TROTTING AT ADDINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 471, 4 June 1932, Page 12

TROTTING AT ADDINGTON.

Canterbury Park Club’s Winter Meeting.

ROLLO IN HIS BEST FORM.

_The winter meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club was commenced at Addington yesterday in pleasant conditions, the sun being in evidence until the last race, when the sky clouded over. There was a fair attendance when racing commenced and the crowd grew considerably later in the day. The track was in exceptional order and everything was suitable for fast times. Expectations in this direction were fulfilled, all the placed horses during the day going much faster than their handicap marks. Rollo’s performance, in doing 4min 20sec to win the King George Handicap, was of the highest order. He was pulling hard most of the way and his great stamina enabled him to give the leaders a good start over the last two furlongs. He is at the top of his form at present and liable to do some more winning. All the other events provided keen contests, both the mile events being run at a very hot pace/ A special attraction was provided after the chief event on the programme, when a dozen two-year-olds, with engagements in the Sapling Stakes at Ashburton next week, took part in a workout. They paced a circuit at a sound clip, a number of them showing great promise, with Golden Direct, by Rey de Oro—Becky Logan, leading the field home. The totalisator investments were £17,867 10s, compared with £22,704 10s on the corresponding day last year.^ The meeting was well managed in every department, the president, Mr C. E. Cross, having the assistance of enthusiastic stewards, seeing that no hitch occurred in the arrangements. Modern Girl Again, Modern Girl, who was favourite fer the Progressive Handicap, went away well and was soon in the lead, having Todd Bingen following her at the end of a furlong. Great Burton was next, with Rapture and Edith Voyage following. With a round to go Modern Girl and Todd Bingen drew away from the rest of the field, but half a mile from home Todd Bingen broke and lost some ground. Great Burton was tiring, while Edith Voyage was going better at this point. First Wrack, who went away pacing, lost a lot of ground, but once she settled to trot she showed great speed and looked like getting into a place going along the back. Modern Girl held her position to the end and just beat Todd Bingen, who came fast in the last furlong. Radley and Fairyland did not go off right, while Peter Elect mixed his gait soon after the start. Great Amazon showed some speed, and Merce Bingen, from the back mark, 'went a fine race. Rapture was soon done with, and Real Boy did not keep steady. The race was practically a duel between Modern Girl and Todd Bingen. Symmetry Finishes Well. A strong field contested the Harewood Handicap, in which Symmetry was a good favourite, with Aristotle next best backed, and they finished as they were supported. Donna Gulvallis went out best and led till the straight was reached, but from this point she stopped quickly. Silver Bingen, who made a good beginning, had every chance but he did not finish well, although he got third. Symmetry looked to be well beaten three furlongs from home, as she was boxed in on the rails, but getting a clear run in the straight, she finished very fast. Aristotle was not prominent till the last half-mile, when he came along in good style and fought out the finish with the favourite. Holly Bank showed plenty of speed but did not keep steady. Manoeuvre broke just after the first quarter and lost a lot of ground. Afterwards she paced very fast. Adjuster went well for a little over a mile, and Great Thought showed some speed in the first part of the race. Princess Thea did not seem to get a good passage in the first half mile, but she was prominent afterwards right up to the straight. Guy Denver was very slow away, but Tempo finished on in his usual determined fashion. Colorado mixed his gait and lost his chance. Rollo’s Fine Effort. J. S. Shaw’s pair, Impromptu and Great Logan, were the popular choice for the King George Handicap, Red Shadow being second fancy. Linkman went out fast and led for nearly a mile, when he broke and ended his chance. Pluto then took up the running and had Muriel de Oro,. Impromptu and Red Shadow following. With a round to go Pluto was still in charge, and then came Muriel de Oro and Impromptu, while Rollo and Lindbergh were also going well. Pluto stopped three furlongs from home and Muriel de Oro led into the straight from Impromptu, Red Shadow and Lindbergh. Rollo was some distance back but once he hit the straight he travelled very fast and just beat Impromptu, with Lindbergh third, followed by Muriel de Oro, Red Shadow and Golden Pedro. Great Logan, who looked very well, was never prominent, although the first mile was not very fast. Muriel de Oro did not see out the journey, and Golden Pedro, who had a good run all the way, found the last mile too fast for him. Warplane went off badly, and Red Shadow did not stay on. Biddy Parrish in Form. There was only a field of seven in the Elevation Handicap, and Biddy Parrish was made favourite. Todd Lonzia brake early, but the rest provided a good contest. Dark M’Kinney was in charge for nearly half a mile, when Gay Paree went to the front. Biddy Parrish moved away slowly but she trotted very fast once she settled down. With a round to go Gay Paree was in front, with Great Way next, followed by Biddy Parrish. Gay Paree came into the straight first, with Great Way and Biddy Parrish next. In the run home the leader tired and Great Way and Biddy Parrish fought out a great finish, the latter just winning. Dark M’Kinney broke more than once but he kept going and got fourth. Ambition trotted solidly in a fast run race. All Peters found the speed too fast, especially over the last half of the journey. Smart Southerner. The Pioneer Handicap was a very fast race. Sunny Morn was made favourite, and he eventually won very easily. Bay Admiral led out from Rolex, with Chenaway and Travis next, while Mountain Ore and Wilbur White went away very badly. Great Parrish,

from 36yds, made an exceptionally fast run over the first half-mile, and he was in third place at the end of that distance. When half the distance was covered Bay Admiral still led the field, Great Parrish being second and Sunny Morn third. Over the last half-mile Bay Admiral led Great Parrish, who was tiring, with Sunny Morn and Editor following. Sunny Morn went to the front before the straight was reached, and came on to win easily. Editor put up a fine effort and got second, with Travis, who was well placed early, and then lost his position, coming on to finish third. Bracken paced well throughout and was fourth. As was to be expected, Great Parrish failed in the final half-mile. One of the disappointments of the race was War Paint, who had worked well since arriving at headquarters. At no stage of the race did the Balclutha mare show up prominently. Cranleigh Stays On.

A large field contested the mile and a quarter event, and Gold Country was a good favourite, with Belinda second choice. From a good start Sunchild went away in the lead, with Festival second and Sir Guy third. At the end of half a mile Belinda had got into third place, and along the back Gold Country and Belinda moved forward, the last-named leading to the three furlong post, where Gold Country headed her and came into the straight in front, followed by Cranleigh, Festival and Nimble Direct. In the run home Cranleigh stayed on best and won very easily. Nimble Direct finished better than Gold Country and beat him by a neck for second place, while Morning Sun, who had not been prominent in the early stages, came on and got fourth. The consistent Brentlight was fifth. Sunchild and Festival did not run on over the last half-mile. Sir Guy began very fast, but he was done with at the end of a mile. Belinda, who was second favourite, was going well till three furlongs from home, but failed from this point. Wilma Dillon, who was well backed, was never prominent. Easy for Roddy. A large field contested the mile harness event, and the Southland mare Gold Tinge was made favourite, with Nona Bingen and the trotter Huon Voyage next best backed. It was a very fast race, and Tempo was the early leader. Roddy was in second place early, and he took charge before half the distance'was covered. Tempo was then in second place, followed by Pronto Bingen, Pearl Logan and Dusolina. Roddy increased his lead with a quarter of a mile to go, and came into the straight well in front of Pronto Bingen, Dusolina and Rokena. Roddy found no difficulty with the opposition, and had the easiest of victories by four lengths. There was only a neck between Dusolina and Pronto Bingefi for second place, while Tempo was two lengths away fourth. It was such a fact race that a number of the competitors were early beaten. Wrackler and Huon Voyage went away smartly, but the speed soon settled the chances of the two trotters. Some Guy Sprints Well. John Jinks, who was making his first appearance in a race since going into M. B. Edwards’s stable, was a hot favourite for the Au Revoir Handicap. He went away too slowly to have any chance. Bingen Patch, as in his race at Forbury Park, went away at a great speed, but he could not sustain it, and he was beaten when the straight was reached. Some Guy followed Bingen Patch to the straight, when he went on to win easily. Country King, who began well, was behind Some Guy all the way, but in the final stages was beaten "by Our Bird for second place. War Paint, who was second favourite, went away so, slowly that her chance was gone from the start. Wild Voyage got third, and gave further evidence that she is a useful sprinter. The race did not attract a great amount of interest, except for the fact that Bingen Patch went a particularly fast first half-mile, and then stopped so quickly that he finished out of a place.

AT GREYMOUTH.

Coomassie’s Win in the Grandstand Handicap. (Special to the “ Star.”) GREYMOUTH, June 4. Needing all the help that came its way, the Greymouth Jockey Club was favoured with fine weather for its experiment in conducting a winter fixture. Officials were very nervous about the outcome and it must be admitted that the totalisator total on the first event was not encouraging. The course was in great order apart from the fact that it was minus a stand destroyed by fire since the Christmas and New Year circuit on the West Coast. There was the lather and son touch about the result of the Grandstand Handicap. Coomassie, who won, is owned by Mr M. R. Spiers, of Kumara, whose father, A. B. Spiers, is the trainer. There was only £32 on Coomassie, who paid a double figure dividend. That arch deceiver Ranelagh seemed to have the race won when they straightened up for home, but he put no fight into his finish until it was too late. Despite his 9st 61b, Ravine was the pacemaker, with Ranelagh handy. Leaving the straight the leaders were Ravine, Ranelagh, Giggleswick and Eaton Hall. Coomassie then began to move up and was third with about two furlongs to go. Ravine reached the straight just ahead of Ranelagh and Coomassie. Ranelagh took charge, but did not withstand the challenge of Coomassie, who won by half a length. Ranelagh exerted himself near home and thereby just beat Ravine for second place by a neck. Giggleswick was about a length back fourth. The winner owed a lot to the able riding of Jennings.