TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 748, 22 August 1929, Page 15

TROTTING

PREPARING FOR ACTION AUCKLAND’S BENEFIT CARD SUBURBAN TRAINERS BUSY With the early opening of the light harness season in Auckland, due to the local club’s enterprise in promoting a fixture for the purpose of assisting the sufferers in the earthquake areas, trainers at Epsom, Otahuhu and in other parts of the province are showing renewed activity. In the various localities a large number of pacers and trotters are undergoing steady preparation for fixtures ahead. With the meeting at Epsom next week-end, trainers are on the job earlier than usual, and as Waikato, Northland and Auckland clubs have arranged attractive and suitable cards for the month of October, the early commencement of activities will find a greater number of horses than usual ready for the campaign. As the Otahuhu Club races in November and Auckland again at Christmas, there is plenty of encouragement for local an’d provincial enthusiasts to keep moving. In Fresh Quarters H. Hedley, the Penrose ownertrainer, has a stable companion for Goldman, having elected to put the old trotter Golden Gate through his drill for future engagements. At present he is being worked in saddle by Medley’s first lieutenant, Dorm Craig, and the trotter is enjoying the exercise. He should make a decent showing when next seen in public. Goldman is bright* and petfky, and if the footing is to his liking next week-end the Cold Bell pacer will keep his rivals busy over short courses. Novices Requiring Time Geo. Mitchell is pegging away with the big square-gaiter Nebraska, but the son of El Carbine is not going along as evenly as his mentor would wish. It looks as if lie will take some time to square up. but when he learns the art properly the long strider may make his presence felt in company. George is also endeavouring to educate a Gold Bell mare to the pacing business, but it will be some time before she is ready for the races. Bill Turner's Team W. Turner, the Claudelands trainer, is putting Oliver Thorpe, Nathaniel and Te Ngutu into shape with a view to producing them at Alexandra Park next week. Oliver Thorpe has visited Epsom previously, but the metropolitan surroundings will be new to the other pair. Te Ngutu is a fair kind of square-gaiter, and if she goes as

ning sphere, there is every reason to believe that Drumhead will later on deliver the goods. Hohora Back Again L. McMahon is having another shot at the disappointing Hohora, and during his week-end tasks the Gold Bell gelding showed a good margin of improvement in his displays. There is no disputing Hohoro’s pace, and if his trainer, who is nothing if not patient and painstaking, can persuade Mrs. Collins’s pacer to go right in his races he would land a prize. The big Worthy Bond gelding belonging to the same owner will also join the Epsom trainer’s stalls in the near future, to be prepared for racing tasks later in the season on the country circuit. Enthusiast’s Bad Luck Dave Hedley, who has put in a lot of time and careful attention with the novice trotter Windmark, which he intended giving his first race at the Auckland benefit fixture, will have to wait till a future date and see his colours unfurled. The Gold Bell gelding. who was making good progress of late under the direction of Jim O’lvane, pulled up lame the other morning after a sound work-out, and the trouble will keep him out of action for a spell. It is a slice of bad luck for his owner, who is a keen enthusiast, who seems determined to keep going until he leads in a winner. A Sturdy Colt Without increasing his height to any extent during his winter retirement, A. Shepherd’s Peterwah—Princess Ena colt has furnished into a compact and sturdy youngster. He has a nice style of pacing and gives the impression that like the rest of the Gisborne horse’s progeny he will develop a good turn of speed. The three-year-old claims an engagement In the Great Northern Derby next Christmas, but the chances are he will not be forward enough to take his place in the higli-class field that will contest the next Epsom blue riband. Owner Shepherd has no intention of hurrying the young Peterwah in his preparation. Still Going Strong Wellsford Williams, the ever-smiling trainer from the North, has a team entered for the benefit fixture, including Gold Dial, Bell Dial and the game old trotter, Ngatira. Hardy Gratton is another square-gaiter that hails from Wellsford, but he has not been seen much in public of late. He was given a run at Whangarei last Labour Day, but did not act at all kindly. Of the wearers of the ruby and purple jacket, Bell Dial should have a good chance of paying the expenses of the trip. B. L. Lowe, son of the wellknown trotting enthusiast, C. L. Lowe, who came well into the limelight recently as trainer of the National Hurdle winner, Mangani, has commenced operations at Claudelands with Limosa and Moko Pete, both of which are looking in nice condition. Limosa, a five-year-old daughter of Denver Huon and Princess Dolly, is a likely sort to show good improvement this season, and if produced at the Epsom fixture next week should make a good showing. Dave Cook is putting in plenty of work with Ted Sandall’s big trotter, Tradesman, and the old stager is hitting out in bold style for liis young mentor. "Cookie” appears to handle the square-gaiter most capably in his work, and with a bit more experience of the trotter’s racing ways, should be able to don the “true blues” livery. Margaret Wallace is bearing a healthy appearance, and the re is a chance that the Gold Bell mare will break her novice status this season. No Cause for Regret J. Brown, whose colours are also popular at country fixtures, although they do not meet with a great deal of success, has Regret working along satisfactorily at Hamilton, and all going well in the interval, she will be seen out at Alexandra Park next week-end. The daughter of Wild Cry put up some consistent performances last season, without breaking it fbr a win, but very little improvement this year will find her causing her connections no regrets.