TROTTING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20543, 19 February 1935, Page 12

TROTTING NOTES.

\saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaao DOMINATIONS for the Wellington Trotting Club’s March meeting will close to-day, at 8 p.m. Nominations for the trotting events at the Cromwell Jockey Club’s annual meeting will close on Friday evening. * * * * Nominations for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, 1936, will close with the secretary of the Ashburton Trotting Club on Monday. * ❖ * * Entries for the Wyndham Trotting Club’s annual meeting will close on Monday. * * * * Nominations for the Marlborough Trotting Club’s annual meeting are due on Monda)*. * * * * The correct class for the Palmer Handicap at the Wellington Trottirig Club’s meeting on Saturday, March 2, is 4min 59sec, not 4min 49sec, as published in the official calendar. * * * * The Auckland Trotting Club will conclude its February meeting at Epsom to-morrow’. Good fields are engaged, and the prospects are favourable for a firm track. * * * * A five-year-old gelding by Wrack from Lady Superior is among the regular workers at New Brighton. He shapes well for the time he has been in work, and time and patience will make him worth while. He is a halfbrother to Cardinal Logan. HOW HE LOST. The Australian pacer Star Pronto had an opportunity of scoring a much overdue win at Auckland on Saturday and would have won had his driver sat still over the last thirty yards of the contest for the Waiheke Handicap. Star Pronto, who raced unhoppled, was in front and had the issue in safe keeping when his driver unwisely drew the whip, and Star Pronto went to a break immediately. A HOT FAVOURITE. There will be a rush to get on Chancellor at Auckland to-morrow. This potential champion got into a pocket on the first day, and was kept there. He will contest the Lynley Park Handicap to-morrow, and he will probably make good the losses his followers incurred on Saturday. ABOUT RECESS. The good-natured mare Recess is rounding into shape and will strip in better order for her race at New Brighton on Saturday than when she was defeated in a tw r o-mile race at the Royal meeting, which was held at Addington on January 19. Recess is a good beginner and a genuine racemare, but she will be severely tested in the Flying Handicap on Saturday, in which race she will meet Chechahco, Gamble, Llewellyn’s Pride, Wise Guy and Racketeer. THE FIRST TIME. The Bledisloe Handicap will be contested for the first time at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting to-mor-row. It is a two mile race fo r horses capable of pacing two miles in 4min 29sec or faster. Despite his failure in a similar race on Saturday many think Raydus will be successful. On form, Willie Derby and Worthy Light should both finish in front of him, unless the track is heavy*, then Raydus would be very difficult to beat. Pegaway did not compete on the first day, and he must have a royal chance. He will be driven by A. Bryce. Impromptu likes the Auckland circuit, and when at his best he is apt to upset calculations. When speculators get to work they will prefer Willie Derby, WorthyLight and Pegaway. TUNED UP. W. Warren has Don Wrack and Betty* Wrack tuned up for approaching engagements. Both pacers have been entered for the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Don Wrack is a solid customer, but has to be vigorously driven to get the best out of him. Betty Wrack is hitting out in her usual attractive manner, but whether she is equal to many she will meet in the Fly*ing Handicap on Saturday is doubtful. In such contests honesty often counts, and Betty Wrack will be doing her best when some of her companions are not displaying as muclf gameness. DANGEROUS. The dangerous practice of swerving across the course at the start of a race was in evidence at Epsom on Saturday*, and the sooner stern measures are taken to prevent this method of getting a horse to strike its gait at the start the better for all concerned. When the barriers were released for the Mount Albert Handicap, Rayon d’Or swerved across the course at the start, and interfered with some of his competitors. Drivers should be compelled to keep their horses straight, and, if they cannot induce them to begin correctly* that way, they should not be allowed to pull them all over the track at the expense of the well behaved horses. FOR GORE. Much interest will be taken in B. Jarden’s candidates for the trotting events at the Gore Racing Club’s meeting. They are Gold Salute and Blue Spark. Gold Salute is a handsome five-y*ear-old brother to Roi l’Or, and he won a mile and five furlongs race at Timaru on January 26. In that race he ran a bit green, but he is improving with experience and promises to develop into a good stake earner. Blue Spark has been in Jarden’s stable only three weeks. He is a roan gelding by Matchlight from Dusky* Maid. Blue Spark was educated and developed by J. D. Smith, at New Brighton, and if fie settles down and races solidly he will win plenty of prize-money. HAD EVERY CHANCE. The three-y*ear-old pacer Proletarian was the biggest disappointment on the first day of the Auckland Trotting Club’s February* meeting. He had every chance in the Waiheke Handicap, which was decided over a mile and a quarter. He did not pace evenly, and the only excuse that can be offered for him was that the course was a trifle soft. At one stage of the race. Derby Fame and Proletarian were ten lengths clear of the field, and Proletarian lost his advantage by a series of mistakes. Proletarian has enough speed to convince anybody that he will develop into a fast horse, but he may take time to become reliable.