On and Off the Track

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20640, 1 February 1937, Page 12

On and Off the Track

A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing: Feb. 4, 6—Taranaki J.C. Feb. 4, 6—Wairoa R.C. Feb. 6 —Matamata R.C. Feb. 6—Canterbury J.C. Feb. 6—Tapanul R.C. Feb. 11, 13—Dunedin J.C. Trotting: Feb. I—Nelson T.C. Feb. 4, 6—Wellington T.C. Feb. 13—Canterbury Park T.C. Feb. 13, 17—Auckland T.C. Feb. 20—New Brighton T.C. Acceptances for the summer meeting at Riccarton are due on Wednesday. • • • • Red Shadow was not paid up for on the second day at Forbury, but he is all right and will race at Hutt Park on Friday. The third distance, two miles, of the Australian trotting championships will be run on Wednesday night, and the “grand final” on Saturday. Indianapolis did not race up to expectations in the Dunedin Cup, and he is unlikely to go to Wellington this week to make an attempt to lower the grass track record for one mile. That wonderful veteran, F. Holmes, won the principal double at Forbury on Saturday—the two-mile race behind Roi I’Or, and the sprint behind George Rey. The “rates” of the division winners in the championship event at Wayville on Saturday were Lady Childwood 2.11 3-5, Wringle 2.11 4-5, and Lawn Derby 2.13 3-5 to the mile. These sound slow in New Zealand ears. Roi I’Or’s Forbury win increased his total winnings to £8229, in addition to two gold cups. He has registered 20 wins, 17 seconds, 10 thirds ana 2 fourths. • • • • The Wellington meeting on Thursday and Saturday is the only trotting fixture calendared for this week; but there will be racing on Thursday at New Plymouth and Wairoa, and on Saturday at Riccarton, New Plymouth, Wairoa, Matamata and Tapanui. There were only four acceptors for the Maiden Race at Wanganui on Saturday, the field being the smallest seen in a race of this type for many seasons. For some reason or other, the number of starters on Saturday both at Wanganui and Ellerslie were below the average. \ Silver Ring has been nominated lor the Dunedin Cup, but he may make his first appearance in New Zealand this season In the Hazlett Cup. Last year he won both races, the Dunedin Cup with 10.4 in 2.30 2-5, and the Hazlett Cup with 9.11 in 1.38 2-5, in each case establishing a new time record for Wingatui. • • • • The scratching of Double Great and Morello made things considerably easier for Pot Luck in the Royal Handicap at Forbury, and the favourite proved too brilliant for the opposition. The crack four-year-old is getting back to a fairly tight mark, and will be racing in the best company before long. • • • * Moyello raced, solidly through the Forbury meeting. He was in the money in both starts on the first day, and on Saturday he led all the way in the Telegraph Handicap to beat a hot favourite in Double Great. At his top, Morello is a brilliant pacer, and M. C. McTigue appears to have him back to his best standard. • • • • Last year when Evicus, after racing in the Dominion, won the grand championship at Perth, she was billed as a New Zealander, in order, no doubt, that her owner could be paid the extra bonus for expenses. Again at Adelaide the Tasmanian mare is styled a New Zealand representative, but Emilius Way, her companion, is a “TasmanianNew Zealand” horse. Bosun, who trotted with unusual steadiness when he was just beaten by Sir Kit at Washdyke, gave another sound display in winning the Crescent Handicap at Forbury on Saturday. The' Sungod gelding has plenty of speed, and if he maintains his recent solidity he is likely to win more races in the rather weak fields available at present for Intermediate events in the unhoppled class. • • • • Roi I’Or’s win at Forbury on Saturday confounded those critics who recently wrote him off as a back-number. The 4.21 off which the Waimate champion won the Metropolitan Handicap is the tightest mark from which a twomile race has been won in New Zealand, and Harold Logan is the only horse with a similar achievement to his credit. Roi I’Or will now be assessed on 4.20, with Indianapolis, and is only the third pacer to achieve this distinction. Sage King finished in the bunch just behind the placed horses in the Farewell Handicap at Washdyke, and he finished third to Credit Funds and Gold Salute at Forbury on Thursday. On that form he was entitled to more support than he was accorded on Saturday. The Gore Memorial was a bad race for punters, as two rank outsiders in Jolly Queen and Celebrity followed Sage King home. The winner is now trained at Addington by J. Young, whose luck has not been too good lately. • • ♦ • Calm Queen, who broke repeatedly in each of her races at Forbury on Thursday, trotted in exemplary fashion in the Waverley Handicap on Saturday, and after passing Native Ruler at the end of a furlong, she was never headed. Chiming Wrack, who lost ground just after the start, had moved into second position with a round to go, and maintained it for the rest of the journey. The back-marker Parrish Chimes collected third money, due to a collision between Golden Bingen and Prince Harvester in the straight.