SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1929, Page 6

SPORTING

CANTERBURY NOTES. (Special to ‘‘Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, July 29. Though two Grand National candinext month's big event Of the pair won races at Timaru last week, there was nothing in the performance of I either to bring them into favour for it is recorded that never since being Lord Ranald impressed most. As usual, his jumping was high-class, in fact it is recorded that ever since beingput to steeplechasing, either in private or public, has he made a mistake. On this score, he must be given a jumper’s chance in the Grand National, but it is questionable if he is as yet seasoned enough to see out such a lengthy and tiring course. Lord Ranald will probably be given a race in th£ Homeby Steeplechase at Riccarton on Saturday next, and it will be interesting to see how he shapes against better class horses than lie has yet met. Fabriano fell on the first day at Timaru, and there was little merit in his win on Saturday. He is always inclined to chance his fences, and that is bound to tell against him over the concluding stages of the Grand National course. Since making Riccarton his headquarters, W. Stone has kept Silver Raper, Aspiring and the Tea Tray yearling filly in easy work. Whether the trio will do their spring racing in Australia or New Zealand is not yet decided. During F. D. Jones’s absence in

Australia his Riccarton team is being looked after by J. Russell. That men- - tor is getting First Sight into racing trim, and there are big possibilities in front of this greatly improved gelding. Since returning from Trentham Fairy Herald has been more or less lame, but. his trainer hopes to have him racing at the Grand National meeting.

Zeuxis made his debut as a hurdler at the South Canterbury meetings, but in ‘neither effort did he reproduce his schooling efforts. On Saturday he nearly came down at one of his fences, which quite spoil his chance. Fabriano was the only competitor to get round in the South Canterbury ? Steeplechase without mishap. Oriflamb and Taramoa put themselves out of court early, leaving the issue to Fabriano and Handy. At the second to last fence Handy fell, and cleared away to an adjoining paddock. Here ho was caught by his trainer, who mounted him and completed the course in time to get second money. As the result of playing up in the birdcage prior to the start of the Hunters’ Plate, Master Garland cut one of his hind legs so badly that, he had to be withdrawn. The accident necessitated him being returned to his ? w ? er ’ 'I h ° WiU spell him tin th© cut is healed.

N.Z. HORSES IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, July 29. The New Zealand horses Oratrix Concentrate and Seatown are going to Brisbane for the King’s Cup. JOTTINGS. Merry Mint was scratched at four o clock on Monday afternoon for the Winter Cup. A. E. Ellis had been en S^ to r^e the Catmint gelding White Fang, the Polydamon— Natalite gelding which was the top weight with 10.5, of the acceptors for the Winter Cup, lias been scratched for that event.

Roman Abbey which was given a chance in engagements at the C.J.C. meeting has been scratched for all races for which he had accepted. It will be interesting now tq see whether Mr R. Hannon will make King s Guard his candidate or whether the Waikato owner-trainer will not be represented at the meeting.

Seven of the Awapuni performers topped the £5OO mark in stakes won during the 1928-29 season. They are Otairi (£680), Moutoa Treasury (£620), Atareria (£598), Vexatious (£590), Dobbin (£575), Rangi Sarto ,(£520), and Red Bank (£510). Otairi, Red Bank and Atareria are inmates of L. Knapp’s stable, Moutoa Treasury, being one of J. Hastie’s charges, while Dobbin is from E. W. Watson’s team, and Rangi Sarto is under the charge of his owner-trainer, Mr F. R. Waller. Vexatious is dead. The . Coast-owned three-year-old, Brent Light, was seen to advantage when first he raced and as he / has not been hurried since that time he should turn out a useful pacer for Mr V, Alborn in the new season. Some trotters carry silk a long time, and Clonmel is apparently after the record in that respect. He is long past the stage where improvement is to be expected, and at Addington he Mil find it beyond him to go with some of the improvers who will contest the races in which he is engaged. Author Jinks was not nominated for the National meeting at Addington, and he is still enjoying a spell at his owner’s place at Otaio. Billy Sea has not .shown his best form' for some time, and his prospects of winning another race do not at the moment appear to be very bright, tie is alongside some smart improvers in th© handicaps now*. The Invercargill lightweight, L. J. Ellis will be the pilot of King Balboa in the Winter Cup. On Timaru form the Balboa gelding should run well. A. J. Julian, who has not been experiencing the best of health since the Auckland winter fixture, will not take his pair of pacers, Jewel Pointer and Explosion, to Christchurch. The latter is in good /enough condition, but Jewel Pointer is backward,, and with so much bad weather, cannot get the necessary work in. The Logan Pointer horse requires plenty of work and racing before he produces his best.

J. Shaw has arrived in Christchurch from Auckland with Carmel and Native Prince, both of whop have several engagements at the Metropolitan fixture next month. Owing to the wet weather experienced in Auckland foi' the past three weeks, the horses have practically done no fast work, and Shaw will have to tune them up at Addington. A filly in J. Buchanan’s stable which is the cynosure of many eyes when she is exercised at Ellerslie of a morning is Tambourine. In addition to being a well-grown, nicely-shaped rising three-year-old, she comes from a successful family, being by Lucullus from Tact, a mating which has given us good performers in Tactful, Tactician and Lido, the last-named unfortunately going amiss at the time she was evincing considerable improvement. Tambourine has been a constant attendant at headquarters for some time now, and a few short sprints have revealed that she is- not deficient in pace, so that her debut i

in public will be awaited with in terest.

Owner Grice has no intention of spoiling Kingcraft with racing, and the gallant son of Quincey—Colene Pointer, only sported silk on four occasions during the season. In his first outing he was narrowly defeated, on a muddy track, by Harvest Child, but his subsequent starts saw driver D.-Withers salute the man in the box, and the gelding earned a useful cheque of £1,650. Last year, as a three-year-old, Kingcraft won the two events he contested, so he has not vet been put out of a dividend-pay-ing situation. Quincey’s son will be given a special preparation for the New Zealand Cup, and is one that will take a power of beating. A likely-looking pacer seen out at the Hawke’s Bay June fixture was Huiaraima, whose name would suggest relationship to Raima and Company. The mare is, by Huia Dillon, sire of Ngahuia, from Ngaraima, dam of The Shrew and Raima, so she has something substantial to recommend her when a line is taken on her relatives. The five-year-old raced in the ownership of Bob Fisken, jun., and while failing to gain a situation ran well enough to suggest better things in the new season. _ . The following horses, with their best winning performances set against their names, are the probable nominations for this year’s New Zealand Trotting Cup: —Ahuriri (4.20 3-5), Author Jinks (4.24 2-5), Black Admiral (4.26 2-5), Cardinal Logan (4.28), Daphne de Oro (4.26),- Gold Jacket (4.24 2-5), Great Bingen *-5), Imprint (4.25 3-5), Jack Potts (4.23 4-5), Jewel Pointer (4.22 1- Kingscraft (4.28 4-5), Kohara (4 25 4-5), Logan Chief (4.26 1-5), Logan Park (4.27 3-5), Machine Gun (4.25 2-5), Padlock (4.26 3-5), Peter Bingen (4.22 1-5), Peterwah (4.23 4-5), Prince Pointer (4.22), Quality (4.26 2- Talaro (4.24 2-5), Terence Dillon ' (4.25), and Waitaki Girl (4.22). These horses are almost certain to be found in the entry. Black Admiral, 'Cardinal Logan, Kingcraft, Logan Chief, Logan Park, Padlock, and Quality become eligible on account of having been handicapped at the conditions. Great Bingen (4.19 2-5), and Ahuriri (4.29 3- have the best times for the distance.