TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23954, 1 November 1939, Page 2

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel FIXTURE!) November 7,9, 10.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C November 23. 25.—Forbury Park T.C. December 2.—Walrio T.C December 2 —New Brighton T.C. December 2,—Waikato T.C. December 9.—Waikato T.C, December 16.—Timaru T.C. December 28.— Ashburton T.C. December 26 , 27, -Westport T.C. December 26.—Gore T.C. Decembct.27. 29f, 30.-r Auckland T.C. December 29.—Reefton T.C

The Cup 'i, Pirfe’Art'Jg the ruling favourite for the Trotting Cup Plutus, Gallant Knight and Lucky; Jack are bracketed as next In demand, and then follow King s Play. Lawn Derby and , Parisicnne. A Strong Tdam’

M. C. McTlgue has a . strong team of horseis engaged at Addlngton. fhe number Including Fine Art, Gre it Divide. Loyal Key, Precious Metal and Great Don; and the responsibility of looking after these horses was sufficient excuse for his absence at Hutt Park. where Great Divide was driven by J. Pringle. Great Don failed; at OamarU, .but Addington may find hint aft- improved pacer, while Precious Metal appears the type likely to follow in the footsteps of Fine Art. Lawn Derby The presence of Lawn Derby in the Cup will have all drivers on the qui viye, for a horse that can be relied on to pace h. "f a mile in less than a minute Is a force to be reckoned with. The holder of the mile record qf Imln 59 2-ssec is a good stayer, and (says the Press) in a fighting finish in Auckland he proved his worth when he defeated Lucky Jack over two miles when the ,latter was at the top of his form It would be a big

attraction for the public if the owner of Lawn Derby expressed his willingness to set his horse against his own mile record on the second or third days of the meeting. Only a- few select pacers and trotters, have covered a mile in two minutes more than once, but Lawn Derby is an exceptional pacer and may be quite capable of recording better ;time than he has yet done, If a better record is desired Addington is the place on which to do it, and with, a good November day there Is nothing to say that Lawn Derby cannot better , his fine record of Imin 59 2-ssec A . Champion In a Melbourne paper D. J. Price has been, relating reminiscences of his career He, recalls the famous match between Fritz and which, filled the Addington course from fence to fence. It was for £SOO a side, with a £IOO gold cup added by the club. Ribbonwood won the first heat in 2min 14 l-ssec, "the second ill. 2mln I3sec. and the third in 2mln lOsec. In ..the final heat he went the first quarter in 32sec, half-mile in Imin 4sec, six furlongs in Imin 38sec and the rtille comfortably in 2tnin lOsec. Ribbonwood , afterwards went an exhibition mile hi 2mln 9sec. Price-declares that on the old flve-furloHg track at Addington, with lis sharp'turn out of the straight, Ribbonwood would pace a mile In 2min ssec. and with the tracks as they are to-day he would have done a mile In 2min. In Ills work-out before the match he often covered the last two furlongs of a mile in 30sec and the last furlong in 14sec—a Imin 52sec gait “Perhaps I would be safe,’’ says Price, *in saying that Ribbonwood is the only pacer Australia has known that was not sent along at his top over a Journey at one time or another during his career.” Dave Price omits in his reminiscences a story he related shortly after getting Ribbonwood. who raced unsuccessfully amongst the ponies at Tahuria Park, ‘ -ut afterwards won twice over a mile against horses. He then went Into D. J. : Prlce’s stable, with a private training trade,, and on the other side of a high fence was a mental hospital Different mornings a spectator perched himself on the fence watching Ribbonwood at work. ■) After noting the track operations for some time the spectator called,, put to Price, who was jogging his Horse back after a• speed up, “ I say, have you won any races with that horse? ’’ “Not yet,” replied Dave. ’’Well,’’ said the spectator, “you’re on the wrong side <>£ the fence.” Subsequent events proved that Price had a champion in the making suid knew how to develop him.