SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 12868, 18 July 1906, Page 8

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

CANTERBURY NOTES. { [Special to the Stab.] CHRISTCHURCH, July 18. I prefer to leave to more expert pens than mine. Aj task of Reviewing at length the handicaps for the principal events to be decided at. the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand. National meeting. Few of"the candidates have been seen at Riccarton for a long time past, and as I have not had the privilege of travelling far afield I have had no opportunity to form an opinion regarding the capabilities of the majority. It seems to mc, however, that with Signalman and Chryseis Sir George Clifford holds a strong hand in the Winter Cup, and that Gold Crown and Exmoor between them ought to furnish a dangerous candidate. Kieml.nhas only to be in last year's form on the day to take no end of beating, and in the light ot recent running MakaroS, Zetland, and Marie appear to have capital chances. Buluwayo is coining on nicely, and has only to strike his best form to be dangerous. Dressed in his best, Kaitere'cannot tail to run prominently in the National Steeplechase, even in iace of the disadvantage that he has never negotiated the Riccarton country successfully. A similar remark appLes to Sol, who is entirely strange to Riccarton; while Slow Tom, if he makes a rapid recovery from the effects of his Wellington accident, which was slight, mutt not be overlooked. The last-named, however, is such a determined puller that he can never be trusted as an absolutely safe conveyance. Unless Haydn is entirely a light of other days he should be worth an investment; and Swimmer, Eurus, and Irish, as proved fencers, all deserve respect. If Phaetontis stands up and stays the distance he will not be far away from the winner, but he may do neither. Of the remainder I like Rongoa, Moccasin, Baritone, and Pipi best. Exmoot and Shrapnel should run well in the Hurdle Race, and on paper Shrapnel has a little the better of it. The Mohican is an unlikely starter, and I know nothing about. Welbcck except the rumor that he is sound and jumping well. Personally, I have a strong fancy for Auratus, and f am told that with Kremlin, Shrapnel, Black Reynard and Lull, Hall is certa.n to annex the race, and that Lull is capable of doing the trick very easily. However, if they are opposed on the day by Cuiragno, Asteroid, Hydrant, Ability,"to say nothing of Waikato and one or two others, it will take his quartet all their time to furnish the winner between them. The weather has been much colder during the last few days; in fact, on Sunday and Monday it was quite cold enough for snow. Still, not a great deal more rain has fallen, and the tracks at Riccarton are in fairly good order. The Riccarton contingent which visited Wellington returned on Saturday. With the exception of Slow Tom, none were the worse for their exertions, and Slow Tom's injuries are not likely to keep him idle for more than a few days. Stewart, his rider, is carrying his .arm in a sling, but he too should be well again in a fortnight at the latest. On Thursday morning The Guesser was schooled over the hurdles, and his stable companion Narcissus over the big fences. Both jumped well. Helios jumped four flights of hurdles creditably. Ruapehu, a beginner, gave a very bad and very amusing display over the small obstacles. On Saturday W:ssembourg jumped four flights of hurdles wildly. Makaroff has arrived at Riccarton. He is looking very well. The Dunedin, horse Koputai has joined C. Piper's team. i The new" sand box for rolling horses at Riccarton is completed. ATHLETICS. [Bt Spike.] To celebrate the attainment of their majority, the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club held a ball on Friday evening last in the Victoria Hall. The event was worthy of the club, and the Committee are to be congratulated upon the success of the function. The Victoria Hall was artistically decorated, the club's colors (cardinal and white) blending harmoniously with the decorations. The president of the club (Mr P. S. K. Maca?--scy), the vice-president (Mr S. Jacobs), and ~« ssrs W., J. O'Kane. T. R. Gordon. L ""•Donald, V. S. Jacobs, W. L. and J. T. Hamann (bon. sec.) carried out all the arrangements for the evening. The annual presentation of prizes of the D.A.A.C. won during fcho season will take place early in August, when a musical evening will be held in connection with the presentation. The Civil Service Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club have decided to establish a ten-mile cros-country handicap race, open to all clubs affiliated to the N.Z.A.A.A. The event w ; ll be held at Wingatui on Saturday, the 25th Ancrust. Tlip cmdi'-io'iß are that the race mut be over cr-sscum'ry The prizjes allotted are: First trophy, value £2 10s, the winner also holdine a challenge trophy for twelve months ; second prize, trophy, value £1 10s; tlrrd, tronhy, value £1: novice registerine fastest tin*?, £2. Entries close on August 11 with Mr R. G. Ander on. The revival of a ten-mile cross-country handicap brings back memories of the tenmile cross-country handicap held by the D.A.A.C. in the nineties. The first ten mile cross-country handicap held in Otago took place at St. Clair on 15th November, 1890, for which 120 entries w«*e received. The event was very successful. W. Kane, of Burnside Football Club, winning. The winners during the next five rears were : 1891, J. W. Havnes. D.A.A.C. ; 1892, W. F. Bennett, D.A.A.C. ; 1893, A. Bauchop, P.C.F.C. ; 1894, J. T. Stone, NE.B.C. ; 1895, J. T. Stone, N.E.B.C. The 1895 race was the last of the D.A.A.C. crosscountry handicaps, as owing to the insufficient support then given to the event the cross-countrv race was withdrawn. The handsome challenge cup presented to the club by Dr Roberts was in 1898 accorded to the competition at the annual sports in sprint events. The holders from 1898 are : —1398, E. L. Maca<sev; 1899, C A. C"ff; 1900, P. Mills; 1901." G. Nichol on ; 1903, J. T. Hamann; 1904, A. M. Don; 1905, J. W. Price; 1906, W. J. O'Kane. On Saturday last the harrier clubs held a combined run from St. Joseph's Hall, at the invitation of the St. Joseph's Harriers' Club. Though the climatic conditions were unfavorable, over 100 runners started from the hall. The tra.l led up Rattray and Arthur streets to LjLtlebourne, down Tweed street into IVaikorai Valley, thence towards the Wakari road. Continuing, the trail led past the reservoir to Woodhaugh, onwards to Queen's Drive, where a good steady pace was set to the Asylum Ground, the pack then sprinting for home. Despite the wet weather and muddy roads, the run was a most enjoyable one. I have received a programme of the sports meeting of the' Garrison Amateur Athletic and Gymnastic Club, held in the King Edward Barracks, Christchurch, on 28th June. Ths barracks arc over 400 yds in length. The events included 100 yds, 220 yds Flat, 440 yds Hurdles, and amongst the" competitors were Williams and Worgan, both of whom competed at the New Zealand championship meeting held in Dunedin in March last. The next New Zealand amateur athletic championship is to be held at Christchurch on 21 st and 23rd February. The meetiug is already creating much interest in. athletic circles in New Zealand, and the Exhibition meeting promises to be the finest athletic gathering ever held in-New Zealand. The sub-committee (Messrs L. Sauderson, J. T. Hamann, T. R. Gordon, H. W. Brickell, D. Melville, and H. Mackintosh) appointed to carry out the Inter-club Teams Race, to be held at Wingatui on Saturday. 11th .fcign'st, met last eveung. Harrier clubs are notified that teams are to cons'st of six men, five tc count. Entry fte is 6s per team. Competitors must be bona fide members of the club for whom they are competing, and nvs: also nn in ther proper club rolors. Ff'ries close with Mr H. Mackintosh on Saturday, 4th August. It was reported that teams from South Canterbury and Invercargill intend competing. The banner is at present held by the Dunedin Harriers. , With the advent of the Port Chalmers'to Dunedin Road Race it is customary to look forward to the club under whose auspices the race is held makine an amplication t«

allow competitors in the event to compete without payment of the license fee. The opinion of the clubs affiliated to the centre upon the matter had been so emphatic in past years against competitors being allowed to compete without a license that it was a matter of surprise that application was mado this year. There certainly arc no arguments in favor of granting the permission. asked for. The license extends for twelve months, and if a competitor only races once a year that is his misfortune. The sub-committee appointed by the Otago. Centis-. to go into the matter of a public schools association placed a scheme before .the Otago Centre for bringing the movement into effect. A conference of the school teachers is to be held on sth prox. when the matter will be placed before the conference by the Centre. Mr P, A. Keddell, an ex-vice-president of the Dunedin Civil Service Harrier- and A.A. Club, has been elected to a similar position in the Christchurch Civil Service Club. The Dunedin Jockey Club have appointed Mi- James A. Crawford caretaker of the Wingatui racecourse. No less than 142 applications wero received for the position. >