A VETERAN OF THE TRACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2645, 23 November 1904, Page 51

A VETERAN OF THE TRACK.

Although there- have been many more ljrillianfc horses seen oufc in the trotting arena that Monte Carlo, who practically set seal to his fame when he won the New Zealand Cup at the recent N.Z.M.T.C. ; spring -meeting, it is extremely doubtful if any other horse in Austialasia has succeeded. in trotting so deeply into the affections of ±fo& sporting public as the ancient Lincoln Yet gelding. Most of our champions have comparatively meteoric careers when measured through Monte Carlo's record, but our old friend has proved that age has not ■withered his prowess; and in recording his latest win he stepped with as true a gait as one could wish to behold. To those who have never had the pleasure of seeing old Monte rae© it would be quite a revelation • to see him exhibit his gait and pace. He is a dark brown in colour, and presents a somewhat carty appearance, but seldom is such a le^-el-gaited trotter seen on a track. Time after time the writer has seen him through his races without making a or a skip, and if the sport of trotting «an be held responsible for the development of such horses it-easily justifies its existence. There is some doubt as to Monte Carlo's

age, as when be first appeared he was returned as a. four-year-old, and he is also credited with b&ing a four-3'ear-old in his second season on th& turf. He first appeared on the track in 1894, and at the Christmas meeting of the C.T.C. he won a two-mile maiden in smin 38jrsec. That ■was his only race during that season, and the following year he started in four races and iron once. In his third season he started six times, but failed to score a ■winning bracket, and during his subsequent career he won races every year except in that of 1902-3, when he started in 12 races without gaining a win. In his second season lie madef a record of smin 12sec, and the first time he showed better than 2min 30sec was on January 1. 1897, when he gave away 9sec and was just beaten in 2min 38?ec. In October, 1898,^he made a record of 2min 26£seo at Brighton, and was also beaten a lengtii in 2miu 29|see when giving away ssec; whilst later, at Plumpton, he went 2min 2*£ sec after beating 13 others from scratch. His next a-chievemeut was to go against 4-min 55sec for a purse of lOOsovs, and he stepped home in 4min 53sec. The following November he went 2min 24sec after starting and winning over two miles in 4min 56sec in the previous race. At the N Z.M.T.C. spring meeting of 1901 he won In' 4-min 50 4-ssec, and on the last day won in 4mhi 46 2-ssec. At the following summer meeting of the same club he finished two

lengths away from Ribbon-wood, "who won in 4-min 46 3-ssec when in receipt of 2sec from the horse that chased him home. Monte did not win in 1902-3,' but in the New Zealand Handicap at the National meeting there was only half a head and a neck between Boldrewopd, The Heir, and Monte Carlo, who was giving the first-named s£ec and the second horse 6sec, when they raced past the. post to make the winner do 4min 4-9 see. This was probably one of the greatest races old Monte ever ran. and he went to a fairly good mark in getting such a close third. Last year he started in 19 races and won three. During the season h© ehowed some good mile performances, which considerably astonished those who set him down as a two-rniler. In. the Final Handicap of the N.Z.M.T.C. second spring meeting he won in 2min 21 2-ssec. and that is his best winning gait. At the April meeting he won in 2min 23sec, and crowned his' career by going 4min 44- 3-ssec when he won at the recent New Zealand Cup meeting. The following table of his record does not, perhaps,, give his correct performances, as in going through the records the writer discovered that two unplaced performances belonging to Monte Christo are set down against the horse which has called forth this noticej and during his lengthy care&r it is quit© possible that there may be other mistakes ; but, as far as can be gleaned, Monte Carlo has started in 136 rac&s, won 24-, placed 45 times, and unplaced 67 times. His total winnings, including place mone3 r . make the respectable total of £2063 ]os, and a record of his turf career up to date reads as follows: — (Record : 1 mile, 2miu 21 2-ssec ; 2 miles, -Imm 44 2-ssec.)

Un3eason. Races. "Won. Placed, placed. Stakes. L 894-5 ..1 1 — — £35 L 895-6 ..4 1 1 2 87 L 896-7 6 — 4 2 36 L 897-8 ..20 1 7 12 193 LB9B-9 ..30 6 11 13 451 1899-0 ..17 6 8 3 332 L9OO-1 ..9 3 2 4 6G L9Ol-2 ..13 2 4 7 244 ,002-3 ..12 0 3 9 32 .903-4 ». 19 3 5 11 322^ L 904 ..5 1 0 4 265" Tot«il .. 136 24 45 67 £20631