AUCKLAND TROTTERS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 197, 20 August 1931, Page 12

AUCKLAND TROTTERS.

Preparing for Next Week’s Meeting. (Special to the " Star.") AUCKLAND, August 20. The handicaps for the Auckland meeting, to be held on Saturday week, have made their appearance, and at first glance Mr Paul appears to have done his work satisfactorily. The material he had to work upon was not the best, and, as is always the case in slow classes, where handicappers are not allowed to go beyond certain limits in applying penalties, there are instances where horses appear to be thrown into races, but this is through no fault of the handicapper. It is interesting to note the handicaps of Auto Machine in the August Handicap, and Kewpie's Guy in the Massey Memorial. At the winter meeting Mr Paul handicapped Auto Machine on 4.34 in the Hobson Handicap, and that horse finished out of a place. Certainly the officials were not altogether satisfied with Auto Machine’s performance, and challenged the run, but the owner’s explanation was accepted. Though beaten from a 4.34 mark, Auto Machine is now on 4.33, or penalised one second for an unplaced performance. Kewpie’s Guy was handicapped at the winter meeting by Mr Paul on 2.51 in a mile and a-quarter, but her owner was dissatisfied, and apparently Mr Paul has fallen in with the owner’s view, because he now lets Kewpie’s Guy out to 2.52, although she did not start from her 2.51 mark. In the case of Auto Machine perhaps Mr Paul is justified in changing the handicap, as the classes are different, but with Kewpie’s Guy he did not have the satisfaction of seeing her beaten off the previous mark he allotted her. The handicap for the August Handicap, the chief event at the .Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, is not likely to give rise to much serious thought on the part of early backers. As a matter of fact, there are thirteen in the race, but at present not more .than three look to have any chance. The trio are Ayrmont Chimes limit, Auto Machine 12 yards and Meteor 12 yards. On paper these three stand out by themselves, and should all go to the post it is unlikely the winner will come from the others. However, it is only a one-day fixture, and there is a likelihood of neither Ayrmont Chimes nor Meteor making the trip north, in which case the event would have to be considered from an entirely different angle, although Auto Machine would look the best. The acceptances are due on Friday, and until then there is not likely to be anything doing. The Massey Memorial, the 2.52 mile and a-quarter, will be the second “ leg ” of the double, and this race looks like being hard to find the winner of. Carnui, Kewpie’s Guy and Ilohoro are the best of the limit lot, and Dan Direct should hold those on twelve and twenty-four yards safe. Further back Daytime 24 yards, Great Parrish 36 yards and Auto Machine 48 yards are the ones to appeal. Backing horses because they have faster records than their handicaps is a very risky way of seeking winners, but it does seem that Ayrmont Chimes and Meteor have all the best of it in the August Handicap, Meteor has a two-mile record of 4.24 3-5, and has gone one mile in 2.10 3-5, so that it will be recognised he can both sprint and stay. In the August Handicap he is handicapped on 4.33 in a 4.34 class, and on paper he reads a great proposition. Ayrmont Chimes won a double at the Metropolitan meeting last week. Both races were at two miles, and his times were 4min 28 3-ssec and 4min 29sec, and as he won easily each time it is only reasonable to conclude he could have done better. Now he is on the front in a 4.34 class. It is unlikely that either he or Meteor would go nearly as fast at Epsom as at Addington, but even so they should be able to knock something off their handicaps under favourable conditions. The best horses in the big race at Auckland are Kohara 108 yards and. Gold Jacket 120 yards, but neither can be considered seriously. Not only are they too far back in the handicap, but they are not likely to be ready so early in the season, and for the present their prospects need not be considered. F. Smith, who is back at Epsom after an unsuccessful trip to Addington, considers that Great Baffin was an unlucky horse on the final day of the meeting, and with anything like a favourable run he would have won the saddle mile or harness mile and a quarter. In the saddle race he met with interference just after the start, and he had lost so much ground before D. Bennett got him balanced again that his chance was hopeless. Over the last quarter he put in a great run, and was going twice as fast as any other horse in the straight, but he had too much ground to make up. In the mile and a quarter he was boxed in on the rails, and could not get a run till just before entering the straight, when he had to be puffed out wide, and he then finished with a

rare burst of speed, just failing by a ! long neck to beat the winner, Milo • Minto, Smith will now give Great Bal- j lin a chance to win a race at two miles, | as there is nothing in the way of sprint races to suit him locally. When trained by G. Robertson, Great Baffin on one occasion worked two miles in time good enough to win a useful handicap. If J. Bryce brings Herod up for the Auckland meeting next week the four-year-old should be an even-money proposition in the Grey Lynn Handicap. Last season he went 3.24 to get second at Forbury Park, and last week at Addington he went 2.48 2-5 into third place for a mile and a quarter. This works out at 3.22 for a mile and a half, but even after allowing a little for the extra quarter, a horse who has gone 3.24 for twelve furlongs and 2.48 2-5 fora mile and a quarter, is rather well placed on 3.33 in a mile and a half. These paper certainties do not always win. but one would not care to bet much against Herod in the Grey Lynn Handicap. He is on 2.57 in the mile and a quarter, or nearly nine seconds slower than his record, but in that race he is 36yds behind, and the field is a big one. and luck in running plays an important part. F. Smith could have disposed of Great Baffin while in Christchurch, but he preferred to retain the son of Baffin, as he considered the bay pacer bound to win a race in his turn. Smith had serious thoughts of remaining in the south, and several horses were offered him to train, but after considering the position he C£\me to the conclusion that the opportunities to win races were better in Auckland. He expects Royal Iroquois to arrive from the south this week and join his stable. WANGANUI NOTES. (Special to the “ Star.”) WANGANUI, August 20. Linoleum, the two-year-old son of Limond—lnlaid, was making good progress until a few days ago, but appears to have gone a bit lame. Mr G. M. Currie’s other two youngsters—Midinette and Genesta—are going on fairly well, though they have done nothing special so far in the way of time-mak-ing. W. Ravner will be stepping them out shortly to get a better line as to their prospects. Though Korokio is engaged in the Wanganui Guineas and there was some idea of starting her in the classic event, it is probable she will be kept for sprint racing, rather than risk knocking her about in longer events. She continues to hit out in pleasing style. Fernden has come on very quickly, and is almost ready to race. He continues to move very freely, and if he keeps sound the son of Redfern should give a taste of his real quality early in the season. Good judges who witnessed the racing at Riccarton were greatly impressed bv the form shown by Croupier. The son of Surveyor is to be a runner in the Wanganui Guineas, and with H. Gray in the saddle he is likely to be one of the chief fancies, though he has yet to be tried out over a mile. Psychologist, who will probably be a runner in the Guineas at Wanganui, is a nice-looking gelding, and shapes like one that should run a mile at a fast clip. He hit out in attractive style in covering half a mile in company with Pedestal on Tuesday. The track was heavy and the time registered, 54sec, was good in the circumstances, as he was going well within himself. The Taranaki Hunt Club’s meeting, to l>e held on Saturday week, will usher in the new season on this coast. Many of the horses engaged will be seen in action later on at Wanganui, so that the form will be of added interest. From all accounts Callapat is a much improved gelding, and he is expected to show up in the Hack and Hunters’ Hurdles at the Taranaki Hunt meeting, if he takes that event on instead of the Members’ Handicap. Lady Quex is doing such good work on the tracks that she' is sure to be favourite for the Members’ Handicap at New Plymouth, despite her big load —9-11. Easter Time may give her most trouble, as he is a very promising three-year-old, who will probably hold his own in the best company. Mr F. Bristol, of Wanganui, will be represented in the Stratford Handicap bv Hampden. The Tea Tray colt won a couple of races last season, and he has gone on the right way since. He should not be long in adding to his winning record. The committee of the Wanganui Jockey Club withheld publishing the spring programme in the hope that it would be found possible to-reinstate the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes on the bill of fare. However, it has been decided to adhere to the pr—-- c al to eliminate the weight-for-age as the committee could not see its —\y to offer stake money in keeping with such an important event as the Eclipse Stakes. One factor that may have had some bearing on the decision was that, with two such brilliant gallopers as Laughing Prince and Lady Quex as likely contestants, it is doubtful whether owners of other weight-for-age horses would care to tackle them.