TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24492, 28 December 1940, Page 5

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel FIXTURES, December 28. 31.—Auckland T.C. December 28 —Winton T.C. January 1 2.—Canterbury Park T.C. January 4, 6.—Greymouth T.C January 11.—Cambridge T.C January 11.—Timaru T.C. January 22. 25.—Wanganui T.C January 23 25.—Forbury Park T.C. January 30. February 1.— Wellington T.C. Winton Starting Times The -starting times for Winton are as follows: 12.15. 12.55, 1.35, 2.20. 3 p.m., 3.40, 4.20, 5 p.m. A Deserved Reward The Ashburton Trotting Club has established a good claim to be considered the most progressive one in New Zealand. It had to start from a semi-metropolitan status, but nevertheless with what appeared to be somewhat ambitious ideas, has reached a plane that has elevated it above clubs more favourably situated to cater for light harness stakes. In the introduction of such races as the Sapling Stakes and Champion Stakes it has supplied an incentive to import the best obtainable stock for importation from America and by doing so has improved the quality of the New Zealand horses to a very high standard. In : fact, if New Zealand had. similar tracks to those in the United States, and dropped the jogging carts in favour of the racing sulky, the not far distant future would, find a 2.10 horse too slow to train and the twominute performer, fai from being a rarity that it is to-day. Providing such rich stakes as those to be found at Ashburton has .*> far more wide-reaching effect than benefiting the winners. They force those interpsted in light harness racing to recognise that only a horse bred on the very best lines is now becoming the only sort worthy of consideration