RACING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16738, 20 May 1922, Page 11

RACING AND TROTTING.

(By ARGUS).

FIXTURES. May 27—Methre-n Trotting Club. May 30. June 1. 3—Dunedin Jockey Club. Juno 1, 3—Canterbury I 'rk Trotting Club. .Tune S. 5, 7—Auckland Racing Club. June 6—South Wairarapai Trotting Club. fTAJFJTIOAPS. May 20—. Dunedin Jooltey Club. May 22— Canterbury Park Trotting Club. Auckland Racing Club. ACCEPTANCES. May 22—South Wairarapa Trotting Club. May 24—Dunedin Jockey Club. May 26— Auckland Racing Club. May >29—Canterbury Park Trotting Club. After the Electric Handicap, at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting yesterday, J. Bryce Junr. omitted to weigh in. when his mount, William the First, was placed second. The Judicial Committee held a lengthy meeting and decided to pay out on William the First but imposed a fin© of £lO on Bryce. Homeleigh Dick lost his driver at the entrance to the straight, in the Dash Handicap at Now Brighton yesterday. He went on at a gallop and was not caught until he had covered more than five miles. Sympathy paced well for a mile and three-quarters in the Burwocd Handicap. at the New Brighton meeting yesterday. When she broke, at the entrance to the straight, she ran wide and Vice Admiral put a foot through one of Sympathy's sulky wheels, settling thoch ances of both horses. Indra scored a papular win in the chief event at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting yesterday. He had been racing in good style lately and he looks like getting more stakes very soon. * * G. S. Smith’s bracketed pair, Ijoganwood and Bellfashion, carried most money in the Burwood Handicap, the principal event at the New Brighton Trotting Club's meeting yesterday. Loganv/ood paced a good race most of the way but Bellfashion was never seen. * * Mr R. S. Henry, a recent arrival from Australia, scored a momentous win with The Plumber at New Brighton yesterday in the Autumn Handicap, for unhoppled trotters. Ho trotted very solidly all the way and over the last half mile lie never looked in serious danger of defeat. The Australian pacer, Pedro Pronto, ran a very solid race ut New- Brighton, yesterday but he did not finish well and Bing Boy headed him on the post.

NEW BRIGHTON TROTS.

FIRST DAT. The New Brighton Trotting Club was fortunate in getting a fine day after deciding to postpone its first day’s racing from Thursday to Friday. I thought the committee was somewhat hasty in its judgment regarding the postponement, especially as Thursday afternoon was fine, but on arrival at the course yesterday morning it \va.> quite apparent that the track would hardly have been fit to race on on the previous day. It had dried up considerably but at the same time it was on the heavy side, although it afforded sound going. Naturally, the times for the races were slow. Very large fields con.ested all the events during the day, but Mr Norman’s work as starter was highly commendable. Ho had the fields in position waiting for the final signal and lost no time in his despatches. The racing was interesting and several of the finishes were so close that the judge's decision was awaited with interest. The Amateur event was very little different from /those usually seen on the course as regards numbers, but the contest was much closer than was ex pected. Cousin Jenny was not long before she got to the front and she maintained her position throughout, winning by a length. The winner was an exceptionally good young trotter and was bred by Mr A. Cox. who formed high opinions of her. Unfortunately, a severe attack of stran gles left her very unsound and she failed to train on, doubts being expi*essed whether she would ever race again C. Davey drove his own horse, Merry Peter, who went a sound race. it the end of half a mile he looked to have the winner in trouble, but he just failed to catch Cousin Jenny. White Lupin looked to have a chance ; early, but lie broke badly and later, within half a mile from home, he left his feet a. second time and galloper! a considerable distance. Ho finished fourth. Wild Hebe was favourable, but trotted very badly, breaking repeatedly. Helen wood seemed to be hampered by the heavy track, as she failed to show any speed like that exhibited in Dunedin early in the month. Tho Australian, Pedro Pronto, was made a big favourite for the Belfast Handicap of a mile and a half, in harness, and at one stage it looked though he had the race in safe keeping, but at the end lie was just beaten. It was not such a good contest as it should have been, ns there were a lot of useful horses racing over a distance’ suitable to their powers. The winner, Bing Boy, stayed out the last bit very well and snatcheh a victory on the post by the narrowest of margins. He is a. useful sort by Haiold Dillon and won a saddle rave early in the spring over the same distance. It looked ns though Pedro Pronto was not made quite enough use of cvei the last hundred yards. His driver appeared to think he had the race in safe-keeping, but when tackled ty Bing Boy, the Australian pacer f a ’lea to respond; in fact, it seemed as though he shirked the issue. I'ernimoor went a really solid race all the way. Piter King, from the back, went in rare stylo all the way and is a much in.piovod pacer. Progress was prominent for a mile and a quarter. Edith Chimes finished up the last I art in good style. Calmness, who was second favourite, did r.ot pace at all well. Energetic was done at the end of a mile All siai ted for the chief two mile harness event of the day. G. S. Smith’s bracket, Logan wood and Bellfashion, was the popular pick, Indra being next best backed. The race licked like being a fine contest when halt the distance was covered, but over the next half mile several ha 1 had enough and a mishap at the bottom o> the straight settled the chance of Vice Admiral (who was pacing well ui> the time) and Sympathy. Indra. went to the front a little ever a quartel of a mile from homo and finally won 'more easily than is usu il .11 races of this class.

Indra wa; bred and is owned by M> FT. F. >icol! of Ashburton, but he has not douo much racing this season. Ho is by St Swithin from Lady Cherry and one of his best qualifications is his stamina, as a two mile journey seems no trouble to him. He has fined down a lot since he was first raced and he is now a quality looking pacer. He raced well at Forbury Park early in this month, finishing second to Paul Lrfault in the two mil© race on the first ('ay and after pacing well on the second oay lie got fourth. He should ' rr.p i ov© afivd be* one of the h-*?t of pacers next season. Agathos got second bub he appeared to be lucky as he would probably have finished behind Vice Admiral had til> latter had a clear passage. Onyx did not handle the going as noli as I thought sho would and sli3 failed to /taj out the journey. Nancy S’-.ii: and Coldstream both paced badly and so did Bellfashion. Loganwood went a good race untii a quarter of a mile from home. Emperor raced quite up to his resent showings. Thixfncal© had every chance, bid he was done at the end of a mile. Hayseed paced badly over the journey. Hannah M. broke badly at the start and lost a lot of ground but once M’Dennott got her going she paced really well. Sympathy was going well at. the time of her mishap, of which she was the cause, through breaking and interfering with Vice-Admiral. Vice-Admiral was the unlucky horse of the race. It was doubtful if he would have oaught the winner but second place seemed almost assured when, through the mishap, he had to be pulled up. Placid was the favourite for the two mile saddle race and she just beat Olive Huon. The two had the race to themselves over the last half-mile. Placid is by Calm and is trained by J. D. Smith at Heathcote. She is a Avell grown mare and like her sire she is a clean-gaited pacer. I thought she* was beaten a furlong from home, but Hooper waited till near the post before putting forth his last effort and just succeeded. Olive Huon paced a good race. H. Frost would have done batter, however, had he presevored more when he had his slight advantage in the straight. Outstep finished his task well but was some distance back in third place. Had Dillon Shine gone off right at the start he would have, been troublesome. Onco he got going ho paced a good race but he faded out over the last half-mile. Koraki was backed but he never settled down to trot at any stage of the race. Oaknut went patchily, at times showing speed. Had lie paced soundly all the way he would have been handy at the end. Blue Chimes did not go at all well. Progress was responsible for another good race for a mile and a half. Apples haw looked like having a chance with a litlo loss than a round to go but the North Canterbury trained pacer faded out soon afterwards. Dandy Chimes ’s a long way below his best form. Wet Day found the going quite against her Style or pacing. There was a good contest for the Autumn Handicap, of two miles, in harness, for trotters, and the interest was sustained all the way. The Plumber won decisively at the end. He always looked like a winner after going half a mile. The wanner is by Mauritius and is rare good trotter. He has not been long here, having been brought from Victoria by R. S. Henry, who drove him. r l he Plumber was successful at the Waimate Plains Trotting Club’s meeting on Easter Monday and judged by the easy manner in which lie won yesterday it will be hard to prevent The Plumber from winning again in better company. Parole Bells went one of her best races but she is a long way from being a good one. * Mangoutu finished very fast in third place. Marvolo did not trot steadily at any part of the contest. The American, Leo Norris, had every chance, as lie was well placed early, but he did not stay at all well. St Quentin was early in a good, posi tiou but he is not pacing solidly enough .yet to be backed with confidence. Sir Wild moor began very quickly and had every chance but like Lee Norris ho could not stay. Proud Ata was backed but raced badly. Rose Peters was second favourite but she went away badly and was never dangerous. The Australian, Rostrevor, went a good race for a. mile, and so did Wandelligong. A feature of the r.ace was the fact that five horses not bred in the Dominion wore in the field, two of thefii finishing first and second. The mile harness event was not a good contest. There was the usual mix up at the start and a nuniber of the competitors had their chances settled early. V hen the field got going properly Petrova, Energetic, Lady Teddington, Florence la Badie and, Bigamist had a big gap from the rest, ,ih© first four being well clear of Bigamist. Delta, the favourite, was one of those who did not got away at the start. Energetic outstayed Petrova at .the end and won with the greatest of ease. The winner had raced well early in the day in the mile and a half event and she should have been bettor sup ported. Sho paid a big dividend. Energetic is owned and trained by Mr G. H. Murfitt, who has been associated with the sport for a great many years. Petrova is only a miler and not a good stayer even over the short distance. She was badly beaten at the end. Latona met with some interference at the 9tart and was one of those who caine fast from the back crowd. The three-year-old filly put up an attractive performance. Ballin, who is now racing as a pacer, went a very indifferent race. Downcast did not begin well. Homeleigh Dick lost his driver turning into the straight and galloped about five miles before lie was caught. Tho race did not afford much interest and it failed to warrant the invest rnents inado on it. •* * The mile and a quarter event was Jiff uel between Master Hal and Prinzorn, neither of whom was heavily backed. They ran in close order, at the head of the field all the way, and finished with only a head between them. Victory rested with Ma.ster Hal, and the Hawke’s B>av owned gelding has developed into a high grnde pacer over a. short course. Master Hal has not been long in the care of G. H. Robinson, who has made a wonderful improvement with Mr Lloyd’s horse, especially as regards manners. Primsora went a fine race, and wa? paying a big dividend. He is a much imnroved paoer. Trvar paced a surprisingly good race, seeing ho has not been long in work The track just suited him. Pit broil looked to have a fine chance at the bottom of the straight, ns he was going well, and the*re was a probability of both the front horses stopping. The little Aucklander *»/vw-

ever, did not come home any better than his rivals in front of him. Match light was making his re-appear-ance after a lengthy spell and the soft going was to his liking. Betrayer, who was a solid second favourite, paced badly and looked short of work. Lady Lytton, the favourite, began too slowly to have any chance. Colenut went a fine race for a mile. Peter Mac did not begin. For the mile saddle ©vent Cole Drift and Irish Eyes were tire fancied candidates. The former mixed his gait at the start and after going off right Irish Eyes broke. The finish was close, victory resting with Proud Elsie. The winner, an aged, mare by Proud Child, a eon of Rothschild from Elsa Huon, is a half-sister to Huon Drift and she is a useful performer over short courses. This is her first win of the season, but she finished second on Boxing Day at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting. The Taranaki trained William the First, who had token part in the previous race, nut up a fine performance and was only just beaten. Soprano, who seems to be reserved for mile races, must have cost his connections a lot of money. He again finished in third place, this being the fourth time he has occupied the position this season.

OAMARU RACES.

FIRST DAY. (Special to the “ Star.*') OAMARU, May 19. The North Otago Jockey Clu'b was favoured with beautifully line weather for the opening day of the winter meeting and a fairly large attendance I viewed the day's racing. Specu- | lation was, however, far from brisk and the total investments for the seven races ran to £8958, compared with £14,068 10s handled in connection with an eight item card at last year’s meeting. The track provided good going, rendered devoid of sting by recent rains. The racing throughout was fairly interesting and the only unpleasant incident was tSie start in the last race, in which C. Emerson, on Pyjama, anticipated the rise .of the barrier and obtained such an advantage that the race appeared to be at his mercy- Pyjama, however, commenced to tire when breasting the rise and Bella Lake worried him out of , first money. After the race the stewards fined Emerson £2 for breaking away prior to when he finally got away at the head of the field. They also fined T. L. Reid, the rider of Indus, £o for using abusive language to R. 11. Ellis, the rider of Canbini, when returning to the birdcage after the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap. Reid apparently held a strong ♦grievance against Ellis for an alleged interference during the race. Proceedings commenced with the Empire Hurdle Handicap, which saw a. field of thirteen face the starter. Opiate was made a fairly good favourite and he won we’.l at the finish, after j Palladium and Killowen had made the j early running and shaped well for a j pair of novices at the business. Pariform went out se. ond favourite but he was never dangerous. Island’s good turn of speed kept him near the front for over a rule but he clouted some of the hurdles and lost ground at each jump. War Tax was hopelessly left at the start and trailed tho field all the way. <>i. nge Bitters, Mandrake and Poraposa finished next to the placed horses. Blackhead was elected favourite for the Redonstlc Welter Handicap but he was never really dangerous. Kerry 1 Star. Salerno, Sunlit and Kiifane were ! smartest out and Nunerant had dropped back last after going a couple of furlongs. Kerry Star appeared to have* the race won at the distance butNunerant put in a claim and beat hint on tho post-. Kiifane was two lengths away third and Sunlit next. A field of half a dozen saddled up for the Oamaru Cup, Mirza, Rilkee and Tin Soldier 1 eing mostly fancied in the betting. Mirza jumped awav with {i length lead at the rise of the barrier, whilst Tin Soldier and Orange j Mart were last to leave. Rorke’s ; Drift- joined Mirza as they ran along j the back stretch, with Rilkee and ] Night Alarm lying fairly handy, j Rorke’s l>rift and Mirza carried on the running until two furlongs from home, when Rilkee, carrying 6lbs overweight, raced to the front, and going on won by almost two lengths from Night Alarm, who got up in the last half furlong and beat Rorke’s Drift ( out of second money. Mirza was a fair fourth, with the others close up Tin Soldier pulled up lame. Rorke’s Drift was probably short of a. good rousing gallop but there was no doubt- i ing the decisive manner in which Rib I kee scored. Lovesign’s display at Ashburfcju made her a. strong order for the Trial Plate and she won handsomely from the weak opposition. Grim Joke appeared to have the Moeraki Welter Handicap won when in charge a few strides from the post, j but his rider, E>. Ludlow, took matters j a-trifle easy and High Heels, coining wth a wet sail, pipped him on the post. Francaise who started favourite, appeared to strike trouble when run ning handy to the leaders just before the field commenced the rise. Vico Grand put up a good show and only faded out fifty yards from* home, when Grim Joke had taken charge. Lady B lissful ran a good race to get fourth, as she was well back early in the race Raconteur fell back last after getting well away, but afterwards made up a lot of ground on the outside of the field. Callaghan was sore and faded out after being fairly close at the disIndus and Staff Officer canned much more supoprt than Lawsuit, who went out third chance in the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap. Hi ere seemed to be a good deal cf crowding as they approached tho rise and Indus .and Lawsuit both struck trouble. Bandy and Staff Officer were fighting it out when Redfire, who had been giving chase and clear of trouble, came up on the outside and beat the pair of them. Indus and Lawsuit were close up. Pyjama was made in strong order for the Stewards’ Handicap, whilst Silver Peak was neglected in the betting. Pyjama broke away, but was called back. At the next attempt lie anticipated the start and carrying away the tapes beat the others so badly cf! the mark that he looked a sure winner He was still well clear coming up the running but the final pinch on the hill found him out and Bella Lake beat him by three parts of a length. Counter Attack was a similar distance away Radial ran a good race to finish close up fourth and as he looked rather lusty lie should strip an improved horse in his next race. Silver Peak was several lengths away in the early part of the race, but- she was moving up over the last couple of furlongs. With an even dispatch Bella Lake and Counter Attack would have fought it out by themselves. Counter Attack is running mote solidly than, formerly aim he seems to have been improved by his stay on the West Coast.