TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23703, 10 January 1939, Page 7

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

FIXTURES January 14.—Cambridge T.C January 14.—Timaru T.C January 26 28.—Forbury Park T.C. January 28 February I.—Nelson T.C, February 2. 4.—Wellington T.C. February 11, 15.—Auckland T.C. February 11. —Otakl T.C. February 11.—Canterbury Park T.C. February 18.—New Brighton T.C. February 25.—Kaikoura T.C. February 25.—Watrarapa T.C.

Forbury Park Nominations are due to-day for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting. Paying foi Pleasure

Government taxation paid through the Auckland Trotting Club from its summer meeting amounted to £16,300 0s 3d, to which total dividend duty contributed £8304 12s; totalisator tax, £7593 16s; amusement tax, £325 17s 3d; and stakes’ duty. £75 15..'. The Championships The first heat of the Inter-dominion Championship was won by Globe Dorell, by Globe Derby—Dora Belle, and the second heat by Our Globe, by Globe Derby from the New Zealand mare Ayr, the dam of Cloudy Range. Engaged at Matakanui

Royal Flush, who is engaged at the Vincent meeting this week, is one of P. Gallagher’s team at Washdyke. He finished third to Easter Rush and Macgregor at the Oamaru meeting last week. Row!

Rowi, who is an acceptor for the Vincent meeting, is a three-year-old by Jack Potts, arid is another of P. Gallagher’s team. She finished third to Charles Russell arid Bonny Le Roy at Oamaru.

By Silk Thread Bonny Le Roy is not likely to be neglected at the Vincent meeting. She is trained at Omakau, and at the Oamaru meeting last week she paced into second place in the Waikaura Trot Handicap. Bonny Le Roy is a six-year-old by Silk Thread

Bayard in the North The diminutive Bayard, who raced with a fair measure of success in the south, is now in M Stewart’s charge and will make his first appearance in the Cambridge Handicap on Saturday. Registration

There has been a certain amount of laxity in connection with the registration of horses engaged in classic events. Owners and trainers are reminded that horses entered for the Great Northern Trotting Stakes and Great Northern Trotting Derby, to be run at the February meeting, are required to be registered at least a fortnight before the closing date. January 27. More Invaders

The year 1938 was marked by the production of a horse capable of breaking two minutes, and visitors to the Inter-Dominion Championship meeting held at Easter went back to Australia very favourably impressed with the prize-money hung up in New Zealand. They fully realise that it requires a good horse to win the good stakes, but they can produce them in Australia. Hence it will occasion no surprise if Australia becomes strongly represented here during the second half of the season, A Star Attraction ,

The value of providing a star attraction at a meeting in addition to ordinary handicap racing was well proved at Auckland. The Auckland Trotting Club’s summer meeting was undoubtedly the best held by the club for many years, and it serves to illustrate the rapid strides the sport has made in the north. A decade or so ago the light-harness game in Auckland appeared to be on the wane, but the energy and enthusiasm shown by a small band of supporters have resulted in it again returning to its old high plane of popularity. An instance of its present popularity is revealed by the fact that the recent three-day carnival produced an increase in totalisator figures of £64.185, which repre sents a record increase for the Dominion. The wonderful turnover on the final day (says a North Island paper) can. perhaps be attributed to the initiative of the club in arranging a match race between the Australians Lawn Derby and Van Derby. The track was conducive to fast time, and in no fewer than the whole twenty-four races the winners reduced their handicap Two track records were registered, Van Derbv going 2min 1 l-ssec for a mile, and Uenuku recording 3min 13 2-ssec for a mile and a-half. A Match

Peggotty. trotting in her best style throughout, was too good for Sea Gift in the special match race over a mile and a-half which was the feature of the opening day of the Greymouth Trotting Club’s meeting. Track conditions were good, and Peggotty covered the distance in 3min 22 l-ssec. Sea Gift taking 3min 23 l-ssec. E. J Smith drew the rails, and Sea Gift kept Peggotty on the outside until just after passing the two furlongs post where Sea Gift broke. She did not lose much ground (says the Star-Sun) but J. L. Behrns then took Peggotty to

the lead and she was never headed. Approaching the six furlongs post Sea Gift was close on Peggotty, but again she faulted and thereafter never looked like getting up. though under the whip for a short time. The sectional times were:—Furlong, 18sec; two furlongs 34sec: half-mile, Imin 7 4-ssec; mile, 2min 13 4-ssec; mile and a-quarter 2min 47 l-ssec; and the full distance. 3min 22 l-sscc, Apparent Laxity There is considerable dissatisfaction over the reversals of form disclosed at the recent meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club. The disturbing factors associated with the Addington meeting are that the acute reversals of form were not inquired into: at least no notice of an inquiry was made known to the public (says the StarSun). A veteran of the sport maintains that inquiries into the improved performances on the second day as compared with the first day should have been held, which would have not only satisfied the betting public, but also given owners an opportunity that should have been welcomed to explain the apparent inconsistencies. Some refer to the fast times registered on the second day, as compared with those on the first day. That can be explained however, by the improved conditions that obtained on the concluding day. Another enthusiast contended that some of the classes fooled the public He referred to. ihe Templeton Handicap on the first da» which was a mile and a-half race with a 3min 29sec limit. Several of the horses that contested the race were assessed on 3min 30sec. and although they were down the course on that occasion did much better on the second day when they contested in their correct class of 3min 30sec. That such a condition should be allowed to exist is perplexing to a big section of enthusiasts who are not cognisant of the position, and so are dissatisfied when horses they backed fail in a 3min 29sec class, do better on the second nay when raced from a 3min 30sec mark. Many years ago much criticism was levelled at clubs arranging their programmes where the classes for middle-grade horses on the first day were faster than those on the succeeding days, and it was suggested that horses should not be allowed to race out of their class. The amount of money invested on a horse is only partial evidence that a horse is tryme to win, for numerous instances can be quoted where horses fail when heavily backed by their owners and trainers and win when they are unbacked One of the most recent cases is that of Plutus in the New Zealand Trottinv Cup. Plutus is regarded as one of the most dependable pacers in commission, and his owner and his trainer and their friends backed him to win the New Zealand Trotting Cup. In that race he failed badly after having every chance, and his trainer was at a loss to understand his horse’s lapse of form, because that was the first time Plutus had not raced up to expectations. Plutus started in a similar event on the second day (the Ollivier, Handicap) and won and paid a huge dividend, and neither his owner nor trainer invested one penny on him in that event. That, however, is no reason why the authorities should not have inquired into ■ the acute reversals of form at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting and provided the public with the explanations to which they were entitled.