THE EASTER MEETING AT RICCARTON.

Evening Star, Volume 11221, Issue 11221, 21 April 1900, Page 3

THE EASTER MEETING AT RICCARTON.

• ■ [By Our Ojvn ‘Reporter.]: ■ H is quite certain that the Executive of the : Canterbury Jockey Club ' will; have to bestir themselves if tliey hope to maintain the supremacy in matters racing which they have so long enjoyed. There has been 'a distinct : deterioratioh at Riccartou during the past two or three Easters, both as regards the extent of the fields and the attendance of the public ; and necessarily a corresponding shrinkage in the totalisator investments. Tnc richer stakes and larger number l of valuable handicaps provided, and the fairer treatment of the bookmakers by the Nqrthem metropolitan club, are beyond question the factors that are helping to make Ellerslie rather than Riccarton the favorite trysting ground of the sportsman at Eastertide. All sorts of theories have been advanced to account for the altered condition of-affairs, but it is difficult to get past the stern logic of facts—three days’ racing in the Northern capital, with an outlay of £4.500 in stakes, against £5,490 in two days at Riccartou. Not that there was any marked falling, off in the quality of the animals that contested the princinal classic events or that competed in the major handicaps. Starting with the Champagne on the first day, there were five contestants—it choice lot—all of whom save one were representative of South Island stables. The Hon. J. D. Ormond alone did battle for the North Island with his Robinson Crusoe—Elflock coll, who suffered greatly by comparison with the commanding Formosan, and who was at a distinct disadvantage in having, like his stable-mate Jabber, had a very bad time -during the voyage down from Napier at the end of the previous week. The son of St. Leger—Forme (half-brother to the mighty 'Multiform) stands over 16 hands high, was brought to the post by R. J. Mason in the pink of condition, and would doubtless have gone opt an odds-on chance but that it got bruited about in the saddling paddock that ho has developed roaring proclivities. .Sir George Clifford’s representative, Cannic Chiel. was known to be a much improved colt, and to have done very sound work on the track; it was, therefore, not surprising to find him a close attendant on the bearer of the Yiildhurst colors in the betting quotations. Otago was represented by the Hon. George M’Lean's Pampero, who had so worthily borne our president's colors to the front at the Wingatui meeting, but he was suffering from a swelled knee, and his trainer and connections were in consequence quite despondent about his prospects. The least fancied of the quintet was Mr D. O’Brien’s Australian-bred colt, and the son of Light Artillery did not give confidence to his party by the way he shaped in his preliminary. The race requires little description. Cannic Chiel shot out when the harrier was raised, and kept in the van till a furlong from home, when he was overhauled by Formosan. who passed the post nearly two lengths to the good in the capital time of Imln 17sec. Military, who had all the worst of the start, came with a great run in the last couple of hundred yards, which brought him within half a- length of Sir George Clifford’s colt, and undeniably he showed the most foot* and biggest heart at that point of the race — factors that had tliey been borne in mind next day Could not have failed to assist the fortunes of those who witnessed the clever manner in which the son of Light Artillery made up his lost ground and the resolute wav in which lie finished. Tins made the eighth successive Champagne Stakes captured at Ricearton by the Squire of YaldhuVst, ami surely constitutes a colonial record. For the minor two-year-old event cm the- first day Apollo (the shapely son of Dreadnought, by Mount Ida) was served up a warm favorite, but Lady-killer (by Stfepniak) slipped Her field, am! Brown, makint' every nqst ir winning ’hi-i. Jmd no difficulty'ln Hiding the stake for Mr Dalgctv. Cavalry; Mr O'Brien’s other Auslral’an importation,' did not appear to be in the humor for racing, hut if report speaks tmlv ho has shown considerable pace on the track, and will be heard of ere long. On the second day, in the Autumn Nursery, over live lurlongs, we were treated Id a grand display of horsemanship on the part of Bud hcomb; ' When the tapes' were raised Apniln ami Ladykiller shot out, and for nearlv half the-'distance were, a cqttple of lengths ahead of the field. Then first Cavalry on the outside and Melita in tile centre 'challenged (he North Island colt; with whom they disputed cvcrv inch of the ground, and so close was the finish that only' the judge could say to a certainty which Of the pair 'tluU (lashed past his box had won. Colonel hox s verdict was in favor of the -son of Dreadnought by a nose, with Cavalry onhn. neck away. And the fact that the five fin loii£.s v cro cut out in Imin 4hoc on such «i day proves that there was no waiting on the road.

The piece do resistance on Kaster Monday was of course, (lie Easter Handicap, for which ten horses accepted. Dtindas had been withdrawn early in the morning, his ostensible mission that, day being the Sockburn Handicap. Track form pointed Ho Ma'utua, who had been bowling'nlong during the previous week in fine style, ; .amb it was not surprising to find that the cognoscenti and the punter’were quite agreed that he was “ pure goods," remembering how well he had performed in the spring, and how m i lc h he had improved in the interval. Benzoin was the next in demand with investors, but they conld hardly have known that the horse was far helow his November form. Ben Farley v as not within pounds of his February condition, while (he well-performed Jabber would have had hosts of friends, despite his penalty, hut for the knowledge that ho had been knocked about a good deni on the trip down. Paladin (whom Mr Victor Harris had purchased for £250. with ah additional century if he won th" staked and St. Denis were both credited with having gone through satisfactory preparations, lint Brisa was almost neglected, as was Jupiter, than whom there was no better-conditioned animal on (he course, backers having quite overlooked tho fncf that it was lie who was, mainly responsible for the fast time in which the first mile of the Dunedin Cun was run hist month. He ran a good horse, however, but neither he nor any of the others had the ghost of a show with the son of Malna. who had the race won at four furlongs. Tn the Autumn Maiden favoritism was divided between Ohbligado (one of Mr Stead’s hnglish purchases) and Scottish Minstrel (bv Clanraiiald). The easv win of Formosan in the Champagne and fine appearance of the four-year-old son of Orville naturally assisted to give him a. decided call in the betting, hut there were plenty who recollected that the son of Clanraiiald had downed a ; S° nfl one in Female Franchise at Amherley. and were amply justified for pinning their faith to him. The imported chestnut looked all over a winner till the stand was reached, where Scottish Minstrel got on tonus, and. comini' on full of running, won comfortably by nearly a length in really good time.’ This serviceable horse has since passed into Cutts's stnble, having been purchased by Sir George Clmorcl. ®

The Epsom Welter produced a field of eleven. Hermosa (8.8.) being in strong demand. Female Franchise led for over six furlongs, and was then headed bv tho favorite, .who stalled off a strong challenge by Abercrombie, and won by two lengths in the good time of Inrin 44 l-ssec.

For the Sockburn fftandicap, of one and a-quarter miles, there were but four starters, and Dundas (8.13) was served no a red-hot favorite. And little wonder, for bad he not at the February meeting, with 9.10 on his back, made hacks of his field in a welter race, and a.t Dunedin a month Inter romned over his opponents in the Publicans’! A funnier race has seldom been witnessed on any course. The Spinner got off with the.lead, with the favorite last. Then Seabrook took command, and it was seen that Dimdas was almost pulling R. .Wilson out of the saddle. In the straight the latter did make some show of retrieving his position, but it was a mere feint. Seabrook kept his advantage to the end, and Dundas enjoyed the barren honor of third, nearly five lengths away. When the horses returned to scale the crowd gathered sullenly around the weighing enclosure and gave vent to their feelings in strong yet plain language. The stewards felt impelled to call the trainer and rider before them, and received as entirely satisfactory the preferred explanation that Wilson had acted according to his instructions, which were to ride “a- waiting race.” It is hard nowadays to. understand what the phrase “a waiting race” implies unless it be that the jockey is at liberty to make his mount indulge in vagaries that ; cannot fail to rob him of all reasonable hope of victory.' Dundas is either a her* .of

Peculiar temperament, or he. is strangely handled at .times. Whichever be the 'correct hypothesis,' it;.isj:quite safe;to say that at Riccartpa,; on’ ■ Monday;; there "was', a pretty general.cMisetisusrpf; opinion;- that the .horse, whp had been doing as'-well. on the •track as any unimal that had scored: during the day, had* not,been allowed to teyeal his true forin. The stewards,., at all-events, might, have exhibited:less haste to closeyphat was a verydisagreeable incident, and have deferred pronouncing judgment till it was seen, how the horse shaped in. a; more trying contest, and when he was ridden under different conditions. Nor t would, it have; been an injudicious proceeding on their part, to have heard what one of their own officials might have had to tell them concerning the erratic manner ip. which. Wilson carried out his “orders”, in. the' early part of. the race. But Messieurs;the!stewards,..who' saw nothing approaching a : reversal of form in the First Blood incident 1 at the midsummer meeting, could hardly be - expected to scent an impropriety in this case.' Without going as far as the fellow-scribed who declares that 'the public regard Dundas as an uncertain horse, there may be justification for the conclusion that Wilson “ committed an error of judgment in keeping his mount back so long, in the early part of the race he would have and that had the horse been allowed to run along in the early part of the race.he would have won all right.” Perhaps so. 9" Tuesday the weather was simply vile. It rained almost continuously ; the course was soon heavy and greasy, and in consequence form was entirely * upset. Notably was this the ease in the Challenge Stakes, where the hitherto redoubtable Screw Gun was simply disgraced. Getting all the best of the start, which is not usual with him, he had a trood lead at the end of a furlong, being followed by the lightly-weighted Military, Benzoin, Canute Ohiek and Field Rose in that order, which was maintained to the top turn, when the field closed on the leader-. Benzoin was the first- into the straight, but Military was soon at the head of affairs, and coming on full of running, won by nearly two lengths from Cannie Chid, who was interfered with by a dog running across the course, and might have been closer to the winner, but would not have changed posiwith him. It is safe-to conjecture that Mr >Stead's champion was not himself. The course was not so bad when the race was run as to warrant the belief that the weight anchored the colt alter half the distance* had been traversed ; it must therefore be assumed that Screw Gun. was not cherry ripe, and will yet retrieve his lost lautels. One swallow does not make a summer, nor is one defeat enough to dim the lustre of so great a sprinter as the son of Hotchkiss has proved himself to be.

Surprises were indeed the order of the duy. In the Autumn Skobeloff, on the strength of his past deeds and light impost, ■was served up a. pronounced favorite—an odds-oii chance, which was quite a false, price —the winner of the Easter being next in demand. Though it was as plain as the nose on one’s face that no action could be taken, after what had happened the day before, in respect to Dundas, it was surprising to find quite a number of people afraid to back him with any confidence lest the stake should be withheld were he to be the first to catch the judge’s eye. Djin Djin was pleasing to the eye, though without many friends, but Ben Parley sweated profusely, and did not move freely in his preliminary. A word will suffice to describe the race. It was won bv Dnndas from the raising of the barrier. Malatna was the only horse that appeared to have a chance with the son of Perkin Warbeck, and he could never get nearer than four lengths. Considering-the condition of the going, it was a soundly run race throughout, and it was apparent from the tactics adopted by Buddicomb—presumably under “ orders-"—that bis mount was in a tractable humor, and; once in front, meant to keep there. When Duudas re-tiii-ned to the weighing enclosure ho was subjected to one of the most oronounced hostile -demonStrAtions that- lias' ever ha'ipened at Riccarton. The enclosure was lined by an 'exl-iled crowd, who gave vent to their feehligs in contimioiis groaning, above which could be distinctly heard cries of “ Send the horse up ’ aud ‘' Prime Warden number tno. I here was,’it is title, some cheering, but it might have been taken to apply to the second horse,'who bad-acquitted himself most wiirthily. Buidicofub appeared to feel ■ keenly the recept ion that was accorded to hiS' mount, hut lie hardly needed an assurance tlpit it was in no wise' directed against hiinsclf. The manner in which Dundas perfoiined in this race served only to emphasise Urn opinion 1 have Jong held of his abilities, I refuse,' to believe him to be the. arrant rogue some of his backers say he is ; on (he contrary, I regard him, when he is on the job, one of the best horses we have, and shall hot lie the least surprised due of these days to see him emulating the deeds of his whilom stitble mate—Lady Zetland. Ovciheard in the saddling paddock immediately after'the decision of the Autumni— Steward' of the C.J.C. : " The public are l, l" s I'ail losers. How they ‘ squeak ’ if a red-hot favorite is bowled over.” Wellknown Owner : “ Quite true, but the public quickly smell anything that’s a bit rank, and 1 don’t know that their judgment is often out.”

In the Templeton Handicap, of six furInngs, there was a tiuo set-to between St. Denis and Cherrystone, and Goodman had the, misfortune to lose the verdict by the narrowest, of margins, O’Brien succeeding in getting the son of St. Clair—Kathlinda up in the, last stride and -winning by a nose. This was the only win that an Otago stable secured during the meeting. The Ellises, in particular, had cruel hick in sunulving a double runner up in Jupiter and another in Abercrombie.

Two “dead birds” were discovered on r l uesday—Bristol (who afterwards became the property of Mr Murray-Avusley for 53 guineas) in the Addington Pluto, and The Spinner in the Farewell. Both were ridiculously easy wins.

During the two days the sum of £15.189 passed through the totalisatnrs, being £763 less than last year, but the weather on Tuesday was largely responsible for the shrinkage. My acknowledgments arc tendered to Secretary Wanklyn a.nd the cleric of scales (Mr Evans) for many appreciated courtesies. The most successful jockeys were L. Hen itt and i\ Bhddicomb, who each rode four winners; O’Brien was thrice returned a u inner ; Brown had two winning mounts ; Cotton, Scoullar, Shaw, and W. Holmes one each.