TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23514, 31 May 1938, Page 16

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

At Ashburton Acceptances for the Ashburton Trotting Club’s winter meeting close today. Marsceres Marsceres missed in the Ellesmere Handicap and did not finish in the first six. He won all the way In the Final Handicap run under saddle. Aldershot

Aldershot had no difficulty In winning the Juvenile Stakes and will see a short price for the Sapling stakes. Change of Gear Light harness men occasionally make a tremendous fuss about a change of gear of minor importance, but accept without apparent notice a marked change in form put up by horses running one race in harness and another in saddle. The First Recognition The Canterbury Park Trotting Club, then known as the Plumpton Park Trotting Club, was the first to introduce a race exclusively for straightout trotters. At a meeting held on December 26, 1908, the card included the Riccanton Handicap for trotters only. W. Argos’s Kelso, 22sec, driven by J. C, Paget, won from Wi Kaama’s The Mooress, 14sec, and J. Lorgelly’,': May Lincoln, 22sec, F. Holmes, third. Red Child 6sec, Revenue Bsec, Opihi 13sec, Sydney 21sec, Slewee 22sec, Edward R. 27sec, and Lord Vivian 27sec Were the unplaced lot. Kelso won in smin osec. From the Front An interesting feature of the results at the Canterbury Park meeting consists in the fact that six of the seven handicaps were won by frontmarkers. The exception was Donor, who went 3min 13 4-ssec at Forbury Park, and was on a 3min 31sec mark at Canterbury Park, where he put up 3min 16 2-ssec. * Sonoma King won in 3min 19 3-ssec, setting Walter Wrack a* 3min 13 3-ssec task to get anywhere near the winner. Waipahi won from 3min 24sec in 3min 18sec, and set Southern Smile better than 3min 15sec. Red Pigeon won in 2min 42 l-ssec from 2min 52sec, and set the back-marker, Bing Crosby, to go 3min 28sec to get near her. Lady Sonoma won in 3min 22sec from 3min 30sec, Frisco Boy in 2min 40sec from 2min 45sec, and Marsceres in 2min 10 l-ssec from 2min 16sec. The results, as in the general rua of events, show that backmarkers hold a remote chance of success under the present system. Red Shadow Red Shadow attempted to give starts up to 84yds in the Steward’s Handicap on Saturday, but it is doubtful (says the Press) if he could have won from the limit, for the winner, Frisco Boy, registered 2min 40sec for the mile and a-quarter. To have won, Red Shadow would have had to register better than 2min 33sec, time not yet approached by any horse racing in New Zealand. Red Shadow, however, is 11 years, old, and cannot be expected to improve on his best performances. Money or Merit? An analysis of the reassessments following the “ championship ” meeting reveals that many of these have been based on money won. Parisienne in the final managed by a head to concede 24yds to Blair Athol, and now has to give him 72yds. Of course (says an exchange) Parisienne won £2250 and Blair Athol only £575. U. Scott in a heat beat Pot Luck when in receipt of 12yds, and they met on level terms in the final. Now U. Scott will receive 72yds if they meet over two miles. Pot Luck won £IBOO and U. Scott £525. There would have been an interesting problem had U. Scott won the grand final. He would then have collected £2075, and still be left on 4min 26sec after winning a £ISOO prize from 4min 24sec. Blair Athol, placed in the final from 4min 25sec, is entitled to race off 4min 29sec. The Trotting Association A meeting of the board of the New Zealand Trotting Association was held last week. Present: Messrs J. H. Williams (chairman). S. W. Kelly, J. M. Samson. B. P. McCarthy. H. W. Kitchingham. T. W. Buxton, and Mr W. Hayward. M.L.C. The Auckland Trotting Club reported having inquired into an allegation that the horse Stalky, a winner at the club’s recent meeting, had been trained by an unregistered trainer. The committee had found the allegation without foundation, and had dismissed the protest. The running of Pirate’s Last in the Whitford Handicap was also the subject of inquiry, and it was decided to place Pirate's Last third instead of first. The club’s action was endorsed. The Riverton Racing Club reported having fined J. Prondorville £5 for careless driving at its recent meeting, and this action was endorsed by the board. The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club reported having inquired into the allegedly careless driving of D. W. Hansen in the R. C. Simpson Handicap at the championship meeting. A complaint had been entered bv the stipendiary steward (Mr J. S. Shaw). No action had been taken. The running of Mute had also been inquired into. Mute had made a very bad break, and finished third. Mute was disqualified for the race. The action of the club was endorsed. The South Canterbury Hunt Club had forwarded for approval the programme for its annual meeting, but as the stake awarded to the trotting event was not sufficiently big. the programme had been returned to the club. The club had awarded £IOO, I but the rules provided for £ 103 6s Bd. The board decided to ask the Hunt Club to increase the stake in accordance with the Rule of Trotting. The next meeting of the board will be held at Wellington on Wednesday, July 6, at 3.30 p.m.