CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 24

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By « RATA."

The majority of trotting meetings in Canterbury ara held under the Victorian rules of trotting, and 'it is obvious that these are inadequate for a proper regulation of the sport in this colony; indeed they appear to be mainly copied from the American code, and trotting in America and New Zealand are very dissimilar. The Heathcote Club held a trotting meeting on Saturday, and an irregularity cropped up that had no precedent, and the rules proved inadequate to assist the stewards in their decision; no rule could be found bearing directly on the subject. In the second event, a saddle trot over two miles and a-half, Baohlieu and Zella were handicapped to start level, but in disobedience to the starter's orders the riders of these horses went off the mark 73ec before their handicap time, and the matter was consequently brought before the stewards at the instance of the starter ; Bacblieu and Zella finished first and second. Perhaps the easiest and most equitable way of getting out of the difficulty would have been the disqualification of the first and second horses ; but the stewards, after due deliberation, decided on running it over again, and apparently that ,or any othar decision would have been quite in accordance with rule in so far " the deoision of the stewards shall be final " is a clause in one of the Victorian rules of trotting. It is evident, however, that such a matter ought; not to be subject to the discretion of stewards, and it is equally evident that a set of rales framed to meet the requirements of the sport as it is conducted in New Zealand is requisite, and I believe that such a code is now being framed in the interests of a trotting associaiion about to be formed. • Doubtless strong arguments could be advanced for and against the decision of the stewards at Heathcote when argued from a standpoint of comparative equity, comparative with an unwritten law of sporting justice, but rerunning the race had one very palpable advantage : it supplied two good contests during the afternoon instead of one, the handicap being the best on the card. It is obvious, however, apart from running a second time, that the riders of Bachlieu and Zella ought to have incurred disqualification or fine provided the charge of disobedience was actually substantiated, and no doubt ib was substantiated. In copying the Newmarket rules of racing for the government of the New Zealand turf, it merely means the adoption of one code of rules for an identical pastime in two different countries; but the adoption of American trotting rules for the regulation of trotting in New Zealand seems somewhat singular, and particularly in so far as starting is concerned. They have no bearing on the subject whatever. It would certainly be bad policy to make a N precedent of the decision of the Heathcote stewards, bat in the absence of a definite rule they did not exceed their duty, beyond perhaps re-running the race immediately j it ought to have been decided after the card had been run through. The original contest for this race was a very good oae. Bashlieu, the winner, went to the front on covering three-quarters of a mile, but ere he reached the winning post the last time round Zela had once deprived him of the lead, and looked uncommonly like doing so a second time ; and on turning the bend into the straight — two furlongs from home— Potatau, who had been earning up gradually over the last mile, looked all over a winner ; indeed the trio were trotting together at that point, but Baohlieu evidently hvl most pace, and Potatau breaking, Bashlieu ultimately won by four lengths. In running it off Bashlieu was quickly bang iv front, and on travelling a circuit he led by a dozen lengths. Six furlongs from home he looked like winning easily, but on covering half that distance he was obviously pumped out, and Zella and Potatau came up rapidly, and the former getting to the fore, at the top of the straight he eventually won by several lengths. Bashlieu pulled up on being beaten; and in reality the rerunning of the race was very similar to disqualification in so far as the winner and Potatau were concerned. Mayhap, too, Potatau was unlucky in losiDg the first race, though I fancy Bachlieu has more pace while he lasts, and it was stamina mainly that gained Potatau the verdict on the second occasion ; it requires . some staying ability to get over five miles in two consecutive heats. Bachlieu is a chestnut and a good trotter by comparison in the company he usually meets, and his win on Saturday was a most unprofitable performance. Apart from Baohlieu and his performances, however, it is apparently bad form to ride a trotter at top when the dividend is small or the opposition strong. The sport wants thorough overhauling; a rider or driver has no hesitation in pulling most palpably under existing circumstances, and at any ordinary trotting meeting the practised eye can have no difficulty io Spotting quite a dozen non-triers. I have lately watched the matter minutely, and the modus operandi appears to be chiefly centred in breaking, though some of them plod along at little more than half speed; one week you see a trotter goiug in capital style and a fortnight afterwards you see the same animal unable to trot a yard. Bacblieu's and Zella's connections evidently did not like the defeat of their candidates by Pofcatau, and a protest was lodged against that horse on the ground of hampering the winning chances of these competitors in the turn into the straight, but on hearing evidence the stewards dismissed the case.

Beyond that race— or the two races for one stake— the sport was not particularly good ; as a matter of fact one good race iv a trotting programme is a good percentage under present con-

ditions. It in well nigh impossible to handicap trotters properly that try to win one race in about three, and a goodly number of them appear to be going for the money less frequently. A trotting stake is often merely a bit extra in the pocket of an owner ; he has a fairly fast nag in a cab, a light cart, and sometimes a dray, and he " fakes " him until he makes a moral of something and gets perhaps a decent dividend. Were he to run his horse out every time he would never win if he failed in the initial attempt ; what can a field be up to when a trotter like Plunger, starting from scratch, can get within a length of the winner in a 60sec handicap? The Maiden Trot on Saturday resulted itself into a rare procession from start, and evidently there is room for improvement in the education of trotters and riders. Charlie. A was naturally fancied on the strength of his running with Milly at the Canterbury Trotting Club's, meeting on the previous Saturday, but he had nothing to do with the finish, which was left solely to Kitty, 1 and he may be heard of to greater advantage later on ; he may be a bad trotter, but in his two recent performances he appeared to be badly ridden. The Pony Saddle Trot ended in a runaway victory for Fernandez (46sec) who was also to the fore in the two-mile saddle trot ; and I fancy the ponies in Canterbury, taken all over, are much better trotters than the bigger horses; there are two or three really good ponies about. The Harness Trot — two miles and a-half — comprised sufficient material for the production of an interesting contest, but like the opening race it proved a moral for Kitty ; Daisy started from scratch in that event, but she is out of condition, and trotting her publicly will doubtless prove doubly profitable, it will train her, and jit ,'may also impress handicappers favourably in respect of her capacity. Except the Novel Harness Trot, which only brought out three runners, this was the only harness affair in the programme, and apparently harness trotting, though very much prettier than trotunder saddle, is unpopular with owners. The Novel saddle trot was easily won by Jennie, ■ and it is very apparent that trotting wants innovation of some kind ere it becomes popular. Its only advantage now is centred in its facilities for speculation, and even judgment is worthless on that score ; a backer wants to know something ere he can hold his own. The Heathcote racing fixtures have been reduced to two this season, and no doubt several trotting meetings will be held throughout the year ; the course is much larger on the circuit, and considerably better adapted for trotting than the_ track at the show grounds, though perhaps it is hardly so level, and this may have something to do with the unpopularity of trots in harness, though grass never affords good going for harness trotting.

The Ohoka and Eyreton Races frere held on Friday, and it appears that the meeting was a very successful one. Stewart took up Mammoc from Riccarton, and he was made a warm favourite for the Handicap Hurdle Race, but though he is in excellent fettle and had recent winning form on his side he got bowled over by Sockburn, who also annexed the Hack Hurdle Race, and evidently that horse has improved recently. Normanby also ran in the Hack Hurdle Race and finished absolutely last, and apparently that nag is not going to prove a profitable speculation to H. Piper, though he was a fairly fast horse of his class on the flat, and he also jumps well ; perhaps he is too small to pay his way at timber-topping, but an ordinary small one is usually good enough to win a hurdle race occasionally in Canterbury. T. Stewart had a turn in the big race— the Cup— with Rosebud, who succeeded in defeating Count d'Orsay, and I fancy Mr Lunn's horse is not as good now as he was when he scored at the Metropolitan meeting; he was thoroughly wound up then, and the few races he has run subsequently appear to have effected staleness in some degres. Rewi won the Flying Handicap, and he should pay on the West Coast on some of his recent performances in Canterbury; he has done bo previously, and he seems to be quite as good a horse now as when he returned to Riccarton last back end. In Escapade and Mikado, too, Stratford has a couple of good nags for small meetings, and no doubt the team will be properly placed. Tarantalus has apparently not recovered the effects of his recent mishap; he has not been on the exercise grounds for a lengthened period, and doubtless he will remain at home until the expiration of the West Coast tour. But a few horses went up from Riccarton on Friday, and perhaps more than a fair share of the stake money was netted over the victories of Rosebud and Rewi.

Sultan'e success at Dunedin was not co much of a surprise here as Adulation's indifferent display, though perhaps Sultan's time was better than that she made in her Oaks trial, but necessarily in the Oaka trial she would have carried more weight than she did on the Forbury. Sultan was undoubtedly off when he ran at the Metropolitan meeting in consequence of a mishap sustained previously that necessitated partial retirement for a time, and perhaps a suspicion of lack of condition engendered an opinion that he was overweighted when the Dunedin weights were published. Yet Sultan is evidently a good kind of horse to train ; he puts on condition quickly, and he retains it, too. His owner was sanguine that he would run a big horse, yet lie failed to back him in consequence of a telegram stating that Quibble was going well, and with Quibble in his last year's form it was unreasonable to suppose that Sultan would win, good weight-carrier though he is. No doubt his successful performance will put a considerable lump of weight on him at the minor meetings in Canterbury, but he is so far removed from the ordinary run of horses that compete at these fixtures that he is very unlikely to receive prohibitive imposts all at once. In his Brother, Catamount, Mr " Williams " has another good colt, and it is anticipated that he will be better than Sultan, though he is one not likely to race well as a two-year-old— before the back end at any rate. He is growing rapidly, and that will militate against his two-year-old running ; but growth is not likely to prohibit an exhibition of his best form in the spring of next season. Perhaps one of the best features in Apremont's stock, next to their legs, lies in the fact that they are easily trained and keep condition when under experienced supervision iv the stable. With the exception of Lorraine, I do not think that any one of his progeny has been tried to be a real stayer ; Dut in that respect stallions sometimes improve with increased age, and Apremont may be one of these. He is a much more stylish horse than his stud companion, St. George, and his get are more stylish and they have raced better, but I suspect that St. George has sired a clinker in Merrie England. That colt is improving greatly, and I do not think that Dunkeld will be his equal next season over a mile and a-half and beyond that distance. I should hardly think that Water Baby's defeat in the Selling Race at Dunedin surprised Cutts, as he feared Mr Goodman's youngster before going down. When tried Riccartpn with Corunna he showed a fine turn of foot for a short distance, but there was obviously nothing in the two-year-old division running on the Forbury last week within measurable distance of Corunna, Merrie England, and Dunkeld. These will be clinking three-year-olds should they keep well and train on, and I fancy that both Corunna and, Merrie England will be first-class race*

horses over long journeys; both look like stayers, and if Corunna goes on as Merrie England" is doing he will materially assist in a maintenance of the prestige of his defunct Eire. Helmsman, Dunkeld's stable companion, is looking better than he did some time ago, and he may prove a fairly good second rater yet. He is not a fleshy colt, but he is big and powerful, and though not nearly as speedy as Dunkeld over four furlongs now, -he looks like one whose speed will improve, and one who will race better over a mile and a-half than over sprint courses ; he may be a good handicap horse.. Engagement, Chain Shot, and Exchange have been struck out of the Midsummer Handicap at the C.J.C. Summer meeting, and Son-of-a-Gunhas been scratched for all engagements at the* same fixture. Ido not know what these eliminations portend, but no doubt there is a reason for them. Engagement is looking better now than I have seen her previously, beyond an occasional stiffness behind, which is evidently net a result of any serious ailment, and Chain Shot will be a good horse later on, but Exchange does not appear to be improving very rapidly, and Son-of-a-Gun is on the walking list. R. Ray was very unfortunate in being opposed by such a clinker as Manton at the Metropolitan meeting ; his team is undoubtedly a good one, and Chain Shot has not fully developed his quality yet, but I fancy the two-year-old, Merrie England, is the best racer in the string. St. Malo looks better sincß his arrival at Riccarton, and Chudleigh is also looking very well. Dudu, too, in that stable will prove a usef ul mare, and Cutts ought to win a lot of races during the season in second-class company. Beyond a pair of two-year-olds and Lorraine, who is not likely to race well for some time, he i has nothing really first-class, though British ! Lion is not unlikely to net a big event under a light impost ; he is going to Auckland, probably in charge of George Cutts, and doubtless his running there will influence his owner in regard to future engagements. The first of the West Coast contingent of korses, Isaac and Equity, left Riccarton this morning, or rather Isaac left ; Equity has been indulged in a spell, and being an easily trained nag, it is thought that road travelling will be all that -is necessary in the way of exercise, and that may be right. I recollect that Shifnal was prepared in that way in Otago last season. On her second day's running at Bunedin Adulation is evidently an inferior mare. She has never done anything brilliant, and she certainly does not look particularly brilliant — she is too light and leggy— and her reputation rests wholly on private galloping against time. In these trials she has been galloped alone, and I do not think the true calibre of a racer can be gauged in that way. I hear that Lorraine has gone fairly off, though his legs are evidently sound enough. Now, as a matter of fact, he went off before the Metropolitan meeting and he has never looked well since. He is restricted to walking exercise of a morningfc'and he may not be seen thoroughly this season. He appears to be a peculiar kind horse, but he is undoubtedly a good one when well.

Sultan has only received 9.1 and D.3 in the two flat races in the New Brighton programme, and that is considerably less weight than was anticipated at Ricoarton, and his imposts will presumably affect the acceptances or fields should his owner elect to accept with him and run him ; but it is evident that he is not too leniently treated on his late running at the Forbury, though that might have been a result of hitting himself on the opening day. It is said that his leg was hit very badly, but he has not put in an appearance on the exercise grounds since his return home, and I have not seen him yet. It is generally conceded that' he is let in very lightly in the Wellington Cup, but he 'has never run over two miles, and a doubt exists in respect of his stamina, though any racer that can travel a mile and ahalf in quick time and win in good company ought to run fairly well over an additional halfmile, though in Captain Webster the Forbury had an evident exception. Oynisca has gone off a bit, but it is nothing very serious, and Cutts certainly has a great opinion of that mare. He thinks she will beat Merrie England in the Champagne Stakes, run over six furlongs, notwithstanding the rapid improvement of the latter ; and she may do so, too. But she will never beat him as a three-year-old over a mile and a-half and upwards. Son-of-a-Gun's legs are apparently not quite sound. He has been blistered.