INTERPROVINCIAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17297, 22 October 1919, Page 6

INTERPROVINCIAL GOSSIP.

[BT TELEGEAPH.OWN COEEESPONDEXT.]

CANTERBURY.

Tuesday. Mr. E. S. Lnttrell had a very unlucky experience with his team last season, as he failed to win a race, though Mr. Murray Hobba had a team of about right horses in work for him when the season opened. Ha has started off much better this season, both of his three-vear-oids winning at Ashburton. Tortrix scored very decisively on the fiVrt dav, beintr in front all the way. She is a" handsome nliyby Martian— Tortulla, and is likelv to do much better yet. Flight Commander, who is by Martian—Nerve (the dam of Balboa), was well beaten on the first day, but came out o D Friday and won in pronounced style, paying a good dividend. They are both booked for a trip to Trentham, where they should race we'll in hack races. They will be accompanied by a two-year-old "by Bezonian Pean. who gallops very fast. Comment was going well for more than half the journey in the Welter Handicap at Ashburton on Thursday, but before reaching the straight she broke a blood vessel, and she was in a bad way for some time afterwards. Comment lias proved expensive to Mr. J. B. Pearson, who purchased her after 'he won a selling race at Trentham in July. ° Though there were only three competitors for the principal event at Ashburton on Thursday, it was a great race. Th»v were practically level half-wav down the straight, and Punka only beat Almoner by a narrow margin, with Indus about a length away. It was Punka's first outing this season, and her performance under a good weight wa3 quite satisfactory, as she is not nearly strung up yet. Bon Spec was responsible for a very attractive performance in the Spring Handicap at Ashburton on Thursday. Showing his customary brilliance at the use of the barrier, he was soon out in front and. running along without being bustled in the earlv stages, he won very easily. His record now stands at six wins and a second in eight starts, and he may be expected to play his part well this season among the best sprinters, i All going well, he is a sure starter for the j Stewards' Handicap, and he will be one i of the front lot in the early stages. The | only question is, how -will" be finish, out the last bit

The TinwaJd Handicap, the principal event at _ Ashburton on Friday, provided a very interesting contest, and it wis only the last hundred yards that Heathercote drew out clear from three of his opponents, who finished in a bunch. Heathercote had not raced previously this season, but his performance* showed that he -was in good health. It was bis first success since he scored in the final event at the Auckland Placing Club's meeting last January. The four-year-old mare Counterscarp was making her first appearance in public when she -won the Maiden Hack Handicap at Ashburton last week. She was sent out a hot favourite, probably on account of her track work as a smart galloper. She only -won by a narrow margin, but she should be capable of something better ■".chert she has had a little more racing experience. That she is held in high esteem by her connection/ is shown by the fact that she is one of Sir George Clifford's representatives in the Stewards' Handicap. The most exciting contest at the Ashburton meeting was reserved for the final event, the Farewell Handicap. Half-way down the straight there were four horses almost in line, with a fifth looking for an opening to get through, and only narrow margins separated them at the finish. Kilbrogan appeared to be beaten a* furlong from honie, but he responded very gamely under punishment, and just won. He was one of the leaders all th-» way, showing considerable improvement on his effort the previous clay, when he was well back in the earlv stages, and never looked dangerone. Hi<= two races: at Ashburton should do the Kilbroney gelding a lot of good, and h» looks like playing his part well in the Stewards' Handicap. He can begin smartly, and it is certain that, there will be no gamer horse in the field if it comes to a battling: finish. ' WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Saiina iby Finland—Overall). who scored very comfortably in the Juvenile Handicap at Masterton, also won at Wanganui, and be looks like having a good chance in the Wel'.esley Stakes, as he is a very smart beginner. Mr.. La nee-Wood has sold Risingharn to an Auckland owner who races as "Mr. Grierson." It is understood that the Rokeby gelding is to be sent to Ellerslie after the Wellington meeting. There is a report here that Lovematch will not fulfil her New Zealand Cup engagement. The locally-owned Arch Lassie was heavily supported for her first day's engagement at the Masterton meeting, but she coujd not do better than run third. Lord Astolat, who defeated her, seems to be a very- useful sort f hack. A promising hack seen out at Masterton was Bonnie Heather, who is by the imported Heather Mixture. Bonnie Heather seems to be a good stayer, and will be a good advertisement for his sire. C. Emerson has net been well since his fall at Wanganui, and his medical adviser has ordered him a long rest. He has booked a passage for Sydney bv the Riverina, which sails this "week, and he will not return here until the Auckland Cup meeting. WANGANUI. Tuesday F. Tilley's team for Waverley will* include Tame Fox. Arrowtield, * Oratress, and Tempo. The former is well seasoned now. and if ho is ever going to win he should do so shortly. He is engaged in the Morton Memorial Maiden. "He will find Simon very hard to beat, however, if the son of Sweet Simon goes to the post fit and well. The withdrawal of Seatprite from the Waverley Cup has upset the calculations of early backers, who supported the Hallowmass filly very strongly, coupled with Jutland, on the strength of her fine displays at Wanganui. In her absence. All Over and Marqueteur are likely to be the most fancied. W. Itayner is taking Listowel and Yolande to Trentham. Both these two-year-olds are. galloping in fine etyle and are likely to run prominently in their engagements. It was expected some months ago that the Wanganui Jockey Club would have their new electric totalisator installed in time for the next Cup meeting, but the strikes in Australia and other causes will mean that the new machine will not be in readiness by February. Reports from Hawera credit Jutland with do. excellent work on the track, and the black son of Advance should be in _reat form at Waverley, where he is in the Brewer Handicap at Bst lib. H. Rayner has both Starengo and Carmel Arch engaged in the Brewer Handicap, and the Waverley trainer, therefore, has a strong hand. Carmel Arch i* also engaged in the Cup, and may be reserved for that. Zola i- going in fine style, and his jumping is as good as ever. 'He has been paid up for in the hurdles at Waverley, and if there is no . recurrence of the ' "bleeding trouble he must take a power of beating, though some are looking to Austin to win. It is probable that W. Ravner will take Rose Queen. Listowel. and Yolande.up to Auckland for tl ■« spring meeting at EUerslie. Rose Queen will not be taken '.o Waverley. although she is going along nicely. ' a VICTORIAN TRAINING NOTES. A. intl N.Z. MELBOURNE. Oct. 21. Training at C'aulfield to-day was done in showery wealner. Snub galloped tin furlongs on the grass in 2m 14s and we nt well. Scornful, assisted, ran six furlongs in lm 20s Ken il ford and Arch Marella coinDassed six furlongs on the grass in lm 225. Cetisne and Admiral Collingwood got through a similar task in lh 20s, and Miss Gold in lm 18i«. rebuff and Vasilkow ran J*ven furlongs on the grass in l m S7s. Eusebius covered ten furlongs on the grass in. 2m 26s Surveyor and Delight worked steadily. Hymestra, ran a, mile on the grass in lm 575. At Flemington Artilleryman (G. Harrison) galloped ten furlongs comfortably on the gra 3 in 2m 20s, while lan Or and Kennaqunair got over nine furlongs easily in 2m. 10s- Seabound compassed 12 furlongs in. 2m 48s. and Prinoe Viridic nine in even, time, flight Watch and Lucknow each performed useful work. Chrome ran six rurlonss in lm i2s. L>neell has arrived,