CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1912, 13 July 1888, Page 24

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Br " RATA."

Having exhausted everything of importance in regard to racing stables in the neighbourhood of Riccarton, I am confronted with a difficulty — the difficulty of having little to write about : I want a subject. The first that suggests itself is a comparison of Riccarton with some of the racecourses I have seen, and that is an interesting subject. Next to first-class horses and brilliant horsemanship good racecourses are the chief factors in the production of high-class sport. Racecourses are very dissimilar in themselves, and considerable diversity of opinion exists regarding the best obtainable track for practical utility. Theory naturally suggests a flat surface, and perhaps that is better than undulating ground, but many of the best known and most popular racing grounds are very uneven nevertheless. Epsom, for instance, is a singularly uneven track, and one very difficult to ride over. Horseshoe-shaped, it is a mile and three-quarters round, though it is rarely used beyond a mile and a-half — the Derby course — the longer races being run on a comparatively distinct track. The Derby starting-post is almost immediately opposite the winning-post, and from the upper tiers of boxes and the actual top of the grand stand the field can be seen from start to fioish, but below that elevation the horses are imperceptible for half the journey in consequence of a hill in the centre of the course. The track ia broad throughout, and for the first half-mile the going is all on the collar, then comes a slight dip on rounding the bend, and a steep descent to Tattenham Corner, •with a four-furlong straight. Beyond the general formation of the track, too, the ground is very uneven in itself, and the straight, though a beautiful piece of turf, hangs very perceptibly from the stand side to the rails. Now this is one of the most famous courses in England, und the track on which the greatest classic race in the world is run, yet in point of utility, beyond width, I do not think it is the equal of Riccarton. At Riccarton we have a course as level as a billiard board, with a mile and a-half circumference, and plenty of straight- away running throughout. Riccarton is an enclosed ground certainly, while Epsom Downs are perfectly open, yet Riccarton is quite on a par with English enclosed courses. Sandown Park is the most popular and aristocratic of these, and I should think the Spring meeting at Riccarton is incomparable with the July meeting there, yet the running ground at Riccartou is better than that at Sandown Park, bar a straight six-fur-long course running diametrically across the enclosure. The stands at Sandown Park are very superior to those at Riccarton, and doubtless they cost considerably more money, but they are situated on an elevation, with the course on a distinct slope. Thus the finish is all uphill, with an equivalent descent beyond the straight to the far side. The course is undoubtedly a pretty one from a spectacular point of view, and it is kept in first-rate order, but the formation of the ground is open fco exception. There are racing men who aver that an uphill finish is preferable to a level surface, insofar as it is a better test of stamina, but a strongly-run mile and a-half race is in itself sufficient gauge of stamina in a racehorse. At Sandown there are also steeplechase and hurdle race tracks — the former wholly artificial, of course ; and, if I recollect rightly, it was there that the open ditch first acquired the name of " grave," and that was merely a result of inadequate construction on badly-formed ground. A regulation fence— that is, a 4ft fence with a 6ft ditch on the taking-off side — was put up halfway down the descent from the straight to the far side, and as the ditch was unguarded on its first introduction horses apparently failed to see it sufficiently early to regulate their stride, and consequently they fell in occasionally ; and this opens up another subject — the subject of steeplechase horses. The English steeplechaser, as a rule, is a very indifferent animal in comparison with the flatracer, and with chasers up to a requisite standard of quality we would hear considerably less of " graves " and " trap " ditches. Irish horses educated up to an Irish standard rarely refuse these, and it would be long odds on Butler's Faugh-a-ballagh getting safely over the Grand National country at Aintree or any artificial track such as Sandown Park. A 6ft ditch on the taking-off side of a 4ft fence is literally nothing ; in the absence of the ditch a horse's jump would not be materially affected, and I fancy that the fence opposite Cutts' in the Riccarton country is quite as stiff as anything to be encountered on an English artificial track. Few horses will touch the ground within 6ft of that obstacle and " fly " it. As a matter of fact English chasers are mainly horses with more than average bone and substance who have been too slow for the flat, and in many instances they have been imperfectly schooled. Prior to the introduction of the present regulation fence by the Grand National Hunt Committee steeplechasing had degenerated to the level of hurdleracing, and the legitimate chaser was ousted by partially-schooled flatracers, and the apparent stiffness of English obstacles is a direct result of a too rapid return to a fair steeplechase course or hunting country. The object of steeplechasing is of course a development of a good class of horse for hunting purposes, and while obstacles are below the standard ot an ordinary hunting country that object cannot be

attained in England, New Zealand, or elsewhere, and the maintenance of a requisite standard of fences here must necessarily prove beneficial in the hunting field. Ireland and France are the only countries in the Northern Hemisphere that produce really good chasers, and the majority ef good hunters in England are Irish bred horses. Mr Barclay, for instance, bought Bendigo for some 870 guineas to run in hunters' races on the fiat. They have some very excellent strains of blood in Ireland, and they educate youngsters to the business there too. The brood mares are mostly jumpers, and when the foals are sufficiently strong they follow their dams across country more or less difficult, and this early tuition speedily perfects them in jumping, and does not impair their speed on the Oat ; and I strongly suspect that the superlative excellence of such horses as Barcaldine aud Bendigo under terrific weights is a'direct result of the prominence given to chasing in Ireland. These horses looked up to 17.0 in racing fettle, and the majority of Irish thoroughbreds too slow for the racecourse make very excellent hunters, while nine-tenths of the English casts-off are relegated to street and road work.

Sandown Park was the first enclosed course opened in England, and it is generally conceded that it is superior to anything since instituted on a similar lines ; yet Kempton Park in the same neighbourhood is of equal circumference, has a longer diametrical course.and is perfectly flat all over. Still, beyond the straightsevenfurlong course the ground 6hows no improvement on Riccarton, and the circular track is in no wise better. The premier racecourse of Canterbury, too, is quite on an equality with Leicester, Derby, or Manchester — the tracks at Manchester are watered when they get too hard in summer — and we must go to the older open courses to find a superior to Riccarton in point of running ground, but that is not a particularly difficult matter. In the Rowley Mile at Newmarket the English Jockey Club has perhaps the finest gallop in England or beyond it. It is a mile and some odd yards in length, quite three times the width of the Riccarton track, perfectly straight, and wholly flat except a slight dip in the last furlong and a consequent gradual ascent to the wiuning post. Then on the same heath there is the July Course — a long, narrow strip of superb turf, soft as velvet in the hottest weather. Ascot, again, is far in front of anything in New Zealand, and the meeting annually held there is perhaps unequalled anywhere. The siands, enclosures, and lawns are unrivalled, and though the track has an up-hill finish it is a very excellent one. Perfectly circular, bar the straight, it is nearly three miles in -circumference, with a straight mile running into the straight proper, and the going is always exceptionally good in moderate and fine weather. The cream of the racers bred in Europe and America are seen there too, and except in two or three handicaps even a second-class horse haj no chance of success during the four days' racing. Then the course at Goodwood is also a remarkably good one ; the straight is nearly five furlongs, and it is artificially made, affording excellent going in all weathers. Beyond Newmarket, Ascot, and Goodwood, however, I do not think the track at Riccarton can be surpassed in England in point of utility. Still, Brighton, another open course, might equal it. Next to Goodwood it is the best track on the south coast — considerably in front of Lewes, in my opinion — and I do not think it is excelled by any enclosed ground. Running along a ridge of hills semi-circularly it is nearly flat, and can be extended to any length — up to four miles, perhaps — at the pleasure of the executive. Open courses, however, have degenerated very considerably since the introduction of the enclosed system, and during the next two months — the off season in Canterbury — I may refer minutely to the conduct and management of the principal race meetings in England. After all, that is the headquarters of the turf, and, bar a few admirable innovations, such as the numbored saddle cloth, colonial is merely a reflex of English racing.

A trotting meeting was held at Lower Heathcote on Friday afternoon, but the enterprise of the executive did not meet with the public patronage it warranted, and perhaps there has been a bit too much trotting in the neighbourhood of Christchurch recently, more especially as the majority of trotters are a bad lot in point of quality, and straight running is doubtful in many instances. I have interviewed the secretaries of the Canterbury Trotting Club and Lower Heathcote in respect of mile trotting, and both are adverse to the innovation. They have had an extended experience of the game in the vicinity of Christchurch, and doubtless they know the requirements of owners considerably better than I do, but I am strongly of opinion that mile trotting would merit public favour.

A dozen is a very good acceptance for the Grand National, and the most conspicuous of the Riccarton non-contents is Premier, whose recent New Brighton display has evidently failed to impress his connections very satisfactorily. He is certainly a bad jumper, and doubt also exists in respect of his staying capacity ; yet with sufficient time and the tuition he now receives, he ought to develop into a good horse. Though beaten by Icenian at New Brighton, he raced to the end of the journey, and I should think that two miles is well within his compass. Fangh-a-ballagh is still slightly lame, but that ailment does not appear to intsrfere very materially with his galloping, and handicapped at 11.10, he is certainly a dangerous candidate, though he is undoubtedly slow. Very speedy horses, however, rarely see the finish over four miles of stiff country ; speed, weight-carrying power, jumping ability, and stamina are Heldom seen equally developed in one horse. Irish King is supposed to be able to stay over the journey, and as he is a beautiful jumper, Mr Lunn may have a fair look in yet, 11.0 notwithstanding. Like Faugh-a-ballagh, he is izi strong work, and bis exercise is mainly restricted to the flat, presumably by reason of an undoubted ability to negotiate fences. Chance is an acceptor, but until very recently he was too unsound to gallop, and at present his Grand National chance does not seem particularly rosy. Haka ought to become a good fencer very rapidly if plenty of practice be aay criterion of a rapid attainment of jumping ability ; he has been worked recently on private ground, where the obstacles are more difficult of negotiation than the schooling fences on the racecourse.

The recent excellent weather experienced at Riccarton has kept trainers busy of a morning, and the majority of horses are sufficiently forward for the season, some of them too much so perhaps. Mr Webb has taken up Ruby again, and he appears considerably improved by his lengthy spell Springston is also in active work, and Artillery is commonly given a threemile gallop of a morning. This horse looks remarkably well too, and if appearance goes for anything, he merits his place in the New Zealand Cup quotations. St Clair is also a Cup horse that is in strong work, and he too looks wonderfully well, and moreover, he is a good one of his inches, though in point of size he is little more than a pony. Butler is beginning to bustle Manton along, and he will want some galloping to put him into condition, though I suppose his trainer

will have plenty of time to wind him np ere be is wanted. Ray's quartette have been regularly exercised throughout the winter, and the best of the team ought to become a prominent cup candidate.