TROTTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 813, 6 November 1929, Page 13

TROTTING

By ABAYDOS

Gold Jacket is Well Fancied For Cup Test Stamina Required as Well as Speed for Race AUCKLANDER’S PROSPECTS of the many real high-class horses engaged in the New Zealand Cup next Tuesday none have perhaps risen more rapidly to fame than the Auckland representative Gold Jacket, who promises to play quite an important part in the decision of the 1929 contest. Gold Jacket, a son of the great sire rold Bell and Lady S., was a puzzle to keen followers of the game for a fpw seasons. In his earlier days, when trained by Geo. Paton, who then owned and raced him, Gold Jacket showed marked ability on the training track, "d when first stepped out on the country circuit over a mile journey, in saddle knocked several seconds off his handicap to get a small purse. The black gelding was later purchased by Mr. Ted Parkes for a modest «um and placed in Harry Kinniinont’s charge. Trained at Epsom, he showed great promise and won the Thames Cup of 1926 for the Royal Oak reinsman. Next season he was early on the scene, and at Alexandra Park displayed wonderful dash in his work, one morning taking a mile record of 2.8. Started in two mile heats on two or three occasions, the Gold Bell gelding failed to see out the journey, and disappointed his party, who. however. allowed two sprint heats, which looked stone certainties, to pass by unclaimed. Change pf Quarters

L* McMahon, then coming into the game, owner Parkes placed Gold Bell’s son in his care, and a change of training methods evidently suited the pacer, who was handed over in splendid condition. The Thames Cun proved an >asy prey for the gelding, and this was quickly followed up by a brilliant victory in the Hawera Cup. On the second day of the Taranaki fixture, Gold Jacket ran a great race from well back to finish second and regis- % ter 4.29 2-5 on a dead track. These 'Vfforts marked Gold Jacket’s rise to higher society, and when next stepped out at Alexandra Park it was the plite pacers Ted Parkes’' gelding tackled. Climbing the Ladder

The advanced class made no difference to Gold Beil’s son, and he cleaned up the “hot stuff” just as easily as he did the lesser lights with which he was previously associated. After several interesting performances at Epsom, varied with a trip to Addington, where he proved his ability to compete successfully w ith many Southern crack-a-jacks, trainer McMahon turned his attention to a preparation for the last Auckland Cup. and during the process the black gelding made further improvement. His track work was of such a .consistent nature that constant visitors to Alexandra Park would not have the local pacer beaten, despite the strong field he was asked to meet. It is now a question of history how Andy Bryce, who had been associated with Gold Jacket

since his second Thames Cup victory, drove him home on the great day at Epsom to score a most popular success. Good as had been his previous efforts, this victory set the seal on Gold Jacket’s fame as a high-grade horse of brilliancy and stamina, and Auckland light-harness enthusiasts soon recognised the fact that in Gold Bell’s sturdy son the province could boast one of the finest pacers ever produced in the Dominion. Last season Gold Jacket credited his Parnell owner with the fine cheque of £3,225 in prize money. Still In Form After a well-earned holiday, Gold •Jacket returned to the active list before last season terminated, and although far from being ready at the Auckland June meeting, McMahon’s pacer showed a lot of his former brilliance in his races. When the earthquake benefit fixture was promoted toward the end of August Gold Jacket scored one of the easiest victories of his career in the ten -furlong heat, spread-eagling a field of useful opponents as if they were fourth-raters. Since then *L. McMahon has kept Pegging away with his charge, who has done a fair amount of work in the interim. The bulk of his track work has been of an unhopplcd nature, and Gold Jacket appears to have thrived on the assignments, as he proved on at Wellington. Making allowances for the mishap to several runner* in the Cup Trial. Gold Jacw »n was full of merit and as he 'u<l the most important part of his Job at the right end, it is safe to assume that he is in good order to see out a stubborn two-mile contest. Admittedly the New Zealand Cup is A difficult race to win, but it horse the splendid performances of •old Jacket over the (’up distance, to *ay nothing of his brilliancy at ten lurlongs (and it takes a real twonuler to win over the lesser journey ui top-hole company), must make his Presence felt in a race of this descrip--i°n. The black pacer may get beaten ° n the day, but Auckland light-har-enthusiasts can rest assured that thf' V ave a worthy representative in bis year’s New Zealand Cup. and one na *. if defeated, will not be disgraced.

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