SPORTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17982, 26 December 1918, Page 2

SPORTING.

NEWS AND NOTES

Racing has been in abeyance sines ffue middle of November, tbe meetings which should have taken place during the last few weeks having been jwstpoued on account of the influenza epidemic. _ As a result of the spell sportsmen will find even more interest than usual in the_ fixtures which are set down for the holiday period. A start will bo made wiljh them to-day, when five totalisator meetings will be held, in addition to a number of local gatherings of the picnic; order. The Ashburton Trotting Club will cater for .Canterbury sportsmen, this be°ing the only trotting fixture set down for to-day. In the galloping sport the chief attraction will be provided by the Auckland Racing Club, while- the Manawatu Racing Olub and tho Taramtki Jockey G&lit will cater for ot-her parts in the North Island. So far as the South Island is concerned, the Dtmedin Jockey Club will have the field to itself.

The Ashburton Trotting Club's meeting, to be held to-day, promises to be very successful. For some years past this fixture has been growing in popularity, and it- is now easily the best one-day trotting meeting in the Dominion The fields for to-day aro quite up to the average, in numbers and class, despite the fact that many Canterbury trainers aro on tour, and'there should bo somo excellent sport, After being for some time deprived of the advantages of a suitable train service, Christchurch . visitors will appreciate tho facilities provided by the Railway Department. A train will leave Christchurch at 9.20 a.m., returning from Ashburton at 5.10 p.m. and reaching Christchurch at 7.15 p.m. The grass _ track at tho New Brighton course will bo open on Saturday for horses engaged next week at the meetings of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club and New Brighton Trotting Club

Sasanof, who won the New Zealand Cup last mouth, has conic strongly into favour for tjhe Auckland Cup during tho last few days. Two well-known Hawke's Bav residents, Mrs M. A. Perry and Mr H. E. Troutbeck, will probably visit England shortly, and both of them may try to pick up some horses to strengthen their racing teams. Canterbury stables are well represented in the Auckland Cup. Kilmoon U one of the favourites, and ho has consistent form to recommend him. At the same time, taking Now Zealand Derby running as n. guide, it is far from certain that he will beat Heathercote. Two other Canterbury candidates, Kilrush and Clendower, have lots of friends, and both should race well, so that the race possesses more interest for southern sportsmen than usual.

Vascular was in good order when he left here for Wingatui, and though he has a big weight to carry he looks like being very hard to beat in the Summer Hurdle Handicap at 'the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting.

O- Buckeuham has taken Bandy and Bombproof south, and as they have been galloping well lately they should pay their way on tho trip. -' Tho field for the Otago Handicap, the chief event at the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting, is very disappointing. Uiccarton stables claim two representatives and one of them, Adjutant, is likely to play a prominent part in the contest. He has not won a race since tho autumn of 1917, but he has been galloping well lately.

Braid has been sprinting in fine stylo lately on the Riccarton tracks, and she looks certain to win a race at one of the southern meetings during the holidays.

T. 11. Gillett is taking a very useful team to the West Coast for the holiday meetings, and from present indications he is almost certain to win quite a number of races. Each of his team, in fact, can be relied on to earn distinction on the trip, provided they have no bad luck on the tour.

The Southland horse Burrangong, by Mystification-—Stepdaughter, claims an engagement in the Otokia Welter Handicap at the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting. Even on his best form he is only a moderate, but according to southern reports he has improved a lot lately- So much, in fact, that he is being freely talked about in connection with the Invercargill Cup nest week.

ELLERSLIE NOTES.

[Per Prtiss Association.]

AUCKLAND, December 214. Tho weather was dull and tho light very oad, for the final gallops at Elle-rslie this morning. Somo fast tiiue3 weTe recorded on tho outside of tho course proper. .Eappy Captain covered seven furlongs in lmin 39 sec. Slipstilch beat Multiplane over sovon furlongs in lmin 36 U-osoo. Macduff and Solfanello were together at the end of five furlongs from the new post, run in lmin 5 2-csec. Gloaming ran six furlongs in lmin Q2sec. SaEanoff, over a mile and a quaTtor, with the assistance of Lallah Rookh over the last fivo furlongs, in 2min ISsec. Sundance and Golden Crozier covered five furlongs from tho new post in lmin 6seo. Onslaught beat Lionskin over six furlongs in lmin 20sec. Mascot, Menelaus and Heath©rcoto finished in that order over a milo ind a quarter, ran in 2min 17seo. Prince Charleroi sprinted four furlongs in 49 l-ssec, end Meleo seven lurlongs in lmin 36sec. Rod Ribbon did strong work, the last round taking 2tnin 8 2-ssec. Downham beat Happy Valley over fivo furlongs in lmin 6seo. Teka beat Vagabond over four furlongs in 49 .K'soc. Depredation and Snub, with the assistance of Kobur over the last seven furlongs, ran a mile and a quarter, tho last round in 2min 4 4-ssec, Snub taking 2min 9sec. Killjoy ran six furlongs in lmin 21 3-sseo. Manganiaho© eaeily beat Kilmoon ovor a mile and a quarter in 2min 16sec, tho latter taking 2min 19sec. Bonnie Maid and Roso Pink ran a mile from the now post, tho last seven furlongs in lmin 3-1 4-ssec. Birkenvalo ran six furlongs in lmin 20 1-5 rco, and Hydras and Yankee Dan together four in 53 2-osec. Hetira beat Fluency over five furlongs from the new post in lmin 6sec. Windorah and Killard were together after doing a round in 2min 4sec. Silver Link beat Sheila over fivo furlongs from tho new post in lmin 4sec. Glendower beat Cynic over a mile and a quarter in 2min ISsec. Np.nna beat Hymestra- over five furlongs, the last four in 52 2-3 soc. " Cherry Mart, Ermine, Neglige and Warplane finished in a bunch oter four furlongs in 50 3-sseo.>\ Bingham, with the assistance of Meltchikoff over the last six, ran seven furlongs in lmin Slsec. Surveyor beat Crenides ovor five furlongs in lmin 5 8-ssec. Kilrush and Cleft- finished together, followed by Blackall and Master Iney a-t the end of a milo from the new post, run in lmin 47Bec. King Lupin beat Mill o' Gowrie over six furlongs m lmin 17 4-Ssoo. Form Up beat Engari over five fuilongs from tho now post in lmin 4?ec. Demagogue was going better than Ivaro at the end of six furlongs, run jn lmin 19 2-5 see. Temiro beat Mistian over' four furlongs in 52 l-ssec. After breakfast Gariqne was restricted to strong half-paco work. Lady Energy beat Goldaizo ovor seven furlongs in lmin S2seo.