TROTTING NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 22914, 12 June 1936, Page 10

TROTTING NOTES

WINNING SIRES’ LIST

(By

Stopwatch.)

W. Cosgrove is handling five youngsters at the present time, the latest acquisition to the number being a three-year-old colt by Wrack from Carbinea, dam of Norman Fox and Journey’s End. He is not a big colt but has shown some aptitude to trot in the light tasks that have been asked of him. His sire left "winners at both gaits, while his dam, a good trotting mare in her day, won the New Zealand Trotting Stakes for three-year-olds. The Southland-bred two-year-old Dark Hazard, in M. C. McTigue’s stable, is credited with having made good progress, but his Sapling Stakes engagement was not continued, although it is expected he will be on hand when the three-year-old classics are decided. The Great Bingen youngster stands over 16 hands, and is to be given time to furnish. The name of Lome Nurse has been claimed by Mr J. O’Shannessey, of Limehills, for a half-sister by Drusus (imp.) to the Wyndham Cup winner of a couple of seasons back, in Nelson Pointer. Lome Nurse is being used at the stud and last season produced to Rey de Oro and has been stinted to the same sire. Although unsound, Nelson Pointer has proved himself a fine racehorse, and after a spell of over 12 months, it is expected that he will be recommissioned at the commencement of the new season. According to the statistics published in the New Zealand Referee the winning sires’ list for Southland during the past season was headed as follows: Happy Voyage, £1032 10/-; Sungod, £827 10/-; Adioo Guy, £814; Grattan Loyal, £774 10/-. This list has several interesting features, and one that is not by far the least important is that two new sires, Grattan Loyal and Adioo Guy, are so well placed. It could not be said that Grattan Loyal was extensively represented with his first batch of foals, which raced as four-year-olds, but this number won no less than nine races between them, and did so in a manner that suggested that the best has yet to be seen of them. In Canterbury at the present time the stock of Grattan Loyal are attracting attention, although some time back they were not regarded in the ■ same light. Few four-year-olds have shown as promising form as has Belle Grattan, and as a big overgrown mare, a bright future may be predicted for her in another season. She won three races during the recent term in good style, and while she is not the most reliable at the start in harness, the trouble that she has given in this direction has not been all her own fault. Eddie Tolan and Norma Grattan both displayed great promise in their winning essays, while Vinola simply spreadeagled a useful field in getting her name on the winning list, and her performance on this occasion was one, that would give her connections a good deal of pleasure. Rather a feature of the'winners from this family, has been that all have shown promise to stay to advantage over an extended journey. The stock of Adioo Guy won six races besides recording numerous minor placings. Following the success of descendants of the defunct sire from Canterbury stables, his stock are now highly rated, and from what has been seen of them, it Is with good reasons. Few young pacers compiled such a convincing record as did Harold Guy, who won £3BO during the season, in his first year’s racing, and this is a record almost certain to be bettered. J. Macconnell’s pupil was a success immediately he was produced, and in short time he won his way through local classes and to cap off an excellent season he finished second to Valdor in the Wyndham Cup in his first attempt over two miles. This was a particularly fine performance, and with a better run over the final half, it is not too much to say that he would have taken a power of beating. Several other members of the Adioo Guy family displayed promise, and it can be expected that in another season, that members of this line and the stock of Grattan Loyal will be fighting out the winning sire’s premiership between them. Chiefly through the successes of Embark, Happy Knight, Night Voyage, Anna’s Voyage and others, the Australian-bred horse, Happy Voyage, who is still at the stud in Southland, topped the pole in this department. At both gaits Happy Voyage has sired winners, but by far his best representative last season was Happy Knight, who looks to develop into- a stayer of mean class. Embark’s consistency was rather a feature of the solidness of the colonial-bred sire’s gets. Sungod, who fiHed second place on the winning sire’s list, with a stake total of £827 10/-, has left a number of hard-wearing pacers, during the years he has stood in Southland. Eighteen Carat won the Invercargill Cup for him during the recent season, while others that scored in good style to his

credit were Sun Worshipper, Overproof and Suncup. It could not be said that during the recent season in Southland that the trotters’ section was a strong one, and with one or two exceptions, few contestants in this section could be named as likely to go a long way, Paul Bingen, who won no less than three races, has in the past been noted for his solidness rather than brilliance, and although his age will be against him ever rising further, his successes were attained in good style. Long Island won two races in a manner that suggested the Sonoma Harvester mare will win further. In saddle she raced particularly well and in scoring over, a mile and a-half at Winton in 3.35, put up fresh record figures. It was her first season’s racing, and if she can be induced to act solidly in harness, she looks a good proposition. Leeway was set a difficult task in conceding big starts in all his races and it was not surprising he was not in the money, but at the same time he gave some brilliant displays. Fair Voyage raced greenly but solidly enough to be in fourth place on two or three occasions, and he has yet to race up to his private form. Patty Todd’s consistency might well have earned her a stake, while Elliotvale is a likely improver. Anna’s Voyage is one of the most solid in his class, and won during the holidays in good style, but was not seen at his best at either Invercargill or Wyndham.