TROTTING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20310, 21 May 1934, Page 10

TROTTING NOTES.

@B sun Ena® sis sain si in ess®®! for the Ashburton Trotting Club’s winter meeting will close on Monday, May 28, at 8 p.m. Two-year-olrls remaining in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes after May 28 must pay the full subscription of £l2. * * * :* Acceptances for the first day of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s winter meeting will close on May 29, at noon. *s£ * *

Acceptances for the trotting events included in the programme for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting are due to-morrow. * * * Nominations for the trotting events to be decided at the Greymouth Jockey Club’s winter meeting will close on May 26, at 9 p.m. A GOOD PERFORMANCE. To concede a field of fourteen trotters upwards of 84 yards in two miles and beat them requires outstanding ability and stamina, yet, with her trainer in the sulky (and he is no lightweight) Sea Gift accomplished such a feat at Wellington on Saturday. She was forced to cover a lot of extra ground, and fought out the finish tenaciously with Harvest Dillon, who has improved a good deal under C. S. Donald. Sea Gift is a. four-vear-old mare by Wrack, from a mare by Paul Huon, and she did her early racing under J. Bryce. She is now owned by Messrs C. M. Archer anil D. Macfarlane, and is trained at Prebbleton by E. J. Smith. She will win again. INDIANAPOLIS WINS. To win the Dominion Handicap as he did at Wellington on a slight preparation added to the greatness of the four-year-old pacer Indianapolis. No doubt the slow pace set in the early stages assisted him considerabty, but he was called upon for a serious effort in the straight. When E. C. M’Dermott gave him a tap with thj whip, he put his ears back, and displayed determination and courage that is only found in real racehorses. Indianapolis looks robust and healthy after his holiday, and the race he had on Saturday will sharpen him up for serious engagements near at hand. HAROLD IS CHAMPION. Harold Logan won the Invitation Match at Wellington on Saturday by a neck from Impromptu after making the pace all the way. From fourth position he jumped clear of his opponents at the barrier rise, and although Impromptu was at his sulky wheel all the way and kept him up to his work, he won, and on a track that did not suit him. The first two furlongs occupied 34sec,' the half-mile was run in lmin 6sec, the mile in 2min 10 4-ssec, and the mile and a quarter in 2min 42sec, which was a splendid performance. Harold Logan was accorded a great reception, and the contest among the champions was a huge success. Harold Logan has won five out of the seven Invitation matches held in connection with the visit of Walla Walla to this country.

MADE MANY FRIENDS. All eyes were on the two-year-old pacer Gamble when he paraded for the Woburn Handicap at Wellington on Saturday. He is a good-looking colt, and is well mannered. When betting ceased, he was a good second favourite in a field of thirteen of all ages. He behaved well at the barrier, and left the mark smoothly. He was in the front bunch for a mile and a quarter, where he moved up to tackle the leaders. He responded gamely under pressure, and beat all but Red Flyer. It was a splendid effort on the part of Gamble, for on a soft track he registered 3min 31 2-ssec for a mile and a half. His performance made him many friends for his New Zealand Sapling Stakes engagement. A GOOD MEETING. The winter meeting of the Wellington Trotting Club was a big success, although it lacked that spontaneous enthusiasm that has been so noticeable at recent meetings where Walla Walla had met the local champions in Invitation Matches. After the manner in which Harold Logan had disposed of the opposition on four previous occasions, patrons had evidently become reconciled to the fact that neither Walla Walla nor any other horse had much chance of beating Mr E. F. C. Hinds’s good horse. And probably it was on that account that excitement did not run as high as at Christchurch, Auckland, Oamaru and Dunedin. That Walla Walla had lost form and was gradually getting worse was abundantly plain at Ilutt Park on Saturday, where his owner, Mr L. S .Martin, decided to drive him, and race him unhoppled. Mr Hartin has raced Walla Walla extensively without the hopples, and he has won numerous races with-

out the assistance of fhat gear. It is believed that Walla Walla stays better without hopples, but after a slow beginning on Saturday, which left him last when the field had settled down, he made a brilliant run at the halfmile which took him to fourth place, and he was handy to the leaders when six furlongs had been completed. But with another furlong covered he was beaten, and dropped back to last, where he finished. "Mr Martin has raced Walla Walla well knowing that the horse is not at his best, but has made no complaints regarding the defeats. The meeting on Saturday attracted good fields, and the racing was clean and interesting. The entire programme was disposed of without an objection of any kind, and the administration was of a high standard. The grass course provided soft footing, and it cut up as the day’s racing progressed. The club expected a totalisator turnover of £16,000, but only £13,487 was recorded. The gate receipts and other avenues of revenue exceeded expectations, and there will be a satisfactory profit over the meeting. TIiOTTINO FIXTURES May 26—South Canterbury R.C. June 2. 4—Canterbury T.C. June 2, 4—Hawke’s Bay r.C. June 9—Ashburton T.C. June 12—Waikato T.C. June 16 —South Canterbury J.C. June 20, 23—Auckland T.C. WASHDYKE REHANDICAPS. Per Press Association. TIMARU, May 20. Following are rehandicaps for the South Canterbury meeting:— Kingsdown Handicap—Haere Tonu 8.1 2. South Canterbury Handicap—Water Power 9.6. Opihi Trot—Adsum 4 Byds bhd. Beaconsfield Trot—Adsum 48yds bhd.