THE TROTTING CUP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10302, 6 November 1911, Page 2

THE TROTTING CUP.

TO-MORROW'S MEETING AT ADDINGTON. BIG DAY WITH SULKY AND SADDLE. It seems a far cry to the days when the sport of trotting had its beginnings in Canterbury', and the thousands of people who' throng tho well-appointed course of the Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington to-morrow will have some difficulty in realising that it is, as a matter of .fact, only twenty-live years since the first trotting meeting was held in this province. There had been matches between harness horses boforc that, of course, and trotting races on jockey club programmes, but there was no regular trotting club in existence here until 1885, and there are plenty of people who can recall the curious little race meetings that wore held down at tho old course on the banks of tho Heathcote and at Lancaster Park.

It happened that one or two enthusiasts in Christchurch had, some years earlier, imported some high-class American trotting stock, with the idea of improving the light harness horse, and in the eighties there were not a few fair performers in Canterbury. But the best trotters in the district were not attracted by the modest programmes that were issued: in the beginning, and it was not until the sport had roally taken hold that decent times came to be recorded.

The early enthusiasts had to put up with many troubles. The patrons of the gallops told them that tho British genius would never tolerate a restricted gait, and that they need never expect trotting to become popular j n New Zealand. One scornful writer alleged that the two most " brilliant" trotters in Canterbury in 1886 were a half draught and a weedy pony, and invited comparisons with " the magnificent blood horses; to be seen out at Riccarton," But times have changed, and no one scoffs at trotting meetings now. The comparison of the beginnings of the sport with the success it achieves to-day, of the meagre gatherings at Lancaster Park with the enormous crowd that attends tho meetings at Addington, and of the bleak, unfurnished paddock at Heathoote with the splendidly appointed course at Addington, should go far towards convincing the men who put up with difficulties and ridicule and abuse that their efforts were by no means in vain. The public who find enjoyment in such measure from modern trotting meetings have reason to be grateful to the men who gave their time and energy and money to building the sport up to_ its present proud position. It is interesting to recall that the best time recorded in the early days was over Gmin for two miles. The record this year for the same distance is 4min 31sec, and the difference represents the difference between the sport of 1886 and the sport of 1911. The growth of the sport in every way, and particularly in public favour, has been nothing short of amoving. If the relative progress is maintained, trotting in the course of another ten years will be a good deal more popular than the gallops, at least in this part of tho country, and now that things have commenced to move; in trotting in other parts of the dominion the prophecy is being widely made that this will ultimately be tho national pastime. The chief event on to-morrow's programme is, of course, the New Zealand Trotting Cup Handicap of 1000 sovs, the champion two-mile raco. The fastest horses of the dominion are, of course, listed for this event, for a horse must be able to see the journey out in 4min 40seo to qualify. Only four seconds separate tlie limit horses from tho scratch horse, and it is expected that tho race will be one of the finest ever seen on the course.

Tlio following is tlie programme of the day's racing:

SPRING HANDICAP (in saddle), of 150 Bova; second horse 52 sovs, and third horse 15 sovs from th© stake. Two miles. Treaguro Seeker sor Tho Whip . 9see Te Iluiti . Ber J.C.H. . . Usee Nanoy Marley . Iseo The Next . Usee Moa Dillon , 3seo Dorothy D. . llsoc T inl ] r. • * sec Clint °n • • Usee Lord Cardigan . ssec Lucky Child . Usee rrancita . 7sec Irvy Woodburn Usee Armamenter . 7seo General Black . Usee LADIES' BRACELET HANDICAP (in harness), of 75 sovs; second horso 7 sovs;, and third horae 3 govs from tho stake. One 'rnilo. and a half.

livy Woodburn sor Blooiu'g Heath'r 6se c Lincoln J urn. . lscc Jarrah Wood . Oacc Rosie G. . . 2soo Black Link . Gsec Prmce Raynard 2seo Geo Whiz . 7sec Hielina T. . Ssec Winter Rose . 7Eec Welcome Jack . Bseo Mar.gatin® . 7sec Eunice . . usee Lady Marion . Bsec Lady Rotto . 6sec Pleasant Child . Ssec Recount . . Gsec Cynisca . Bsec Red Ruth . . Oseo Yellow Ribbon . Ssec Innisfail . . 6seo Royal Child . Ssec Belle Elmore . Gsee Bequest . . Bsec Marilla . . 6sec Bessie Child . lOsec Aotea Roa . CSsec Lincolnette . lOsco Corbell . . 6seo Maggie Wylie . lOsec Wallet . . 6seo Merry .May . lOsec NEW ZEALAND CUP HANDICAP (in harness), of 1000 sovs; second horso 200 bovs, and third 1 103 sovs from the stake. Two miles. Mr J. Preece's b h Bright, by RothschildPtarmigan, 6yr», Her. Mr D. Nyhan's b ii Havoc, by Franz—Murmur, Gyra, lsec. Mr ■,i-u JJe S s b K Wilkie, by Kentucky Wilkes, aged, lseo. Mr J. G. M'Conochie's b g Aberfoldy, by Princa Imperial—Katr, aged, 2sec. Mr S. Tnpp's b g Dick Fly, by Dictator— Bot Fly, siged, 2soc. Mr G. Clarkson'a b g Redohild, by Rothsohild—Redmire, aged, 3sac Mr L. Dorie's br h Bribery, by Prince Im perial—The Gift, Oyrs, 4sec. Mr E. Bowes's b h A 1 Franz, by Franz— A 1 F., 6yra, 4sec. Mr W. F. Clinton's b in Ladv Clare, by Prince Imperial, Gyrs, <leec. Messrs Quirk and Shaw's b h Medallion by George M. Patchem—Susie Wild, 4eec. ™ ' Mr G. Hood's b m Imperial Polly, by Prince Imperial—Polly, aged. 4sec. EMPIRE HANDICAP (in saddle), of 175 sovs; second horse 25 sovs, and thud horso 17 sovs from tho stuk:\ Two miles Miss Florrio C. scr Eema , . I2sec Electrocute . 2seo Giadsome l^seo .(Bonification . Gscc Rolf

I nnc e Wilkin . Osoo Boldrewood . Usee \\ild Treo . 8 3ec 801 l wind . . 15seo Adonis . . lOsec Wild Victor . 16sec Phosphorus . lObgo Ferira . . 16seo Havclock . . ll ßfto RIGCAR-TO2T HANDICAP (in hnrnesß), of 160 sovs; second horse 22 sovs, tind third horso 1G sovs from the stake. On© mile and a half.

• • ,cr Child Beldon . lOsec I.F.C. . . lsec Nnncy Harlcy . 10:: ec Princo Rufus . 2acc Kini . . lOsec Pnimvocd . . <fneo Ladf DiHdaiu . lOsoo Huin. Billon . fiseo Wallace M. . 10300 Onawa . . 7soo Andy TCegan . lOson School Gixl . Bsoo Lyonetto . Usee Hazdfickl , Sseo Idaho . . 12ijec Lord Hcathcote lOsec Delia . . 12seo MIDDI/ETON HANDICAP (in harness), of EOO govs; seoond horse ,'io sovs, and third horse 30 sovs from tho stake, two miles. Quinceiv . . scr Lord Cardigan . 16sec notJivilio . . ssec Clevewood . .16aeo Violet M. .llsoo Miss Ngspara'. IGseo Npraia . . llscc Maarch Hare . 17sec Lignito . . llscc Wcodbello . 37ceo Seeker llseo Salt Air . I9ueo Coiner . . lieec Princft Gift . 19sco Sir Joe . . 14seo Muricata . . 22sec Lulu Child . lfiaeo J.C.11. . . 22seo Bill . . KSgeo AU BE VOIR HANDICAP (in harness), of 150 bovs; Eccond horas 22 sovs, and third harso lo sovs from thfl sinko. Ono mile. Piecework . . scr Ripoa Child . Gsec Princes,t .Minto 2=cc Adonis . . Ghcc Tror.b;ttlour . Bsoo Princess Tracey Banc Elss. Ilnon . figeo Clotah .. . Bsoc Littlo Tib . Sseo ST ALBANS HANDICAP (in saddle), of 130 bovs ; second hoTse 22 tvovs, and third harso 15 sovs from the stake. One mila. Bellis . . scr Dayspring . flsoc Mtllio C. . . scr loin, . . 6-teo lanto . . 3scc Bluo Rosa . Princo Handle . 3hoo Early Dawn . . 630 c Ash wood . . <lsec Dollar Princess ' Gs"c Piuewor.d . . <lsco Nod Corbet-t . fi=cc Prince Bufus . 4=oc Viewmont . 6s?o