Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18340, 17 December 1927, Page 9

Racing and Trotting

NOTES BY

"ARGUS.”

RACING NOTES. ream which P. V. Mason took to -Auckland has great possibilities, although the horses will not do a great deal of racing. Agrion, who is the pride of the stable, may run only once in the Great Northern Derby. lie has done exceptionally well lately, and apparently he has thrown off the lameness which affected him prior to the Riccarton carnival. lie will be a very fit horse on New Year's Day, and bearing in mind the way in which he treated his opponents at Riccarton, it is hard to see how any of them is likely to turn the tables now. Eulalie has not been given many searching gallops but she is very well. She may take on handicaps but it will cause little surprise if she is kept specially for the Royal Stakes, which promises to be a notable event., with several other smart three-year-olds, also < 'hildsplay is engaged. The third member ot Mason’s team is Golden Armour, a Leighton filly, three years old. She has not raced yet, but she shows a lot of promise. * * * * Rapier looked in rare fettle when he left for Auckland. The New Zealand Cup winner is now handicapped alongside good horses but even under his increased weight he will have to be seriously reckoned with. He is a popular fancy here at present.

G. J. Pine had Mr G. Gerard’s two Auckland candidates in excellent order when they left. Paper Boy has always been a good worker and now looks like becoming solid in his races. Don Jose is a very attractive galloper, whose latest form in public suggests that he is going to be more than useful. These two should pay their way.

Martarma will be an interesting competitor from the south at the Auckland meeting. The Martian cold bears an improved appearance, as a result of his recent racing, and he requires only average luck to get some money. He will need to improve a lot on anything he has done to beat Agrion in the Derby, but he looks good for a place in the classic race, wliil ehc should do well in some of his other engagements. * * ' * *

T. H. Gillett has great prospect? with the throe horses he has taken to Auckland. Count Cavour is a horse who thrives on racing and he was not at his best when he raced at Riccarton last month. Since then he has been steadily coming on and his last gallops before going north were accomplished in something like his real track form. In view of his moderate showi ing in the New Zealand Cup, there has been a disposition to overlook his Ellerslie prospects, but this is unwise. Some of his best races have been run on the Auckland course and he may repeat them on this trip. Satrap will be a useful second string in the Auckland Cup and later in the meeting he has a Derby engagement. Though not representing top class, Satrap should pay his way on the trip. Money Order, who completes Gillett’s team, has always been a difficult horse to train, oil account of unsoundness. He is in his best form now and though there are some brilliant sprinters in the Railway Handicap, Money Order will keep them all bus3'.

The horses which will represent Sir George Clifford at Auckland are headed by Childspla}', the crack two-year-old of the season to date, with a record of three wins in as many starts. In her winding up gallops she showed exceptional speed and it will take a very good juvenile to beat her on even terms. Centrepiece showed signs of leg troubles about a week ago but it proved to be not serious and he was all right when he left for the north. He was very backward when he raced last month but he is different now, jsnd towards the close of the Auckland meeting he will be ready for a high class performance. Front Rank is in the best of health, but she has to be taken on trust, as her racing form has not been good, while she does very little fast work in training.

At one stage, while Footfall was in retirement, it seemed probable that M. C. G. Dalgety would not be represented at Auckland this season. Fortunately, the trouble proved to be less serious than was feared and when he went north he was as well as ever. He ran four good races at Riccarton last month but he will be a better horse at ffllerslie, and he will take a lot of beating in any race he contests. There is just one thing wrong with Footfall ; he is useless on soft ground. llis stable mate, Paperchase, was benefited by her racing at Riccarton and it will come as a surprise if she fails to earn some money at the Auckland meeting. * * * *

F. D. Jones will have a useful team for the Manawatu and Marton meetings. Stormy is on the improve and he should be worth following, especially after a couple of races. Arikiwai is a good hack prospect, while First Sight may pick up a medium race.

TROTTING NOTES. Nominations for the summer meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club will close at noon on Monday. * * * * Nominations will close at nine o’clock on Monday night for the Greymouth Trotting Club’s meeting to be held on Thursday, January 5. Forfeits for the Sapling Stakes, to be run at the Ashburton Trotting Club's meeting next June, are due at five o’clock on Monday evening. Nominations for the Greymouth Trotting Club’s meeting will close at nine o'clock on Monday night. * * * * J. J. Kennerley has tired of the pacer Homelight and proposed to return him to his owner, but the unreliable pacer has now gone into C. Donald’s stable. * * * * J. J. Kennerley's son, J. R. KennerIcy, left here a few months ago to try his luck in Melbourne with a couple of horses. He was not successful in Australia, and he is returning at the end of the week with Sparkling Pronto and Princess Dillon. lie will join his father again in the training of his large team.

After the Trial Handicap at New Brighton yesterday, the owner of Pieter Timmerman lodged a protest against the winner, Lady Fan. on the grounds of galloping. After an inquiry, the protest was dismissed.

Lady Fan, who won the Trial Handicap at New Brighton 3-esterday went a very fast first half mile. A furlong further on she broke badly and failed to settle down for a long way. In the run home she was too good for Pieter Timmerman.

Nancy M’Kinnev went away pacing in the Trial Handicap, and this fine 3'oung trotter has contracted a very bad habit in this direction. Unless she can be cured of this fault she will be a most unreliable medium for speculation. Once into her gait she showed plenty of speed. * * * * Trampcrisp went, away' fast in the Trial Handicap and led the field in the early stages, but at the end of five furlongs he broke up badly and was never afterwards prominent. Trampcrisp looks as though he needs a lot of racing experience. * * # * Soon after the start of the Improvers’ Handicap Great Form broke and lost his driver. The pacer broke a hopple and galloped the full distance. A little more than half a mile from home Great Form went to the front and he was first past the post. llis owner-driver was not injured. * * * *■ Wairua, who has been working well in training, did not go away right in the Improvers’ Handicap and practically took no part in the race. Springtime met trouble earl}*. * * sic * Searchlight Lad, who is by Disappear, ia trained by E. C. M’Dermott, who drove him to victory in the Improvers’ Handicap. He is just a useful sort, who has some stamina. * * * * Jean M’Elwyn is an unlucky mare, as she has put up fast time and has not won much money. She is steadily improving, and looks particularly well. Owned by Mr G. M’Millan, of Auckland, she is trained hy R. B. Berry and she may 3*et make good. * * * * Binscarth was favourite for the Improvers’ Handicap, but he started very slowly and did not get near the front division till the straight was reached. The brother to Partner came home fast and got fourth place. * * * * The Mace Memorial Handicap saw Bonny Logan win decisively over two miles. The brilliant sprinter has done a lot of racing over short courses, and has been one of the most consistent performers racing. Recently her astute trainer decided that Bonny Logan was a stayer, and he eommcinced entering her in two mile races. His judgment has been justified, as Bonny Logan pulled up very little distressed. She is a wonderfully sound mare, after the amount of racing she has done. Her success was a credit to her trainer, whose judgment is not often at fault. Bonny Logan won so decisively that further successes may come her way over the same distance.

Bing Boy, who was driven by his owner, misbehaved at the barrier in the Mace Memorial Handicap and was never in the picture.

Coneliff was driven a most peculiar race in the Mace Memorial Handicap. Starting from 4S\-ds behind, the Australian pacer set out at the end of a mile to catch the leaders. Going to the mile and a half post he showed such a turn of speed that soon afterwards he was in front. Bonny Logan came on and beat the big pacer easily at the end, but if Coneliff had been properly' rated for the distance he would have made the winner go much harder at the end.

Moneyspider put up a poor performance in the Mace Memorial Handicap,

as at no stage of the race did he threaten danger, nor did Peter Swift, the other trotter, do any better.

Epigram won the mile and a quarter Bowbill Handicap in convincing style.. He is.a more than useful pacer, who is a long way from the end of Iv-s tether. G. M’Keildry has been fortunate in keeping the Brent Locanda horse sound, and Epigram will win* again oyer a longer course, provided he trains on without going sore. He is a half-brother to the brilliant pacer Lady Joan, and was bred by Mr W. J. Morland, who has leased him to Mr M'Kendry.

Native Queen put up a fine race in the Bowhill Handicap. She got away very slowly' and had to fight lor a position till the straight was almost reached. Under the circumstances, she was lucky to get into fourth place. Maud Logan was always handy' in ❖ * ❖ =:= the Bowhill Handicap till about a hundred yards from home, when under pressure she broke and worked her way to the outside of the track. ft was fortunate she did not interfere with any' horses finishing fast on the outside.

Sungleam, who finished second to Epigram in the Bowhill Handicap, is a.useful pacer, who was for some time in D. Withers’s stable. Later he was sold and raced in the Nelson and Marlborough provinces, where he becafne a very bad horse at the barrier. Going into L. Davidson’s charge, Sungleam was not long in improving his manners and he is now reliable and honest. lie is by Sungod from a Wallace L. mare, and he should be seen to advantage over longer courses.

Audttress, who is a half-sister to Acron, by Author Dillon, was made favourite for the Bowhill Handicap, but she failed badly. She did not make a good start, which may' have accounted for hj?r poor showing. She is in C. Donald’s stable.

Kotuku Jack, who won the Dash Handicap in decisive fashion. is a brother to Prince Pointer. He is not as well furnished as that brilliant pacer, but he has a good turn of speed and* he can stay. He was troubled with an ailment some time ago, which caused him to fall in races, but he now seems to be all right and he should win more races in the near future.

Machine Gun put in a fine run over the last quarter of a mile in the Dash Handicap. He was a long way back at the turn, but when the winning post was reached he was not far behind the winner.

Bonny Spec won the Sea View Handicap, the two-mile harness race for trotters, by a narrow margin. After putting in a fine run she looked to be beaten half-way up the straight. R. Townley*, who has been very successful with trotters during the last few years, made another effort and the mare just won. Bonny Spec, who is owned in South Canterbury', has won a number of good races since going into R. Town ley’s stable.

Wild Hebe has put up some fine performances since he joined J. Lorgelly's stable, without winning. The angular trotter has built up considerably, and, being a capital stayer, he has raced well over two miles.

Marvin Junior, who finished fourth in the Sea View Handicap, did not give a good exhibition of trotting, as he did not go a furlong without mixing his gait. He is a long way from his best at present.

Nourmahal has been racing most consistently of late. Tlic Great Audubon mare is not a good stayer, but she is improving with age. In the concluding stages of the Sea View Handicap, she stopped quickly.

Frisco Beau is not improving in Speed or stamina. In the Sea View Handicap he. just’plugged along, and, when asked to go on and catch the leaders, the extra speed found him out and he went to a break. Cannonball, who was favourite for the Sea View Handicap, made no impression on the front division in the early stages, and. although he put in a good last round, he was a long way' back at the finish. :(c Loganwood gave evidence of a return to form by winning the Wainoni Handicap in convincing style. Loganwood wont through a very severe preparation for the New Zealand Cup, in which ha raced badly. It took a lot of dash out of the brilliant pacer, and he is only coming back to his best form. Driven by his owner, who is rarely in the sulky, Loganwood paced soundly all the way and gave evidence that he is a long way from being a backnumber over short courses. * * * * Sea Pearl was favourite for the Wainoni Handicap, but at half the distance, when going well, she faltered and was never afterwards dangerous. It was a poor showing on the part of the favourite. * * * * Ouimet had a great lead in the Wainoni Handicap, but the son of Royal Rothschild could not hold his position in the concluding stages against Loganwood, who showed a return to his best form. * 9?! * * Bing Boy, who won the Electric Handicap, the mile saddle event, is a brilliant pacer, who, owing to his vagaries at the barrier, has cost his backers a lot of money. It seems a great pity that Bing Boy has not been properly schooled at the barrier to remedy his defect, as he would be a valuable horse. He is a good stayer, in addition to possessing plenty of speed. * 4: * * Lord Bingen, who had finished second to Kotuku Jack in the mile harness event, was heavily backed for the Electric Handicap, but at no stage of the race was he dangerous. * * * * D’Artagnan is not a brilliant beginner at any time and he does not seem to be improving at the barrier, judged on his two efforts yesterday. * * * * High Jinks looked in his best form yesterday, but in both of his races he quite failed to show up in the concluding stages. * * * * Nipper is becoming a very expensive pacer. lie shows good form in training, but with the colours up it is quite a different matter.