RACING AND TROTTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 247, 21 November 1914, Page 10

RACING AND TROTTING.

RACING FIXTURES. November 25 and 28—Takapuna J.C. Spring. November 28 and 30 J.C. Spring. December s—Hororata5 —Hororata R.C. Annual. December 9 and 10—Woodville J.C. Summer. ACCEPTANCES. November 28 —Hororata R.C. Annual. TROTTING FIXTURES. November 25 —Inangahua T.C. Annual. November 27 and 28 —Forbury Park T.C. Spring. ACCEPTANCES. November 21 —Forbury Park T.C. Spring.

TURF TOPICS.

The tracks at headquarters were in good order for work this morning, and some attractive gallops were registered by candidates claiming engagements at the forthcoming Hororata fixture. Thrax bowled along freely in a gallop over a short course this morning. He looks muscular and well, but may need a race into him before being seen at his best.

Glee put in a useful working gallop over a mile on the plough this morning. She did not finish too well, and her chances of running a mile and a quarter out are not too rosy.

Glenowl is another that appears to be doing well, and is galloping freely. TJp to a mile he takes'a lot of beating. Mumura easily defeated Owhetoro in a gallop over five furlongs this morning. Mumura claims an engagement in the Hororata Cup, a race he was successful in three years ago, but it is doubtful if he will be seen to the same advantage in this year's i Warstep and Snub were allowed to rattle over five furlongs this morning, and the pair finished together in good style. The latter, who is a full brother to Bee, has come on a lot lately, and is furnishing into a nice colt. The pair will probably be Mr Dalgety's representatives at the Auckland Cup Meeting. Forest Belle, is being prepared for the mile and a quarter race at Hororata. The daughter of Glenapp is galloping well just now, but as to how she will shape when the colours are up is always an uncertainty. J. Bridges has returned the hurdler, Rejection, to Ms owner's station in North Canterbury for a three months' spell. After this he is to be recommissioned and prepared for jumping events during the winter. Medley, a three-year-old filly in D. Roberts's stable, shows more than an average turn of speed. She was given a gallop over six furlongs on the plough track this morning, and, finishing well, gave a very satisfactory showing. R. King has Briar Patch looking well just now, and her connections may not have long to wait for a stake, should she go on as she is doing at present. Leading Lady makes much of her work, being a hard puller. She is usually carrying a fair amount of weight upon performing her daily tasks. She is galloping well just now, and may be worth keeping in mind. i

Banksia is still backward in condition, and will require a little time yet before she can be got ready to do herself justice. She looks a delicate sort, arid may be seen to more advantage in the autumn.

The grey horse Ruapani is still frequenting the local track. He has not been asked to perform more than trotting and cantering work since the carnival week, and will probably remain south until after the Dunedin meeting, at which fixture he may be given a race.

Though the task set Reputation of carrying 61b over weight for age in the Auckland Cup is certainly a formidable one, past results show that it is not beyond the prowess of a really good three-year-old. When Crackshot prevailed in 1890 he had Bst 31b in the saddle, while on the occasion of St. Hippo's triumph two years later, Mr Nathan's colt carried Bst 91b, a stone Over the weight-for-age scale. With the exception of the two principal events, very fair acceptances have been received for the first day of the Feilding Jockey Club's meeting. Only half-a-dozen stand their ground in the St. Andrew's Handicap, and the total for the Kiwitea Welter reaches eight. No doubt, the all-too-large number of fixtures coming on in the next few weeks is responsible for the disappointing result. The secretary of the Hororata Racing Club sends word that in the published list of nominations received for the forthcoming meeting the name of Allamani in the Bangor Handicap and Brackendale Plate should be Lilamani and in the Glendore Trot, Winnipeg's name should have been inserted instead of that of Rose Gauntlet. Stella Mac's name should also figure in the Glendore Trot.

Should the trouble that laid him aside on the eve of the C.J.G. Cup meeting not interfere with Expect's future preparation, lie Is likely to start favourite for the Auckland Cup. Evidently Mr Morse considers Balboa's defeat of Reputation in the C.J.C. Derby a great fluke, for in the Auckland Cup he has set the latter to concede his opponent half a stone. Should both see the post it is quite probable that the black colt would be the more fancied of the pair. Canterbury-bred horses were much in evidence at the Marlborough Trotting Club's meeting, where the majority of the events fell to their lot. Amongst the winners was Rexiordium, who was bred and raced by the late Charlton. The only occasion on which the Mauritius gelding went near to catching the judge's eye, when handled late owner, was iu a race at Addington four years ago this month. His conqueror on .that occasion was Lyonnais, and those who witnessed the contest will not forget the popular

demonstration that greeted '' The Doc's'' military seat in the sulky, as ho returned to the enclosure, more exhausted than his charge.

The fourth, volume of the Now Zealand Trotting Stud Book has now been issued.

DEATH OF GEO. SMITH.

AN OLD-TIME RACING IDENTITY

By the death of Mr George Smith, of Palmerston, is removed an old identity of the turf in New Zealand. Mr Smith was for many years a resident of Otagoj and was very well known in the South, where he was amongst the very earliest of sportsmen. He arrived in Dunedin in 1863. As ft lad ho was dispatched to Taieri to find a piece of ground suitablo for a racecourse for a meeting at which the Melbourne horse Falcon and others were to race. The site he reported on is now known as Silverstream. The first horse he ever owned in New Zealand | was Bob Apples, bred in Tasmania. Later he owned the Maori-bred Hatter, and led him all the way from Invercargill to Greymouth to take part in a race. LAn attempt was made to exclude Hatter, as the "race Was supposed to be a district one. The horse was sold for the occasion, however, and started, but broke down when winning easily. Another of his possessions was Ranger, a wellknown performer, while he trained Kauri Gum for a £SOO match which he won, and also the trotter Major for a race with Rocket, for £SOO, the former horse winning. In later years he ran for a short time Apropos, a very fast horse. He was an authority on blood horses, and officiated as judge at Gore and Milton shows. After leaving Otago, where he passed through many of the vicissitudes of the early days, Mr Smith went to live in Wellington. He had resided at Palmerston during the past two or three years. Deceased was also well known in Australia, and his death will be regretted by a wido circle of friends. TEMPLAR.