ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21508, 22 November 1939, Page 9

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing: Nov. 22—Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. Nov. 25—Ashburton Couhty R.C. Nov. 25, 27—Auckland R.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Pending J.C. Dec. 2—Kurow J.C. Dec. 9—Hororata R.C. Dec. 9, 11—Woodville District J.C. Dec. 16—Waipa R.C. Dec. 23, 28, 27— Manawatu R.C. Dec. 26—Waipukurau J.C. Dec. 26—Westland R.C. Dec. 26, 27—Dunedin J.C. Dec. 26, 27—Taranaki J.C. Dec. 26, 28, Jan. 1, 2—Auckland R.C. Dec. 30, Jan. I—Walrarapa R.C. Dec. 30, Jan. I—Greymouth J.C. Dec. 30, Jan. I—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Trotting: Nov. 23, 25—Forbury Park T.C. Dec. 2—Wairio T.C. Dec. 2—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 2—Waikato T.C. Dec. 9—Waikato T.C. Dec. 9—Roxburgh T.C. Dec. 16—Timaru T.C. Dec. 26—Ashburton T.C. Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westport T.C. Dec. 27, 29, 30—Auckland T.C. Dec. 29—Reefton T.C. Dec. 30—Winton T.C. 1940 Jan. 1, 2—Canterbury Park T.C.

The Forbury meeting will commence to-morrow.

Siege Gun is not a good horse to back, but he makes it risky to back another.

Dictate has left A. McAulay's stable, and is being trained under the superintendence of his owner, Mr M. O’Brien.

Ann Vonian (Grattan-at-Law—Mar-garet Vonian) recently reduced the mile record for a two-year-old pacing filly from 2.44 to 2.24. The committee of the Timaru Trotting Club has donated £2/2/- towards the prizes for harness horses at the Mackenzie Show.

The tender of Mr B. Lee has been accepted for the privilege of conducting the licensed booth at trotting meetings at Washdyke this season.

The Timaru Trotting Club has decided that all members of the Army, Navy and Air Force in uniform will be admitted free to the club's meeting on December 16.

Messrs E. Macdonald, J. Gilmore, W. Connolly, J. F. Montague and A. J. Parris will constitute the judicial committee at the Timaru Trotting Club’s summer meeting. Great Jewel will probably be a hot favourite for the Dash Handicap at Forbury. He can unwind a brilliant burst of speed very quickly, and the small track should not hamper him.

Raratonga, who won the Levin Handicap, the main event at the Levin meeting, was unplaced off the minimum in hack races at Trentham last month.

The successful Auckland trainer P. Smith had a good day at Te Rapa on Saturday, the stable winning witli Cornish, Full Hand, and Proud Fox, all ridden by the mentor’s son George. The total amount of stakes offered by the Victorian Trotting Association for a seven-race programme this week is £350. The value of the races ranges from £3O to £BO.

The charge for admission to the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on December 16 has been fixed at 5/- for men and 2/6 for ladies. There will be only one enclosure and the dividing fence between the lawn and the "outside” will be removed.

The Forbury Park Club has reverted to the “Forbury” system of betting. The "win” machine will be operated on the 75-25 method, while the place totallsator will pay the usual three dividends.

During the Cup meeting. Trench Fight was under offer to a Sydney inquirer, but no sale was made. Since then he has been bought by Mr W. Stubbs and has been transferred to C. C. McCarthy’s care.

It is reported that there is still a possibility that the New Zealand Cup winner, Yours Truly, may be sold to an overseas buyer, but should he remain in the Dominion, it is expected that his next start will be in the Auckland'Cup, and then the Wellington Centennial Cup.

By finishing third in 4.23 3-5 on the first day of the Cup meeting. Icevus showed that he is not completely deficient in stamina, and he led almost all the way in the Free-for-All. He is back only one second at Forbury, and unless the race is truly run he will outsprint the opposition.

The Wyndham Trotting Club has again approached the Timaru Trotting Club with a request that a rearrangement of date should be made for the Wyndham, Timaru and Invercargill meetings in March. After examining the list of fixtures for racing and trotting meetings, the committee of the Timaru Club decided to reply regretting that it was not possible to meet the wishes of the Wyndham Club, as to make the change desired would entail a clash by Timaru with either the Cheviot Trotting Club or the Banks Peninsula Racing Club.

Autolite, an easy hack winner at Levin, is the only survivor of the Paper Money stallion Autopay's first small crop of foals, and in two previous races she had had she showed exceptional speed. She is owned by her breeder, Mr B. McKnight, of Wellington, and she is the first winner saddled up by R. C. Syme (formerly a successful rider and trainer in the Waikato) since taking over stables at Tauherenikau a couple of months ago. Syme was associated with Wiltshire in all his wins.

There is a general impression that Three Tens was not nominated for the Trotting Derby, but this is Incorrect, and it was because of a misunderstanding that he did not make the second payment. Three Tens was in the first nomination and his form up to date makes it appear that an oversight might have been an expensive matter to his owner. On the other hand, Sir Julien, the winner of tire Sapling Stakes, was not nominated for the Derby, and here again was an unfortunate omission.