OUR CANTERBURY SPORTING LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1858, 1 July 1887, Page 24

OUR CANTERBURY SPORTING LETTER.

(By Oub Special Sporting Cobkbsfondent

"St. Geoeqb.")

Chbistchukch, June 28. RACING.

The Telegragh department's jubilee holidays prevented my wiring you the results of the Geraldine Steeplechases last Wednesday, which I had the pleasure of attending, and thereby enjoyed a fine day, while most of the Christchurh turfites were wallowing in mire and soaked with rain at Heathcote. It is a wonder to me that newspaper proprietors do not write and get the hour for receiving telegrams on the evenings of holidays extended to 9 o'clock. "The change would not make the slightest difference to the operators, for as it is messages are rarely transmitted before half -past Bor 9 ,o'clock. - To return to the Geraldine meeting. The course was heavy, but safe going, and the jumps having, been cut down no accidents occurred. The attendance was very small, and the totalisator investments were in proportion, as that the club must have made v> smart loss. Ipngask

was macle favourite for the-Hurdles,- but Bordeirman was in capital fettle and won easily, after palling double all' the way. Secretary, Irish King, and Moody were equally fahoied- for 'the Gan£ Forward Steeplechase.' ' The, first named ran m Butler's colours, in the same interest; as Faugh-a-ballagh, which accounts for the latter's being; neglected, though , he, looked weU and moved soundly. Irish , King- fell trying to get round the post and , railsj /and then refused the sod wall. Secretary led for two miles; then Moody tqok,upjth6' running, and -won with? We' utmost ease\by half-a-dozen lengths, though even in the straight level' money j was offered on Secretary. Odda were, laid'on Johnny 'for the Maiden Steeple, 'but he not be kept, on the, course, and Hector baulking at the wall, gave Defiance the 'race, though a chain past the post Hector was in front, Defiance having broken down. The , injury is serious, and lays him by for this season. He jumped l , very clumsily, and it is a wonder, he got round.^Hector showejd a,'l6t' t of page, andt finite' expected to find his name among the entries for 1 the Grand National ineetingi Old] Shylock (late, Bordeaux,' late Schmoozer, late Champagne)^ looking better than ever I saw' him, won'the Noyel, Hurdles after a good race with SeagulljJ Johnny ' Having run off again. In ( the'T^Uy-ho' Steeplechase Kingask ran into the sod wall, and, hung' across it till his chance was gone, leaving' Secretary to wait upon Coryphee till the last half mile; and, then come away and win as he, liked. Irish King and Seagull were the only starters' for the Consolation Hurdles, and the former had a very easy win: I enclose" the' details.' . The Heathcbte trotting meeting was carried out under difficulties, as I have already inch', cated. A good deal of light was thrown on the subjects by the results of the' Lancaster ; Park trots on the J previous day, and there was not much difficulty -in picking the winner's. Billy's long dividends must have been ' the result of oversight, for he was in. a good position at Lancaster Park" when the Wait-awhile and Chanticleer scrimmage knocked him off ' the. course. The times are of no value, as the trotters were sometimes nearly knee -deep in mud. The amount machined was £987.

, Thanks to the North Island entries, the list of nominations for the Grand National Steeple* chase is much larger than last year's, there being 25 horses entered this year against 11 last year. The other events at the meeting show a falling off, so that the' total entries received number only 66, against 64 last year. The bad weather still keeps bur horses in their stables, , or at most allows them only a walk along the, roads. Stonyhurst has been given up as incurably lame, and Vanguard is not to be further persevered with. The Melbourne Cup and New Zealand Cup weights v^ill' decide the movements of a good many of the' Hon. W., Robinson's team ; but, as I have already written, if is positively, intended to send a selection of them to Australia for the racing season. • ' Loohiel is still running out, and is not doing so well, as could be wished. ' Marion, Russley,, and Sierra are also turned out. Maxim and Beresford are doing well. COURSING. The Plumpton Jubilee meeting was concluded in one day, and a good day's coursing it' was. The Jubilee Cap, of seven, all ages, fell to Mr J. Scanlan, of Duuedin, with Miss Theresa, by Lancashire [Lad — Lady Emma, who put' down three of our local cracks in great style, namely, Blue Rocky Bob Hastie (divider of the Derby), and ;Molly "Bawn (divider of the Oaks). Had the' hare lived for another couple of turns Bob Hastie would have been beaten first course by Mr J. Carsey's Britannia, by Britain Still — Hornpipe, Mr Scanlan's Marion, by Cumber* land— Fly, cut up' badly, and was beaten pointless by Molly Bawn. The June Stake, of eight, all ages, was won by Mr R. P. Hill's Margaux, who came but in good form, and beat all her opponents for pace, but she was all but out-Worked by the North Canterbury dog Darkie in the second round. .Mr A. M'Causland's Bismarck, by Bob— Violet, earned well his second place by defeating Ringer — divider with his ' sistery Ringdove, of the May Puppy Stake at Plumpton — and the much improved Mornington— Swallow ' dog Morningside. Ringdove, by the dual Waterloo Cup winner and favourite for the next, Ringwood out of Zoebeda, ran gallantly through the St. Leger of 17 puppies,' showing what bad luck she had in being thrown out of the Oaks by what was unanimously considered an error of the judge. Cinderella would have troubled > her at the finish of the event under notice, but she •was the victim of a mistake, in being adjudged the loser to The Brewer, ■ by- Rock wood — Signet — one of the fastest 'puppies of 'the season, but who was then tired out,, though by the benefit of the bye he got second money.

There were two days' coursing by the South Canterbury Club during the Jubilee holidays. On the Monday an All-aged .Staked of eight' dogs' was r won by Scotsman, by Totara "ll— Swift; and a Puppy Stake, of ' six dOgB, by Hard Times, by Young Claud— Blue Bell. On the Wednesday the Jubilee Cup, value £10, given by Mr W. S. Armitage, was won by Mr G. Lawrie's Deacon, by Crichope Lyn— Lillah ; Mr S. Cague's Regnant, by Belisarins — Rengi/was runner up, and received a £5 cup. given by the South Canterbury Clnb ; and the third dog, Mr MAuleys Moonbeam, also received a souvenir.

Nominations for the Waterloo Cup were to have closed to-night, bat, owing to the large number of telegraphs! entries received, the stewards decided to postpone the closing till next Saturday, July 2. I aui told that upwards of 50 nominations were paid. : ■