant (says a Sydney paper) that other States, seldom send a pacer to Sydney to race against unhoppled pacers. On the other hand, any trotters or hoppled pacers they send generally win. Sydney is the only place where a race is regularly held for this class alone, New Zealand Ideas

As a result of the observations of Mr J. J. Rice (president of the South. Australian Trotting Club) on his recent visit to New Zealand, it will not be surprising to hear next season ,(says the Referee) that his club has adopted a couple of ideas brought back. One is the situation of the judge's box high. above the stewards' enclosure. Mr Rice was very much impressed with 'bis, which is a long way in advance of the affair at Wayville. which is obsolete. A Clash

The clash with Forbury was largely responsible for the small harness fields at Ashburton. most of the prominent Canterbury trainers (savs an exchange) being in the south. The recent spell of bad weather was another factor, as a large number of pacers had been idle. "* But the big entries for maiden classes at Washdyke indicate that' there was some other unaccountable reason for the slump at Ashburton and it will be astonishing if there is ever again a field of five in this division. Australian Opinion An Australian pressman who came over for the interdominion championship -meeting said in a Melbourne paper: "The Addington track is cf clay and with the slightest rain becomes soggy. On the first day in the mile and a-quarter events, when the track was not quite so soggy, the, Australians were well in the picture, but when it became worse on the,) second day our horses were obviously floundering in the going. It would have been a different story had the track

-one of the best dry tracks in the world—been at its best."

South Australia

There is more money for trotting in South Australia so far as betting is concerned than is available for racing. Bookmakers all complain that it is a drag for them to get punters in to any tune at the races but there is an altogether different aspect at the trots. Up to the end of March the official figures showed that £307,000 had been held by the bookmakers at Wayville On to this has to be added more than £50.000 for the last four meetings, making an average of approximately £13,000 a night This does not include the aggregate in the vicinity of £260,000 which has gone through the totalisator It will readily be seen that trotting, from a betting standpoint, has been a wonderful success in South Australia It was intended that the season would end on May 28. but it will now be extended to fill in a couple of outstanding dates

Luminate Luminate, who returned to the winning list in the Tamahere Handicap at Claudelands. was one of the best improving pacers seen in the 1931-32 season, when in seven . starts he recorded four firsts and three placings. He was then owned by Mr J H. Llovd. who bred him. and trained by J A.. Gerrard Although started in 38 r&ces since that season for six placings, Luminate did not win again until Saturday. He raced only once in 1932-33. owing to leg trouble, and the following season he was spelled. In the 1934-35 season he was brought to Auckland, joining S. M. Augusts stable. Later, Luminate was in R. A. McMillan's care, and, failing to win, was transferred to W. E. Cockbill, for whom he recorded some phenomenal

track trials. He would not reproduce the form in races (says "Abydos"), and next found a place at Epsom with J.- E. Seagar. More failures followed, and finally Luminate was purchased by his present owner for £l2, together wit» a quantity of gear. He ran unsuccessfully for L. J. Mahoney last month at Epsom, but, after winning a show trot last week, collected £lO5 for his win at Hamilton.