SPORTING NEWS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 November 1918, Page 2

SPORTING NEWS

BAGING CALENDAR.

' FIXTURES.

November 2, 6—Avondale Jockey Club November 4,6, 9—Canterbury Jockey Club. November 5,7, B—Metropolitanß—Metropolitan Trot-

ting Club. November 9 —Auckland Racing Club. November 13, 14—Winton Jockey Club November 20— Ashhurst-Pohangina Racing Club. o November 2—South Canterbury J.C. November 30 —Feilding Jockey Club.

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

67 YEARS AGO AND TO-DA*

(By "Aeronaut.")

It is just six weeks short of 67 years since the first race meeting in Canterbury, that particular event taking pJace on December 16th, 1851, ana tlie course being that part of Hagley fark facing the tiiccarton Hotel to Fendalton Bridge. The second meeting took pliice on December 16th. 1852, when there was a goodly assemblage of drays and carts—the then fashionable equipages—in which the ladies of ChristHurch in 1852 went to races, and such ike out-door junkettings. But it must iot be supposed that there were no cari iges. Two four-wheeled open chaises, is they were called in those days, were on the course, drawn up near the winmng post, and no doubt the lucky ocof distinguished vehicles -v., f>'„ ;f much envy by their r rt"" t- sisters Howevr, the

■n' T-hurv mothers who oc-

uiiftd the dmys and carts, and the majority who had tramped to Higley Park, did not enjoy the sport any the less than the many thousands who will journey there on Monday by mntnr car and other modern conveyances. About 600 persons were pre«pr>t on the occasion, wh : ch at that time would represent a very large proportion of the whole population then settled on the Plains. The first race was the Christen 11 rch Cup, a sweep of £2 each, with £6 6s added, making the stake value £l4 6s—not a princely prize. It was, strange to say, the then precursor of the New Zealand Cup. and was a liurdle race twice round the course, over six flights of hurdles 3ft. 6m. high, weight-for-age. There were three starters, the race being won by Mr. Leach's Harkaway. The first movement towards the inaugration of a body to take charge of racing in Canterbury was made in the year 1854.

From that date on to 1383 the popularity of the Canterbury Jockey Club's Meetings continued to increase, but it was not until November 6th of that year that the first New Zealand Cup was r"n, this having been substituted for the Jockey dr.b t Handicap. It was of 1000 sovs., added to a sweep of 10 sovs., the second horse to receive 100 sovs., and the third horse 50 sovs., two miles. It was won for the first time bv Mr. Dan O'Brien's Tasman, by St. Albans—Zillah, 8.9; the Hon. William Robinson's Nonsense being second. Tim Whiffler, Cheviot, Lady Emma, Mischief, Turquoise, Envious, The Jilt, Adamant, Hippodamia. and The Poet, also ran. Dividends —inside £6 19s 6d ; outside. £7.

The Metropolitan Meeting of 1884 commmenced on November 11th. The tote did excellent business, the sum of £8.649 being passed through the first day. The New Zealand Cup of that yeaT was won by the Hon. W. Robinson's Vanguard, bv Traducer —En Avant, Capt. Russell's Leonora being second : dividends—inside, £5 Is 6d ; outside £2 14s 6d.

The proaress of the Club during the 34 years elapsing since 1884 has been most marked, but, however, this may be regarded somewhat in the light of ancient history.

MONDAY'S EVENTS. Monday next will thus mark the dSth year on which the New Zealand Cup lias been decided, and good all-round fields are engaged. Proceedings will commence with the Spring Hurdles, for which there are six horses carded. Vas cular has 11.1, but as the Vasco gelding is nothing brill'ant, he wil] likely find the weight too much. Thf one I expect to see supplying the winner is Vacuum, a 5-year-old gelding b> Advance. La*t season Vacuum showed some very fair form, as well as a tendency to stay. Among other events be w.m the Knw.ikawa Hurdles (1 3-4 at Feeding, beating ten others. Again ; n the Karere Hurdles (1 3 4 miles x , at Mnnawatu he ran second t sir Fisher, beating a bi?- fVd. Vt---~ w'd wi T,, ' : ' r '7 f orm I'-'st rv' r,n

''••»f«*-pd on top

Next comes the Spring Plat" i r..." run under special weights. Several cf those eng'ig°d are bound to b° wha-n f>io fieM parades, but M«le<> ««" Afterglow are a pi'r that cm b a ! p°r>ded upon to mak<> things me-r-v started. Nanna surged vear.

\ bier field are ensued in tb» Tr v r/ood Walter, hrd'-d'nT tw 1c il hor••■: : r and Clave v house, the former hiving incurred a penalty, which should stop her. Clavei'house should he benefited hv his r°ce last we*k and wil] again T feel sure, Tun a good race, but he may find Taunaha hardest to beat. The Demosthenes colt just strolled in on the second day at Wellington.

• NE ,7 ZEALAND CUP of 2000 sovs. ; 2 miles.— st. lb. st. lb. Client ... 9 1 TWrnit .... 7 0 Menelaus ... 811 Kill ard ... 613 Sasanof ... 8 9 Tressida ... 611 Margerine 8 2 Rose Pink 611 Volo ... 713 r>n«kv Eve 6 7 Snub ... 7 11K-lrush ... 6 7 Borke's Drift 7 9 Battle Song 6 7 Cynic ... 7 2 Mazama ... 6 7 Devotion 7 2 Risingham 6 7 Mascot ... 7 2 The above field numbers 19, but may be reduced to about 17 by the hour of starting. I reviewed the different candidates on Wednesday, and have nothing much, to add. Since this event has been known as the New Zealand Cup no horse has won carrying a bigger weight than 8.9, and as neither Client, Menelaus or Sasanoff can be regarded as anything exceptionally brilliant there's no reason to expect them to establish fresh records on Monday. Margerine, the only other candidate in the division over Bst., should prove the best of the topweights. Volo, for a horse that won nine times and was three times second out of 19 starts last season, is remarkably well treated with 7.13. He finished up last season by winning three times in succession, viz.— Ist Connolly Handicap (l£ miles) at Wanganui, 8.2; Lady Louisa (7.2) 2, Hydras (6.10) 3. Ist Empire Handicap (1 mile and a distance) at Wanganui, 9.0; All Over (6.13) 2, Lady Louisa (7.8) 3. Ist Huia Handicap (1 mile and 55

SPORTING NEWS

yds.) at Otaki, 9.8; Orleans (8.0) 2, Lady Louisa (7.9) 3.

Volo started twice at Masterton this month, winning on the second occasion. I might state that the races quoted were all run in heavy going, which makes the son of Husbandman a great horse in heavy going. Snub and Rorke's Drift can be passed over, and the sime with Cynic. Some of my friends seem to have gone Cynic-crazy and are very wroth at my ruling the son of Henry the First out of the "possibles." They quote the last Auckland Racing Club Handicap (1£ miles) in which Cynic beat Desert Gold, as being solid 'grounds why he should be hard to beat on Monday. I would ask them to consider the conditions of that race, which in the first place was run in heavy going and Cynic (7.7) beat Desert Gold (10.4)—a difference of 391 b.— by a neck; Desert Gold also having the disadvantage of losing one of her plates in the race. Again, Multiply—far from a champion—carried 7.10 and beat Cynic by half a length; therefore I cannot see anything to enthuse over on that form. Altogether Cynic started 15 times last season for one win—the/Te Awamutu Cup. Devotion ran well in the early part of last season, showing great form up to 10 furlongs, and she should be dangerous on Monday. Of the others, outside Rose Pink, there is nothing standing out with firm enough to recommend them for a race of this description, but the little Kilbroney mare's consistency mu<st entitle her to consideration. 1 understand that G. Young will be in the saddle.

The foil owing are the previous win- '• s of the race:—

.833 —D. O'Brien's Tasman, syra., c. 9, Derrett, 3.36£. 1884 —W. Robinson's Vanguard, syrs., 8.9, Derrett, 3.49. 1835—J. Pilbrow's Fusilade, 3yrs., 6.7, Dodd, 3.37 3-4. 1886 —R. J. Mason's Spade Guinea, 4 yrs., 6.10, Huxtable, 3.32. 1887—G. G. Stead's Lochiel, bjrs., 7.12. Huxtable, 3.34£. 1888—P. Butler's Manton, 3yrs., 6.10, Holmes, 3.31 A. 1889—S. H. Gollan's Tirailleur. 3yrs., 6.5, Collelo, 3.34£. 1890—J. Brett's Wolverine, syrs., 6.11, Thomas, 3.38 2-5. 1891—T. W. Hungerford's British Lion, aged, 6.11, Lawton, 3.34£. 1892—L D. xN'athan's St. Hippo, 3 yrs., 7.7, Gallagher, 3.30£. 1893 —W. Douglas's Rosefeldt, syrs., 7.7, S. Lindsay, 3.29. 1894—S Bradley's Impulse, aged, 7.9, G. Smith, 3.30 3-4. 1895—H. Craig's Euroclydon, 3yrs., 7.0, F. Kingan, 3.31£. 1896—M Hob'os's Lady Zetland, aged, 8.9, P. White, 3.30 2-5. 1897—5. McGuinness's Waiuku, aged, 8.6, P. White, 3.30. 1898—S. H. Gollan's Tirant d'Eau, 4 yrs., 7.7, S. Lindsay, 3.29 4-5. 1899—F. N. George's Seahorse, 3yrs., 7.8, S. Lindsay, 3.34. 1900—*J. Boreland's Fulmen, 6yrs., 7.13, Derrett, 3.35 2-5. *Hon. J. D. Ormond's Idea*, 5 yrs., 7.7, T. Wilson, 3.35 2-5. 1901 —D. Gordon's Tortulla, 6yrs., 8.1, C. Jenkins, 3.33 4-5. 1902—8. T. Bennett's Halberdier, aged 8 0, F. Davis, 3.31 1-5. 1903—A. Moss's Canteen, syrs., 7.12, J. McCombe, 3.27 1-5. 1904—G. G. Stead's Grand Rapids, 4 yrs., 8.5, L. Hewitt, 3.29 1-5. 1905—G. G. Stead's Noctuiform, 3yrs., 9 +7.7. L. Hewitt, 3.29 4-5. 1906—R. Shore's Star Rose, 6yrs., 6.7, H. Price, 3.29. 1907 —F. Preston's Frisco, 4yrs., J 7.6, L. G. King, 3.28 4-5. 1908—T. H. Lowry's Downfall, 4yrs., 7.8, L. Wilson, 3.28 2-5. 1909—F. Tilley's Lady Lucy, 4yrs, 7.1, R. Young, 3.28 3-5. 1910—E. J. Watt's Bridge, 4yrs., 7.10, H. Gray, 3.25. 1911—W. G. and G. L. Stead's and G. D. Greenwood's Vice Admiral, 4yrs., 7.8, B. Deeley, 3.28 3-5 1912—E. J. Watt's Midnight Sun, 4 yrs., 8.0, L. Wilson, 3.27 1-5. 1913—A. R. Durrant's Sinapis, syrs., 7.5, R. Berry, 3.26 4-5. 1914—*C. G. Dalgety's Warstep. 4yrs., 7.11, J. O'Shea. 3.30 2-5. *G. Hunter's Indigo, 3yrs., 6.12 Stowe, 3.30 2-5. •pis. ..t ; g Mcnonflld's Tmgihou, aged 6 7 0. Clarke, 3.30. 1916—H. Friedlinder's Ardrnvohr, 4 vrs.. 7.3, H. Young, 3.25 1-5. 1917—V. and E. Riddiford's Menelaus, 4vrs., 8.1, A. Reed, 3.25 1-5. *"De;id Wnt +Tnc I nding lib. over. ♦lncluding 41bs. over.

Welcome St'ikes. a race for two-,„-,7„ v nc ~f that age engaged, :..„■>.,a:„ t>o,-..i Ct-cr and Lady Ball. >, .*, ,r ,„'. „ c v, ,„\j rnTl well, pnr'o..l .It, 'VI f/VTy>«y

'Pie r> (•'' ' »mes vxt, but i* regirded n« ohlv a' exercise canter for Gloaming. TVre a:« 'eft in thp Stewards' Handicap, a v, d if Wrestler is as good ns T led t < believe, hp should »...r)+ for .nil +hoso him. Bo r>™r» -nd MHnela rend the best of the ■irrht weights. Tlio first dsv' c chidf-d with tho Welter, for which Punka read- well with 8.12.