TRACK TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3898, 27 November 1928, Page 54

TRACK TALK.

By

Adonis.

THE PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP. The Forbury Park Club’s spring meeting will be held on Thursday and Satur-. day of this week, and already there are indications that the fixture will be a most successful one. For the big race, the President’s Handicap, a dozen horses stand their ground, among them being the New Zealand Cup candidate Dalnahine. From the day on which the handicaps were declared King Pointer has been a sound favourite, and with every justification. The young Star Pointer gelding won the Oamaru Handicap on Labour Day very easily, and with apparently a lot in hand, and the 4.30 mark he is on does not look like stopping him. Of the two on the limit, Silk Thread and Orphan, the former makes the bigger appeal, despite the fact that the American horse disappointed the stable in his last outing. Orphan paced a good race to finish second to King Pointer at Oamaru on Labour Day, but as yet he lacks that

little touch of “ class ” which is required to win such a race. Fight Ever is by himself on 4.31. The roan gelding has been troubled with his feet, and his recent form has not been encouraging, but J. J. Kennerly would only need to land him at the post fit and well to get a portion of the stake. Alongside of King Pointer on 4.30 are Dahneny and St. Maura, but they will need to show improvement on their recent showing to have a chancel According to reports, however, the St. Swithin mare has been moving nicely in her work, and she'is being spoken of as a likely outsider. If Quality was smarter at hitting her straps she would have plenty of supporters from 4.29. The half-sister to Cardinal Logan is speedy, and the first time she moves away with the field she will make the others busy to beat her. Of the four on 4.2 B—Author Jinks Talent, Bonny Logan, and Vesuvius—the public will declare for Author Jinks, and the brilliant Author Dillon gelding will only require a little assistance from his driver to be with the leaders in the run home. The back-marker, Dalnahine, has been let up 2sec on his handicap in the New Zealand Cup, but he has been out of form lately, and will not be in much demand. .There is little doubt that King Pointer will be favourite, with Author Jinks and St. Maura next in demand. MILE SADDLE FIELD. Oidy nine pacers have been paid up for in the St. Kilda Handicap, and Maiwhariti’s good track work will probably swing sufficient support to him to make him favourite. He has been stepping inside the 2.15 mark he is on in this race. It is a long time since Lenamhor has looked so well placed as he does in this race, and providing he is kept up to his work in the first couple of furlongs he should finish in the money. Of the others on the limit Sunstorm looks the best. He has furnished well since last season, and a good mile saddle race should come his way during the season. Kate Thorpe, on 2.16, has a fine burst of speed, but she seldom carries it far enough to win. It is a weak field, however, and if the pace is slow in the early stages she might be able to conserve her speed for the run home. High Jinks and Henry Logan are engaged in another race, while the fact that Fashion Queen frequently dwells at barrier rise will cause her to be one of the outsiders. When the totalisator is balanced the favourites will probably be Maiwhariti, Lenamhor, and Sunstorm. SPEEDY SPRINTERS. Several of those in the Dash Handicap are engaged in other events, but the field is one of the best of the day, and can stand a shrinkage. Dundas Boy showed at the recent Addington meeting that ,he is back to his best form, and if he is reserved for this race he will be heavily supported. He looks the best of those on or near the front. Desert Star and Henry Logan are the smartest of the bunch on 2.14, but if Fight Ever is started he should beat them at a difference of 12yds. Speculation on the event will take a wide range, but Dundas Boy, Desert Star, and Fight Ever should carry heavy support. BALANCE OF THE CARD. Among those in the Roslyn Handicap on Thursday is the promising three-year-old Koro Peter, who is now one of R. B. Berry’s team, and it will be surprising if he is not a sound favourite. Gardenella, who is a half sister to a useful trotter in Hawkesbury’s Pride, goes well with the weight on top, while Victor Bingen has the speed to win if he would only keep down. Alpha Wilkes is fairly well placed, but the public will probably prefer Koro Peter, Gardenella, and Victor Bingen.

Roddy was pacing nicely in his race at Oamaru on Labour Day until he left his feet, and providing he keeps down throughout the Progressive Handicap he will step very close to the money. Pamela, another one of the limit lot, has been showing promise on the southern circuit, and the fact that she is in A. M'Lellan’s stable ■will be sufficient inducement for some of the public to support her. Danny Boy looks nicely placed, and he may follow Roddy and Pamela in the order of favouritism. An Oamaru winner in Nelson Ata will be heavily supported in the Spring Handicap, but both Trampcrisp and Commander Bingen will give him trouble if they carry their speed on level gaits. AU Peters is probably the most solid trotter in the race, but Nelson Ata, Trampcrisp, and Commander Bingen will be preferred. Speculation will not take a very wide range in the Caversham Handicap, and the bulk of it will be entrusted to Roi

Lor. The Rey de Oro gelding is a smart pacer, and will lose nothing by being driven by D. Withers. Royal Serene is also nicely placed, but in her case there is a doubt about her leaving with the field. C. S. Donaldson’s candidates, Invader and Real Light, will have plenty of friends, but not sufficient to make the bracket a better favourite than Koi Lor and Royal Serene. W. J. Tomkinson’s bracket of Tonic and “ a PPy Rosa in the Dominion Handicap }'iu be one of the shortest priced favourites of the day, and it is entitled to have a big call over Mangoutu and Proud Ata. SYSTEM OF HANDICAPPING. Few followers of trotting, if any, would be so foolish as to claim that the presem; system of handicapping is faultless, and as the seasons pass the demand for some alteration in it becomes more insistent, lime must, however, always be the basis on which handicaps are built, and it would seem that a loosening of the restrictions on handicappers, allowing of the exercise ol more discretion in the matter of conditions under which times are recorded, Mould go some way towards minimising the present dissatisfaction. Organisations or trainers and owners throughout the Dominion are at present moving in the master, and in the following letter, which is being -forwarded to the president of the conference, there are many sound arguments:-—“ The President. New Zealand trotting Conference, Ashburton.— ear Sir, e > the undersigned owners and trainers, petition you to appoint a committee to consider a method whereby the present system of handicapping mav e revised, for the. following reasons: In the past, when times were slow and horses were more of one class, an improvement of ssee to lOsec in a class was almost unheard of. The present system served its purpose, and there was no serious cause for complaint, but times have changed, and we frequently see horses doing from lOsec to 20sec and even 25see on a fast track better time than they are handicapped to do. and when these horses, the next time out, are handicapped on those times, it depreciates their value by 50 per cent, or more, and often places young and promising horses in a position where they are of little use for racing, or else have to wait for a j ear or two before they have any chance, whereas the horses who were unplaced—often half a dozen or more—who finished wjthin three or four lengths of them, and did almost equal time, arc not penalised. You can take many races this season alreadj’ where the fourth and fifth horse-? have finished within one-fifth of a second of the third horse, yet he has to meet them on lOsec to 20sec worse terms on future occasions. These are not isolated occasions, but they occur frequently, and this is causing dissatisfaction amongst owners and trainers, and is utterly opposed to any sense of fairplay or equity We could enlarge indefinitely, but it is unnecessary, for the weakness thus described under the present system is admitted by all who have studied the question, including the leading handicappers of the Dominion, who would welcome being freed from the tie of being compelled, as at present, to depend solely upon “ time ” for their handicapping. In America, the home of trotting, where it. has developed and prospered, only the winner of a race is penalised, and then only under restricted conditions, but we do not propose to suggest that this system should be inaugurated, for we are satisfied that if vou will appoint a committee to study and report upon handicapping, a way out of the present difficulty will be found. It is easy to see how peculiarly unfair it is. at present from so many points of view. Take one owner who makes a point of starting his horse or horses only on slow tracks—he can win three or four races and still have bis horse receiving a start from a horse who has been placed third once only op a. fast track. Many more injustices could be related, but we trust that we have said sufficient and that the names appended hereto will satisfy you of the seriousness ot the position, and of the verv strong body of opinion there is in favour of a change.” IN SADDLE AND SULKY. It will not be long before Wilma Dillon is racing on metropolitan tracks. Randolph is now on a mark from which he will find it hard to win. Roi L’or is regarded as one of the besthandicapped horses at the Forbury Park meeting.

Laplander has been left in Auckland, and will confpete at the Waikato Club’s meeting on December 8. Tonic will be a short-priced favourite on Thursday. W. J. Tomkiuson has the Dunedin-owned trotter in fine condition. Ever since the declaration of the handicaps for the first day of the Forbury Park Club’s meeting there has been a fairly general tendency to refer to one of the races as the “ Tonic Stakes.”

Jackie Audubon quickly worked his way back among the good ones. He is in the Champion Handicap at the Auckland meeting. . The Denver Huon mare Jessie Huon is credited with having shown some smart gaits on the track. She is long overdue tor a win. All Peters is a solid trotter, and his steadiness might help'him to beat speedier but flightier opponents at Forbury Park this week. Warepa is a very honest pacer, and is capable of running a good race up to 13 furlongs. Races over more ground than that do not suit him. Lee Todd appears to have, lost some of his speed. At his best he would be a “ a . horse to beat in the Dominion Handicap on Thursday. The Brent Locanda gelding Listen In is in steady work, and will be started at the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting next month. He goes best in saddle. Four Bells looks well, but in the Caversham Handicap few will prefer him to Roi L’or and Real Light. The Denver Huon pacer is going to find it hard to win again.

Lady Cello, who is on the front of the Progressive Handicap on Thursday, is a four-year-old by Cello Sydney Wilkes from Lady Jinks, and consequently is a halfsister to that good horse Author Jinks. Alpha Wilkes is a useful sort for looseclass trotters’ saddle races, and she looks the most likely one of the middle-markers beat some of those out on the front of the Roslyn Handicap on Thursday. Audacious has a brilliant turn of speed but he has been a hard horse to keep sound. j\ow that O. E. Hooper has him yifiht he will get further wins with him if he stands up to his work.

Nelson Ata won very easily at the Oamaru meeting on Labour Day, and appears to have done well since then Age is helping the chestnut trotter to keep close to the ground.

i 'M'S y* mar ’* Club’s summer meeting will be held on January 12, and nominations are due on December 20. The President’s Handicap carries a stake of 350sovs, and is open to horses that can do 4.36 or better. All the best horses in the country have been nominated for the Auckland Cup, all but three of them having started in the Aew Zealand Cup. The newcomers are Jewel Pointer, Gold Jacket, and Cardinal Logan. Desert Star looks in fine condition, and he has been stepping like an improved horse. The Four Chimes horse is a great beginner, and by the time the other horses gather top speed he has generally made up some of his handicap. Among those nominated for the events on the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting next month is Cytheria, who fell when racing at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting, lhe Nelson Bingen mare has the speed to win from the loose mark she is still on. Kyra, who is now trained by W. J. Tomkinson, has not been trott.ng well on the track, and she is not likely to be in much demand for the Roslyn Handicap at Forbury Park on Thursday. She will never get into much better company. Gardenella, one of the limit lot in the Roslyn Handicap on Thursday, is a six-year-old mare by Nelson Bingen from Gardenia, the dam of HawkesUury’s Pride Gardenella is a useful trotter, and she has been doing good work. Dundas Boy has been pacing in his best stjde, and he will be on the top of his form for the meeting this week. The Brent Locanda gelding will win a tight class race during the season if he keeps right. C. S. Donald has a fine team engaged at the Forbury Park meeting this week, and he will be decidedly- unlucky if he goes through the meeting without a win. In the Caversham Handicap he has both Real Light and Invader engaged. Quality has come on a lot since racing at the Addington meeting, and it should not be long before she gets among the winners again. She is hitting her straps more quickly at barrier rise now than formerly. The Sungod gelding Sunny Bob paced two good races at Gore last month, when he did not look nearly at his best. If he has come on in the meantime he should show up in the Progressive Handicap at I'orbury Park on Thursday. One of the easiest wins at the Otahuhu meeting was that of Evelyn Locanda in the Papatoetoe Handicap. A. Bryce drove her a beautiful race, having her in third place for a mile And a-lialf, and cominsx out two furlongs from home to win easily from the consistent Van Rich. Talent has been racing very consistently over sprint distances, but that fact is not likely to bring him into favour for the President’s Handicap at Forbury Park on Thursday. A two-inile race with the pace on all the way does not suit him. Red Peter has not been raced for some tune, and he will probably be one of the outsiders in the Roslyn Handicap on Thursday. He is a long way from being a good one, but on a previous occasion at Forbury Park the stable connections expected him to be a winner. The American-bred trotter Tramperisp has a nice turn of speed, but he frequently breaks when pressure is applied, and he takes a long time to strike his gait again. Ir he happens to travel evenly in the Spring Handicap on Thursday he will get a portion of the stake. The Nelson Bingen three-year-old Prince Bingen has been moving along well for J. Pollock in his work at Forbury Park, but he does not appeal as the prospective winner of the Progressive Handicap. He should pick up a stake on the country circuit during the holidays. Roddy has been striding along nicely in his work, and from the front of the Progressive Handicap at Forbury Park on Thursday the others will find him a hard horse to beat. He was showing speed in his race at Oamaru on Labour Day until he went to a break. .For its annual meeting . on December 29 the Winton Club has hung up stakes totalling 1600sovs. The feature of the card is the Trotting Club Handicap, of

400sovs, including a trophy valued at SOsovs, and open to horses that can do 4.46 or better. Nominations are due on December 7. Bonny Bogan and Tom Thumb will probably be taken to Auckland at Christmas time. Although Bonny Logan is handicapped to do 4.28 at Forbury Park, she is not eligible for the big race on the first day of the Canterbury Park meeting, con fined to horses that have done 4.29 or better. Royal Serene is not reliable at the barrier, Hooper is an expert at breaking horses from the habit, and when he does that with the Realm fivehe will win in good edmpany. At the Ashburton Club’s winter meeting Koyal Serene won a mile race in 2.16, and certainly not complain of being on y 1 the Caversham Handicap on El Caron bounded into the limelight last season by winning the Maiden Handicap and then running second in the mile saddle race in 2.19 2-5 on the first day of- the Invercargill meeting. On the second day he touched 2.17 2-5 to run second in the mile saddle race to Marinca. He was raced at Oamaru on Labour Day, but was not at his best, and is expected to make a better showing at the I’orbury Park meeting this week. W ' lo registered a winning record a 2 ’ 10 ? on e f a . mile fl ’ om 6 °y ds behind on August 29 last year, has proved himself the speediest pacer that has come to this btate to stay (says a writer in the West Australian.) Sheik has won numerous races both in New South Wales and New Zealand. His most important victories were recorded in the 1923 Otahuhu (New Zealand) Trotting Cup, and the New Zeat k lr ?“ lnß Cup, of £3OOO, two miles. In the latter race Sheik registered 4.25 4-u. A better idea of the stallion’s worth may be gained from the fact that early in his career he performed the unusual teat of winning three races at the meeting of the Inverell (New South Wales) Trotting Club on October 22. 1921. Sheik ho Ids engagements in the Cup, the Metropolitan Handicap, and the City Handicap. to . ?, G at the Christmas Carnival or the West Australian Trotting Association. He has been in this State since cl a ‘q J n - . on,y start here on June 23 bheik finished second last in the race won by Katie Wood from Quartz and Phyllis Hoy, but his time on that occasion was favourable considering he had only been in Perth about seven weeks. He is owned and trained by C. J. Clarke, and has been doing stud duty during the last couple of months.