TRACK TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 54

TRACK TALK.

By

Adonis.

THE TIMARU MEETING. ‘1 Af W ni the Inv f rc argill meeting disposed will f °! lower ® f> { the , light-harness sport whLh° nC ’i? t \ ate i. 0 ?j tlle Tnnaru meeting, which will be held on Thursday and Saturday of this week, and for which A excellent acceptances have been received, -the meeting is one of the most popular held outside the metropolitan centres, and the club will probably realise that it was a wise move to revert to the two-day meeting in preference to two one-dav meetings. Fifteen horses have been paid up for m the Cup, and there is a fair leavening of class horses. None of those on the limit—Bonny Spec, Colene ’Pointer, and Omaha —makes- any particular appeal, and the winner is not likely to come from them. Six are-on the 12yd ®* a .rk> and two of them—Rey Logan and ■ - 4 r,kl —should step elose to at least a Kiare of the stake. The former is a par-

ticularly smart four-year-old, and though he may not have had quite enough work to help him to see the last furlong out. he is one that it will be profitable to follow at meetings ahead. Ariki is a very solid pacer, and J. Bryce will get him to step every yard of the journey. Nantwich has certainly won over the distance, but she is better suited by races over less ground, and this remark applies to Jean M'Elwyn and Kotuku Jack. Of the three on 24 yards, Epigram is more or less unsound, and can be ruled out if the track happens to be hard. King Pointer has furnished into a genuine pacer, but Daphne de Oro appears to hold him safe, and, as a matter of fact, the latter is entitled to be favourite. At Ashburton on Boxing Day she stepped inside 4.31, and so has been nicely treated in being placed on 4.34. Billy Sea has been going away with the others in his most recent races, but he can scarcely be regarded as reliable, and so will not be in much demand. Young Blake looks to be in his place among the -pacers, but Author Jinks takes the eye as likely to be one of the leaders in the run home. The brilliant Author Dillon gelding has on occasions been allowed to make up his ground too quickly and run himself out before the post is reached, but his reinsman may adopt different tactics for this particular race. When the totalisator is balanced it wjll probably be found that Daphne de Oro, Rey Logan, and Author Jinks are the favourites. Horses that will be fancied in the other races arc: Tohe Roa, Leo Bellman, and Brent Boy in the Kingsdown Handicap; Danny Boy, Lifebuoy, and Cora Locanda in the Trial Handicap; Low Thorpe, Heroic, and Red Swithin in the Seadown Handicap; Arctotis. All Peters, and Commander Bingen in the Temuka Handicap; Kulnine, Searchlight Lad, and Sungleam in the Washdyke Handicap; Firebrand. Carbine Direct, and Warepa in the Fairlie Handicap; and Dawson Bingen, Harvest Child, and Lucky Dillon in the Wai-iti Handicap.

Catering for the bus horse; It would be a travesty of truth to say that the racing on the first day of the Invercargill meeting was close or exciting; in fact, in practically every case the races bore a resemblance, to long-drawn-out processions, and the winners could be named a long way from home. For this the blame could not be laid at the door of the handicapper, but the reason is to be found in the club’s- apparent desire to cater for what in racing parlance is known as the bus-horse type of pacer or trotter. Such very loose classes as pertain at the southern meeting not only result in the nominations of horses who have not even the remotest chance of ever winning a race, but also result in some smart . ones with unrevealed form getting out on such long handicaps as to make the task of the back-markers impossible. The consistency with which winners and placed horses stepped well inside their handicaps is in itself sufficient justification for a liberal tightening of the classes. In the Monowai Handicap Harold Moor, from the limit, chipped 7 4-sscc from his handicap, and won by a street; in the Crescent Handicap Sunshade stepped 6 3-ssec inside his handicap, and also won easily; in the Thomson Handicap Coldwood won by 10 lengths in 7 l-ssec better than his handicap; in the Travis Memorial Secret Link won by seven lengths in 7 2-ssec better than he was handicapped to do; while General Pointer won the mile saddle easily in 4 4-ssec inside his handicap. The second day’s results kept up the record, and in the mile saddle each of the placed horses broke 2.20 in a 2.24 class. Loose class races certainly attract big fields, and so bring revenue to the club by way of nomination and acceptance fees, but as racing spectacles they are far from being a success.

SUCCESSES OF SUNGODS. A feature of the Invercargill Club's meeting last week was the showing of horses by Sungod, who gathered three firsts and several other placings. With the ageing of his stock, the southern sire is being brought into prominence by their performances, and several of his get showpromise of stepping into good company. One of the most promising is Sunstorm, a four-year-old from May Bloom, who is trained at Wyndham by J. Dynes. He is a very game pacer, and goes particularly well under saddle. White Sun, winner of the Coldstream Handicap, is a well-set-up four-year-old from Jenny Bell, and is in E. Todd’s stable at Wyndham. It -was only by a head that he won on Saturday, but he stepped 8 2-ssec inside his handicap to do it. and is a long way from being finished. Sunbell, the winner of the Trial, is a five-year-old in D. Kerr’s Riversdale stable, and he has come on so w-ell lately that it does not savour of prophecy to say that he will win better races. Sunshade, the Crescent Handicap winner, is .a five-year-old. from Red Empress, and he is trained by his owner at Nightcaps. He won a race at Clifden, but his win there ■was far from ■ being as impressive as that of Friday was. Other Sungods seen out at the meeting were Sonata, Needles, and Sunfish, who all have racewinning speed, particularly the lastnamed, who is a three-year-old from Decoy and is in A. M'Lellan’s stable. There is a big crop of Sungods in the Southland district, and the indications are that many winners will come from among them. IN SADDLE AND SULKY. Nominations for the Wellington meeting are due on Wednesday. Daphne de Oro will be showing a short price in the Timaru Cup. •Rita M’Kinney, with race experience, will step to a good mark. She is a three-year-old by Nelson Bingen from Rosie M’Kinney. The appointment of the new stipendiary stewards will be made on Saturday. One of the ruling “ favourites ’’ is a leading police official. J. J. Kennerley has a very promising pacer in . Writer, a three-year-old by Author Dillon from Ruby S. He won very easily on the Coast. Danhne de Oro stepped to 4.30 4-5 in the Ashburton Cup on Boxing Day, and so must be regarded as well treated in being on 4.34 in the Timaru Cup. ~

One of the most promising young pacers at present racing in New South Wales is Highdon, a four-year-old gelding by Adonis from May Highwood, the latter the dam of Delavan’s Quest. Sunstorm, the four-year old gelding by Sungod from Maybloom, is improving with ago, and looks sure to race well on tracks further afield. He goes well in both saddle and harness.

Tho ancient trotter Wallacetown is losing his speed, and with so many good young ones coming on and starting off the front his prospects of winning again are anything but bright. The American pacing stallion Jack Potts has been put into work again, and will be raced over sprint distances at tho Easter meetings. It is intended to take him to the Auckland winter meeting. .D. Kerr has improved Haere-ra, and the aged Harold Rothschild gelding paced well enough at Invercargill to justify support for him in his next outing, which will probably be at Wyndham.

Firebrand will be tried out over a twomile journey at Timaru, and he should have no difficulty in getting to the end of it. The long, swinging stride he has will help him. Medusa, a winner at the Waikato meeting, is owned by the president of the club and trained by A. Julian. She is a three-year-old by Man o’ War from Miss Rolfe, and great things are predicted for her. E. J. Dwyer, who was behind several winners at Invercargill, incurred the displeasure of the stewards, and, in addition to being fined, was suspended for 12 months. An appeal has been lodged. In Gardenella G. Carling has a useful trotter, who should win races for him. She is a five-year-old by Nelson Bingen from Gardenia. The racing she had at Invercargill will improve her. Liberal showed a fine turn of speed in his races at Invercargill, and in the big race on Saturday would probably have been the winner but for being blocked in the run home.

The Brent Locanda mare Azaleas paced well at Invercargill without actuallybeing a winner. She .is very well at present, and may be worth remembering' for meetings ahead. Warepa was confidently expected by' the stable to run well at the Invercargill meeting, but the King Daphne gelding went off his feed and did not pace up to his true form.

J. R. M’Murray’s team for Timaru will be Fashion Queen and Lucky Dillon. The former has been pacing up to her best gait, and will be one of the hardest horses to beat in the Washdyke Handicap if she goes away with the field, Orphan got into all the trouble that was going in the Greymouth Cup, but pulled out a fine clip to hit the front in the run home and win nicely. The Nelson Bingen four-year-old can be ticked off as likely to win in much better company. The effects of the fall which John Mauritius had at the Forbury Park meeting were more serious than was at first thought to be- the case, and it will be some time before the Mauritius gelding is asked to race again.

A pacer that took the eye at Invercargill as the prospective winner of a looseclass before long was Campanula, a four-year-old gelding by Cathedral Chimes from Bellflower. lie ranks as a half brother to Arctotis.

Downcast has been having an easy time since racing at the Forbury Park summer meeting, but will probably be taken up, again soon with a view to being raced at the winter meetings. He likes the heavy going. Harvest Child is reported to be doing well in his work, and if the Sonoma Harvester three-year-old goes- down well in his. preliminary he will be well supported in the Wai-iti Handicap at Timaru on Thursday.

Great Triumph, one of the best three-year-olds at present in training, has been sold to an Auckland sportsman, and will join R. B. Berry’s team at Templeton. Great Triumph is a well-mannered pacer, and should win big money for his new owner.

The driver of Native Prince eased his horse up near the post in the Waikato Cup on Saturday, and was beaten for second place by Loch Moigh. The driver was fined £lO for careless driving, and, on the face of it, he does not appear to have been heavily penalised. Lord Audubon, by Great Audubon— Miss Florrie C., who raced in New Zealand as Cameo, won the Broomehill Handicap at -the . West Australian Trotting Association’s meeting on February 4. When in New Zealand Cameo was trained by A. M’Lellan, the Invercargill mentor. Spring Chimes has a decided aversion to racing when hitched to a sulky, and refuses to be coaxed away. The Four Chimes gelding was never looking better than he is at present, and has certainly not lost any of his pace. He will win good money if kent to saddle races. The southern mentor, A. M‘Lellan, has had a run of outs lately, and horses from his stable have been gathering very little in tho way of stake money. M’Lellan has some smart pacers in his big team, however, and he is at present undergoing an experience which all trainers undergo at some time in their career.

Dawson Bingen is striding out well in the work being allotted to him, and will strip a very fit horse for the mile saddle race at Timaru on Saturday. At the Invercargill meeting last season he won both the mile saddle heats, and his recent work suggests that he is a much-improved pacer now. . '

Heroic paced a fine race to get third in th? final event at Greymouth, and would have been a dividend payer if he had not been badly interfered with. O. E. Hooper has him at the top of his form, and he looks well placed in the Seadown Handicap at Timaru.

Coldwopd paced right away from the others in' the Thomson Handicap on the opening day at Invercargill, and was not required to do his best over the last bit. He is a six-year-old by Coldstream Bells from a Kerrwood mare, and looks sure to win again.

To show how hard it is for the backmarkers to win iu maiden handicaps

nowadays the case of El Caron may be quoted. After winning the Maiden at Invercargill easily, he was saddled up for the mile, and with a- penalty of 48yds, stepped into second place in 2.19 2-5.

Kola Wilkes, who is trained by G. S. Wallace at Forbury Park, was made a good second favourite for the Takitimu Handicap on the opening day of the Invercargill meeting, but she lost her chance at the start. It was difficult to see the justification for the support accorded to •j- sle has as yet not given any indication of having race winning speed. Lenamhor chipped 7 2-ssec off his handicap in the Trotting Club Handicap at Invercargill on Saturday, and even then was beaten into second place. It was his best performance for some time and he is not likely to be one of the outsiders for his next race. He appeals as one likely to win a mile saddle heat.

On the second day of the Forbury Park summer meeting Searchlight Lad was doing it well until Daphne de Oro ranged alongside of him half a furlong from home and he went to a very bad break. That form points to him as likely to run well ln the Washdyke Handicap at Timaru, which is over three furlongs less ground. If J. M’Lennan has the mount on Tohcroa m the Kingsdown Handicap at c Ti aru , 0 ? £rlday ke should get a share or the stake. At the Invercargill meeting last season he was away out by himself, and travelling like a winner when he struck himself, and would not go on with El Caron tramped three good races at Invercargill gathering a first and two seconds He is a six-year-old gelding by El Carbine from a Bell Vue mare, and although ho will never reach top class he is more than useful and should win again Hie stable is reported to have thrown hi for a big win. He is one of S. Hawthorne’s team at Ku row.

Young Blake, who touched 4.31 when he non at Otahuhti, is to bo stepped out ‘against the pacers at Timaru this week and will need to travel at a level gait from barrier to post to have a chance. He is on 4.32 in the Cup, but some of those in front of him will make him step inside that mark if he is to win.

All Peters has the race-winning asset of steadiness, and that fact will find him in favour for the Temuka Handicap at the Timaru meeting on Friday. There is a tendency to doubt his ability to run out a soundly-run two-mile journey, but in his winning effort at the Forbury Park summer meeting he finished very well, and looked as though he could have gone on with it.

With the Forbury Park Club’s decision to make the Tahuna Handicap a race for trotters in sulkies, the big majority of racegoers will agree. Mr Ritchie verv rightly stated that in the past the saddle races for trotters had proved very disappointing. and one is safe in saying that as racing spectacles they were the worst on the programme. Those who can hold a trotter together when sitting in a saddle are vastly fewer than those who can do so from the seat of a sulky. Running down the back in the Waikiwi Handicap at Invercargill on Saturday Bon Fleur was well out in front and going so well that he was being named as the winner. Arctotis was then sent along after the Bon Homme gelding, but when travelling at top went to a break. He got clown again, however, and put in great work over the final furlongs to get up and win. It was a good performance by the Petcreta gelding, who has the speed to make him a good winner. The American trotting stallion Peter M‘Cormack, who was imported to England in 1920. died at Leicester on Boxing Day. Peter M’Cormack, who claimed Peter the Great (2.7 J as his sire, was 20 years old, and in America Iris best racing seasons were 1914-15, when the big horse trotted a mile in 2min B®sec, and then reduced his record to 2min sAsec. He was then held in high opinion by the leading American trainers, and after winning a 5000dol race in San Francisco, he was later narrowly beaten by the best trotter at that time in America in a 20,000d0l contest.