OTAHUHU TROTTING CLUB RACES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 67, 5 November 1891, Page 4

OTAHUHU TROTTING CLUB RACES.

This club held their Spring Meeting last Saturday, at Potter’s Paddock. The afternoon - was fine, which was a great thing, notwithstanding that the attendance was poor, not more than 400 being on the ground during the day. The trotting was not very interesting, tbe majority of those engaged being very inferior animals, many of them having no pretensions to trotting, having more of the “ go-as-you-please” ' style. The handicapping was’ not at all up to the mark ; the starts in many l instances were much too long, thus making it impossible for the scratch horse, or those nearly on that mark, to make up their ground, as it must be borne in mind that moderate horses cannot give so many seconds away to those of the same class; in fact it would take a horse with a two-thirty gait to have made up his ground from scratch in some of the races, and there are none of them in Auckland ; besides the track is not favourable for making fast time. The management was not all that could be desired, though a few of the>com- < riiittee worked hard, while others did nothing.

There were no judges of trotting, or if there were they did not do their duty, as several horses ought to have been ordered off the track for breaking, and not being immediately pulled down, and also for unfair trotting; in fact it was running and pacing. The time was not well kept, the first race starting nearly half an hour late.

The Handicap Maiden Trot brought the whole of the sixteen entered to the post, the majority of them being regular scrubbers. Rover went to the front soon after the start, but broke very badly on the far side of the course the last time round, when he was passed by Model ; but he was soon pulled down, and coming very fast up the straight just got up, and won by a neck. The tail was a very long one. All six started for the Pony Race, six furlongs Red Rose got the best of the start, followed by Cupid ; she ran off at the top turn, but was quickly pulled straight, but did not get up to Cupid, who won easily by three lengths, Tormentor third. Fourteen came to the post for the Otahuhu Handicap Trot, of 70 sovs; three miles. Model, with 50 secs, went to the front after they had gone a couple of hundred yards, and was never headed, winning by about thirty yards from Myrtle, 15 secs, who trotted very well, making up her ground fast; Maud S., 45 secs, third. Most of the others went as they liked, and were a long way in the rear. All the six acceptors faced the starter for the Railway Handicap, one mile. Red Rose made most of the running, followed by Cupid and Pica, winning easily by a couple of lengths, Pica a moderate third. The owner of Vampire lodged an objection against the jockeys of Cupid and Pica for foul riding. The stewards, after hearing some of the evidence, adjourned the further hearing of the case until Monday evening, when it was decided that the owner, rider, and the mare Cupid be disqualified for twelve months; Pica and his jockey for six months; also that Mr. W. J. Greenwood be fined After the sentences were passed Mr. W. J. Greenwood applied for a rehearing’ on the ground that his evidence was misunderstood, and that he could produce fresh evidence. The stewards granted the request, provided that Mr. Greenwood produced fresh evidence. Full particulars will be found in another column. Eleven started for the Selling Trot. Maud S., who was in a good humour, went to the front, and trotting very fairly won easily from Model. Mickey Free a moderate third. There were only three started for the Handicap Pony Hurdles,. i-| miles. Pica went to the front, land won as he liked. The concluding race was the Pony Trot Handicap ; 2 miles. Ladybird, 20 secs, was in the front all the way, and won pretty easily from Myrtle, who was making up her ground fast; Maud S. third. Another long tail in this race. We have again to call the attention of the committee to the primitive telegraph board in use. The numbers cannot be seen from the stand, and even those in the paddock have to squeeze between it and the rails before they can see them. It is really a disgrace to the place. As three clubs use Potter’s paddock for their races it would not ruin them if they combined and got a proper telegraph board erected with the numbers a good size, so that they could be seen from the stand and saddling paddock as well as the course.