WELLINGTON TROTTING CLUB

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 76, 30 March 1931, Page 12

WELLINGTON TROTTING CLUB

Successful Racing On Saturday.

The autumn meeting: of the Wellington Trotting Club was held at Ilutt Park on Saturday. The weather was fine and the track was hard and fast. There was a fair attendance and the totlisator handled £19,820, compared with £31,016 10s last year. There were only six starters for the Novice Handicap' and it was not a particularly interesting race. Ron, who was fourth favourite, went away with the lead and was never headed. Golden Oaks followed Ron, with Aluirchimes and Fleet Arrow next. Along the back the first time Fleet Arrow improved his position and at the end of a round the whole field closed up. In the back Ron led Golden Oaks and Royal Parade, the two being well clear of the field, and they came into the straight in that order. Ron easily held his own to the finish and won by a couple of lengths from Royal Parade, who headed Golden Oaks about a hundred yards from the winning post. Aluirchimes was. fourth, with the rest some distance back. A Useful Trotter. Biddy Parrish was a solid favourite for the March Handicap and looked like winning till well in the straight, where she broke under pressure and finished in fifth place. Nelson Parrish went away best and Ben Bingen and Blue and Gold broke up at the start, while Great Glee was very slow to move. Merce Bingen followed Nelson Parrish, with Miss Leda and Biddy Parrish next. The last named moved forward along the back and drew up to Nelson Parrish rounding the turn into the straight, at the end of a round. Biddy Parrish took charge going out of the straight, with Merce Bingen next, followed by Nelson Parrish and Miss Leda. Great Glee was trotting better and decreased the gap, but Ben Bingen was not steady in his work. In the back stretch Biddy Parrish and Merce Bingen wfcre together, with Nelson Parrish about three lengths away Once in the straight Merce Bingen drew away and won rather easily, as Biddy Parrish broke, and Nelson Parrish got second, with Great Glee, who who came fast over the last half mile, third. Miss Leda was several lengths away fourth, just in front of Biddy Parrish. Ben Bingen and Blue and Gold both trotted very badly. An Exciting Race. There was a very fine contest for the Armstrong Handicap, in which Dillon Logan was made favourite. Bonniewah was the only one who failed to go away well, and Major Lind took charge from Real Girl, Tumatakuru and Happ}’ Land. At the end of a round Zella went to the front, followed by Major Lind and Tumatakuru. The field closed up along the back and Purser, who had gone off rather slowly.* made a forward movement. Zella had charge entering the last lap, with St George, Dillon Logan, Real Girl and Major Lind next. When the field entered the straight for the last time Happy Land went to the front, followed by Dillon Logan, Real Girl and Major Lind. St George was just behind and Purser was coming fast. There was a fine race to the post and although it locked as though Happy Land had won decisively the judge’s verdict was a short head. Dillon Logan beat Purser by half a length for second place and a length and a half awa} 7 came Major Lind, followed by St George and El Direct. Real Girl failed in the last furlong and Zella broke three furlongs from home. Tumatakuru was finished with half a mile from home. It was a fast race, as the winner was on 4min 39sec and went 4min 34 l-ssec. Logaleen Wins Easily. Logaleen, who was made favourite for the Waiwetu Handicap, won rather easily at the finish. Achray led out from Arklow, Manco Jewel Elect and Oxford Queen, the favourite being slow to begin. Going along the back. Arklow headed Achray, while Oxford Queen went into third place. When the last round was commenced, Arklow was in charge from Achray, Oxford Queen and Manco, while Llewellyn made a forward movement, and Logaleen also improved her position. Turning into the straight, Achray was just in front of Oxford Queen, Achray, Manco, Logaleen and Llewellyn, but in the race to the post Arklow stopped very quickly, and Logaleen went on and took the lead. Jewel Elect, who had been a long way back in the early part of the race, came on and got within a length of Logaleen, beating the tiring Achray by about half a length. Then came Manco and Oxford Queen, both of whom were stopping very badly. Llewellyn failed to sustain his run round the top turn, and finished some distance back. Russell

Pointer did not go off right, and, with the exception of Logaleen and Jewel Elect, the rest of the field found the distance too far. A Taranaki Success. In an acceptance of twelve, there were seven scratchings for the Taita Handicap, leaving only five starters. Free Logan was made favourite, but he went away slowdy, losing a lot of ground. Arthur Chimes took command and led Windshield, Free Logan, Slogan and Ron, the last-named being .penalised 4Syds for his victory in the Novice Handicap earlier in the day. At the end of two furlongs. Slogan broke and was pulled up, while Arthur Chimes kept his position in front. Going along the back to complete a round, Windshield took charge, and Arthur Chimes, Ron and Free Logan were racing in that order. Winshield came into the straight just in front of Arthur Chimes, Ron and Free Logan. Winshield continued to pace on satisfactorily, and won by about two lengths from Free Logan, who finished fast and beat Arthur Chimes by a length. Ron was nearly a dozen lengths away in fourth place. Biddy Parrish was favourite for the Palmer Handicap, and, driven a race quite differently from her first effort, she won by a narrow margin. Blue and Gold went away best, and had Great Way, Miss Leda, Ben Bingen and Merce Bingen following in the early stages. Peter Eyre went away slowly, and was soon hopelessly out of the contest. Biddy Parrish Improves. Going along the back the first time, Great Way had charge from Blue and Gold. Miss Leda, Biddy Parrish and Merce Bingen. They raced in that order till the last round was commenced, when Ben Bingen went into second place. In the back Ben Bingen took charge from Great Way and Merce Bingen, and led into the straight, but at this point Great Way dropped back, and Biddy Parrish came on again, following Ben Bingen and Merce Bingen into the straight. In the run home, Biddy Parrish trotted solidly, and wore down Ben Bingen, winning by a narrow margin. Merce Bingen was third, just in front of Great Way and Miss Leda. Blue and Gold stopped very badly at the end of liaif a mile, and Great Glee trotted very badly all through the race. Miss Leda found the opposition altogether too strong for her. Easy Win for Major Lind. Belle Lorimer was favourite for the Recovery Handicap, but after going a good race she finished up in fourth place. Brent Zolock was quickly in the lead, with Major Lind, Belle Lorimer, Native Hero, Zella and Loiterer following in that order. Coming into the straight Somerby and Bonniewah collided and were pulled up. With a round to go Brent Zolock had charge from Major Lind, Zella, Belle Lorimer and Lough Neagh, and this order was not altered till the straight was reached, when Major Lind drew away and won easily from the tiring Brent Zolock, who was lucky to beat the fast finishing Lough Neagh. Belle Lorimer was fourth, followed by Zella and Native Hero. Ilappy Land went a very poor race and Native Hero paced much below his showing at the Manawatu meeting. A Big Field. The largest field of the day contested the Au Revoir Handicap, there being seventeen starters, and it provided the heaviest betting pool for the day. Blue Glen, Lily Bingen and Becky de Oro carried the bulk of the investments, being supported in that order. There was a considerable delay at the barrier, waiting for the totalisator adjustment, but a capital start was effected. Blue Glen was soon in the lead from Windshield, the pair opening up a gap from Free Logan and Becky de Oro. At the end of half a mile Windshield headed Blue Glen, who at this point w r as hanging in badly and not pacing evenly. Highland Derby made a forward movement and the most of the others closed up to the leaders along the back. Rounding the turn into the straight Blue Glen again headed Windshield, with Free Logan, Achra}' and Glenlake close up. In the run to the post Glenlake did best, although he did not get too good a passage, and he won by a length from Blue Glen, who was a couple of lengths in front of the tiring Windshield. Then came Becky de Oro (who raced well over the last half mile), Highland Derby and Free Logan. As in his other race, Achray did not stay out the final furlong and nothing else in the field was ever dangerous. The winner was on 2min 58sec and went 2min 49 3-ssec, so it was a fast race for the class.

The acceptance of the crack three-year-old Karapoti, for the Auckland Easter Handicap came as a surprise. He was weighted at 9.5. or 131 b above weight for age, and the popular opinion was that he would be kept for the St Leger on the second day. His task is far from impossible, as Nonette, when a three-year-old, won the Easter Handicap in 1902 with 9.11, and two years earlier Advance was successful under 9.6. (. hopin, who shpwed good form over middle distances fate in the summer, has been entered for the Feilding, Wairarapa and Waipukurau meetings. It is possible he will race at Feilding or Wairarapa on Saturday and at Waipukurau on Monday. * He is a likely sort to win during the holidays. Acis, who carries Mr V. Riddiford’s colours, will be an interesting competitor in the two-year-old events at the \\ airarapa Easter meeting. Acis is the half-brother by Acre to Minotus and Chit, being from the imported English mare Minona (by Minoru), and he has been given plenty of time. lie was produced twice at the Wairarapa summer meeting, running third to the more experienced Golden Wings and St Roger on the first day; but he was afterwards allowed a short let-up. He has been back on the Trentham track since before the Wellington meeting, and bears a very bright appearance. Even should he fail to collect additional stake money this season, he looks like being more than useful as a three-year-old. * Hfi Hz * The candidates for the Nurser}* - Handicap at Wairarapa include two youngsters who are unknown to racegoers. Croupier is a chestnut colt by Surveyor from the Thurnham mare, Pellet, a sister to Pelham, who tvas a useful galloper, and lie will carry the colours of Mr J. J. Corry. Child Study is a black gelding by Psychology from Paoanui, dam of Ro} r al Parade, and he is owned by his breeder, Mr L. M’Kenzie. There are few horses at Ellerslie doing better than Gay Cockade, who is undergoing a solid preparation for his engagements at Ellerslie. So far this gelding has not been given any particularly fast work, but he is very bright and muscular; in fact, it is doubtful if he ever looked better than at present. * *‘ Hi Hi F irs t Acre has now won nine races in Sydney and one in Melbourne. “ Webster, ’ says the “Sydney Morning Herald, ’ “ does not hide his partiality for the bookmakers as a medium of betting, as opposed to the totalisator, and although New South Wales, with its 10 per cent winning wagers tax, is not as popular as it was, he points out that the expense of coming across is not very much more than that associated with a trip from Wellington to Auckland.” "*i * Me Hi Ms After leading all the way in the Club Handicap at Rosehill on March 14, says a Sydney writer, the ex-New Zealander Gemlight showed one of the most glaring reversals of form seen in the metropolitan area for many months. A section of the racing public gave vent to its feelings against Gemlight when he returned to the enclosure. At Ilawkesbury the previous Saturday Gemlight started a short-price favourite. He was wide out most of the way, and could not do better than sixth at the finish. The display did not please the stipendiary stewards, who, however, following an inquiry into the matter, accepted the explanations tendered. There was not any doubt about the horse being genuinely backed by his party, but it is very difficult to reconcile the two performances. The party that raced as Air “ H. Leurall ” was so dissatisfied with the horse’s display on the Clarendon course that he disposed of him three or four days later to the gentleman that has adopted the assumeef name of Air •“ G. Lightford,” and for whom the gelding is now trained by W. Lee. At liawkesbury A. Knox had the amount, but at Rosehill. J. Simpson, another lightweight, wa& in the saddle. The new party has every reason to be satisfied with the purchase, but it was unfortunate for them that the victory was accompanied by hoots instead of cheers. * * * * There has been a mild exodus of trainers from New South Wales to Queensland and Victoria since the introduction of the tax on winning bets. W. Tindall, J. Smedley, L. Al’Cann and R. Bruce recently transferred their teams from Sydney to Caulfield, where three grass tracks, tan, cinders, and sand tracks make the course popular with trainers. Hfi M* * * If for nothing else, Grosvenor, now standing at Mr R. J. Edmonds’s stud in the Alolong district, New South Wales, has gained renown by reason of the number of his progeny to win in different parts of the world. He has sired more than ninety winners, who among them have accounted for 300 races in the following countries:—England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, the United States of America, Egypt, Ceylon, South Af-

rica. New Zealand, Australia. Sweden. Panama, Federated Malay States, and South America. Tuberville, in India, and Orosmonde, in France, are two of his best representatives, and Sceptre d’Or raced with considerable success in Spain and Belgium. Another honour has come the horse’s way. Information has been received that Grosvenor headed the winning sires’ list in Denmark in the past season. 11 is chief winners were Esbern, Go-on, Absalon, Casper and Tove, and they won seventeen races and filled minor places on nine occasions. Grosvenor is the only son of the famous racing mare, Sceptre, and is by Cicero, the sire of Valais. He is comparatively a recent addition to the ranks of horses at the stud in Australia, although he has had a representative who came out irom England before the sire. His oldest progenv in Australia are two-year-olds, and few have been tried, Tongkol having shown pace in the early stages of his preparation before he was placed on the easv list. TROTTING NOTES. Acceptances for the Hawera Trotting Club’s meeting will close to-night. Acceptances for the New Zealand Aletropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting will close at noon to-morrow. Hfi * Ha Hi Nominations for the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting will close at five o’clock this evening. Me * * Ms Nominations for two trotting events at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting will close at nine o'clock tomorrow night. There was a large number of scratchings at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, twenty-seven of the acceptors being withdrawn during the day. Hi # M« Ms One of the disappointments of the Au Revoir Handicap was the showing of Lily Bingen, who was second favourite. She started well, but soon lost her place, and never got near the leaders afterwards. The Canterbury pair, Arklow and Achray, raced well for a mile and a half in the Waiwetu Handicap. Achray, who has been working well, stayed on better than Arklow, but the pair found the distance too far for them. li Ms Hi H‘. Ron had an easy win in the Novice Handicap, leading throughout the race. He is a four-vear-old by Real Guy and although he has shown some speed in his former races he has not gone solid ly with the colours up. He is by Real Guv and is trained by C. S. Donald. * Hi Hi Hi Royal Parade, in finishing second to Ron in the Novice Handicap, made his third performance in a place, as he was second at Tirnaru and at Cheviot. The three-year-old has been racing very consistently and has been unlucky in not winning a race.

Free Logan was the unlucky pacer in the Taita Handicap. He was driven by AI. Holmes, but made a slow beginning and this cost him his chance in the race. Having a lot of ground to make up, he was not hurried over the first part, but he finished on well, getting within a couple of lengths of Windshield at the finish.

Biddy Parrish, who was favourite for the March Handicap, had every chance but she broke under pressure in the last furlong. She went fast over the first half mile and might have been left without any reserve for the final dash. , Real Girl was a trifle unlucky in the Armstrong Handicap. She got a good position on the rails and Hooper was content to stay there but in the final quarter of a mile the field bunched and she failed to get a run until all chance of success was gone. Hi Hi Hi The locally-owned and trained pacer Brent Zolock paced quite up to his best form in the Recovery Handicap.' lie is a smart beginner, but deficient in stamina, and a mile and a quarter is a trifle beyond his powers in fair company. Ben Bingen won against the pacers at the Manawatu meeting, but in the March Handicap at Wellington he did. not go at all well. Over two miles in the Palmer Handicap he trotted much more solidly, although he stopped in the final stages and onlv got second. Hi Ms Ms Hi ’ Blue Glen, who was favourite for the Au Revoir Handicap, did not pace evenly. She made a very fast beginning. as usual, and had a good position all the way, but Glenlake wore her down at the finish. The Logan Pointer mare is best over short courses. * Hi * Hi Fleet Arrow, who was favourite for the Novice Handicap, gave a very poor showing. After a good beginning he made a forward movement along the back the first time, which carried him near the readers, but he fell back again and put very little dash into his work for the rest of the journey. * Hfi Hi M* „ Penalised 48 yards for his win in the Novice Handicap,* Ron was well back in the small field in the Taita Handicap. He made a capital start, ar.d along the back, at the end of a round, he was going well, but his earlier effort evidently took the sting out of him, as he had no dash for a final efforts Hfi * * Ms Alajor Lind, who in the past has raced best over sprint courses, was allowed to go out at a false price for the Recovery Handicap, after his good showing m the Armstrong Handicap. The imported pacer made a quick beginning and was always up with the leading division. In the final stages he came on fast and easily beat the tiring Brent Zolock. Alajor Lind lias put up some useful performances since he started racing in the Dominion, but his best efforts have been over short coursel- - Ms M« Ms Major Lind went a peculiar race in the Armstrong Handicap. He was actually the first to show out and led the field for some distance. lie then fell back and lost his position. At the end of half the journey he was some distance back but in the straight he put in a fine run and got fourth. Hfi Ms M« Hi Dillon Logan was well placed throughout the Armstrong Handicap and he stood up to his work in solid style to the finish. The North Canterbury trained pacer was at his best but he met his match in Happy Land.. He is only a four-year-old and further improvement can be expected of him, as he has only raced this season.

Purser went a good race in the Armstrong Handicap. He began rather slowly and had to race round a big bunched field but he finished on in fine style in third place. The Man o’ War pacer covered the distance in 4min 32sec, which was a very smart performance.

The North Islander, Jewel Elect, who won at Manawatu, is racing consistently at present. Although penalised 12 yards, he made a quick beginning and was in fourth place early in the Waiwetu Handicap. Finishing on_ well, he got second place but the winner always appeared to be his master in the final stages of the race.

sjs * Jf: Glenlake won the Au Revolr Handicap in fine style, and looked a much better pacer than when he won at Kaikoura at the end of last month. He had to be kept at it all round the top turn, but his stamina was in evidence, and he stayed better than the rest of the field. Glenlake may never be more than useful over short courses, but he is now racing consistently, and may have another success before the end of the season. * * * * Nelson Parrish, driven by L. F. Berkett, who previously trained him, made a good beginning in the March Handicap, and but for a mistake near the finish of the race trotted very solidly. He is a well-bred horse, owned in Nelson, being by Guy Parrish from that fine trotter Louisiana, who won several races when raced by L. F. Berkett. Like the winner of the March Handicap, Nelson Parrish is only five years old and he can be expected to race much better with age. * * * * Merce Bingen scored her first sun cess for her new owner by winning the March Handicap. She was bred in Southland, being by Nelson Bingen from Merce, and she had a big reputation in the south. She was beaten twice at Forbury Park and again at Timaru, after racing well at each meeting. She is a very quality looking mare and now that she is on the improve she wlil win more races, as she is only five years Old. Penalised 48 yards in the Palmer Handicap, she went another solid race and finished up in third place. * * * * Windshield, who won the Taita Handicap in a small field, was favourite at the Manawatu meeting last week in the Pohangina Handicap, in which she finished out of a place. She is owned and trained in Hawera and is a sister to the smart pacer Free Advice, being by Blue Mountain King from Intaglio, a sister to the once-brilliant Onyx. Windshield is evidently best over a short course and she was capably driven by E. C. M’Dermott, who went to the meeting to drive Mr J. R. Corrigan’s horses. * * * # Biddy Parrish, who won the Palmer Handicap, was driven a totally different race to the tactics of her driver in the March Handicap. In the shorter event she was rushed along to the front early and broke up at the finish. In the two-mile event she was not hurried over the early stages and stayed on to win by a narrow margin.! Biddy Parrish is racing very well at present and she was successful at Timaru earlier in the month. She has made a lot of improvement in the last few months, although she is still slow to get back to her gait after a mistake. ■ . . reererr

By winning the Waiwetu Handicap, Logaleen gave O. E. Hooper some recompense for the failure of Real Girl in the Armstrong Handicap. Logaleen. who was made favourite for her race, was always a possibility, although she made a slow beginning. Hooper showed good judgment in not hurrying his mare in the early stages after her slow and this played an important part in the mare’s victory. She is a useful sort by Logan Pointer, but she 13 best over short courses. In the race several of her opponents had poor staying credentials and this enabled her to score somewhat easy victory. Happy Land, who won the chief ©Vent at the previous meeting on the Wellington course, accounted for the Armstrong Handicap after a fine race. Since being leased by A. E. Bussell, Happy Land has shown considerable improvement. He has become much more docile and he produced stamina not seen in his previous races. It was a solidly run race but Happy Land was always handy and stayed out the final stages in fine style. He is by Happy Voyage, whose projeny are now facing well in the Dominion. Happy Land looks like reaching the best class in the near future.