THE AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 780, 16 December 1893, Page 18

THE AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB

The holiday season is now fast approaching, and Christmas is close upon us, bringing with it plenty of sport in the racing world. Chief amongst the Christmastide and New Year events, is the three days Summer Meeting. of the Auckland Trotting Club. Nowhere, this side of the line, and I doubt if anywhere, is there such a bumper programme for trotting events such as the Auckland Trotting Club has provided for the sporting public. In the past this Club has had many adverse contingencies to contend with, but the truth of the old adage ' nothing succeeds like success ' has been wonderfully exemplified by the continued success, as a result of the combined efforts of a good management with a truly generous sporting spirit, such as has characterised the onward march of the Auckland Trotting Club from the time of its commencement to the present time_ — when it is the acknowledged premier trotting club of the colonies. Prom all points of view, the coming three days carnival should be a pronounced succens. Horse owners are fully alive to and eager to compete for the big prizes provided by the Club, as witnessed by the very excellent acceptances. The quality of the horses engaged, too, is a matter for congratulation towards the committee. Mot only in the trotting events has the club been exceedingly liberal, but pony owners have responded well to the same generous treatment meted out to the liliputians. On the first day of the meeting, Saturday, December 23rd, the attraction in this line is the Pony Cup of 150 soys. On this day are three other pony events to be decided, viz., Maiden Hurdles, 30 soys, 1 mile;' Telephone Handicap. 40 soys, 4 furlongs, and December Handicap, 50 soys, 6£ furlongs. The day's programme is filled in with three trottiner events. On the second day, December 27th, the Auckland Trotting Cup of 400 soys is programmed— a real bumper prize, and eight other events three for trotting horses and five for pony races. The concluding day of the meeting is fixed for December 30th, when eight •events will be decided— four trotting races

and four pony races. The . last meeting of the club's at Potter's. Paddock was tbe first held on their then" newly-improved track. This, was rather soon after the improvements had been made. Unfortunately, the weather was not all that could be desired. By Christmas the new ground will have had plenty of time to . get thoroughly, set. There is do doubt about "Potter's being now on a par with the best trotting tracks in the colonies, so that intending visitors to the Club's Summer Meeting the week afler next can depend on good racing,- good management, and with fine weather, a most enjoyable three day's sport. All will join with me in wishing the Auckland Trotting Club that continued success which its enterprise so well merits. Next week I shall have something to say about the horses engaged at the meeting.

.Waterbury and Eosefeldt are quartered at I& Thorpe's Harp of Erin. The filly Brown Mantle, now located at Byerls.is a neat filly. She however, is very small. Long Roper and Lonely, a pair likely-to-repay watching: at the forthcoming A:ErC. Summer Meeting. "fiosefeldt and Waterbury (Mr Douglas' pair) arrived last Monday evenirg from South. George Hope is in charge. Brown Alice has been bowling along doing good galloping. On Tuesday, though, she seemed to tire somewhat at the finish of her task. Pegasus seems to be on the improve the last few days. In a mile and a quarter spin on Tuesday he galloped strongly, finishing well. Three Star should acquit himself well at Ellerslie during the Summer Meeting. He is going to be a good colo, and is coming on finely. The visiting contingent at Otahuhu last week almost succumbed to the strength of the lonal brigade. Annabel and Romeo bcored the only honours for the outsiders. Ellerslie men think Loyalty is taking things a bit easy for a colt that's wanted for a Derby in less, than a fortnight. Perhaps he is reckoned good enough half well. Chester is ranidly losing any esteem he may have been held in by local turfites as a chaser ; and George Wright's tide of bad luck ought to be very nearly run out. J. Kean's lot are all doing good work, though all are not in form. Lottie and Vivat, however, are both pretty well, and each should score at the A.R.C. Summer. Two trotters arrived from the South this week by the Rotomahana, viz., Mistletoe and Berlin Maid. They both have engagements at the Auckland Trotting Club's Summer Meeting. John Lennard's innings was in again at Otahuhu, and history repeated itself. He missed the big event with Ida, however, though he has no cause to complain after winning altogether four events. The Workman should be fit enough when wanted at Xmas. He's going well at, Ellerslie, and revels in his work. I haven't seen him do much in the way of real long work. Mas. Pat gallops strongly on the track. He does the same in public occasionally. I haven't had much experience of his track peculiarities, but one would fancy he ought to have a better racing record. Loyalty is a regular slug. . I like them. They are generally good and game. Loyalty finished a long way behind Three Star and Stanmoor the other morning at the finish of a 6 furlong rattle. Loyalty can carry big weight. The squire of White House shakes hands with himself, and why not ? Without meaning to gush, I must say the trainer-jockey is riding stronger and better during the past few meetings than any of his old admirers remember. A contemporary on a sporting topic bent, waxeth somewhat poetical in its pars, but the harshness of its tenet destroys the effect. Extreme bitterness on either side of factions when opposed sometimes does as much harm to that individual displaying rancour as to those inteuded. Anyway,' jumping on a man when he's down may be a pretty safe policy for the time, but thit does not remove from the act its cowardliness. I must congratulate the Onehunga and Otahuhu combination on the successful result of their meeting last Saturday. To them_a,lso was reserved the treat of inaugurating fine weather on a race day — so long is it since we saw the sun shining on the colours. Warm praise is due to the club for the efficient manner whereby the management so successfully catered to the racing public. The racing was good throughout, the starting, ' etc.,- almost faultless, and the , secretarial duties were carried out to perfeotion. A most enjoyable day's sport was brought to a close without a hitch.