CANTERBURY DOINGS. By RATAD

Otago Witness, Issue 1894, 22 May 1890, Page 26

CANTERBURY DOINGS. By RATAD

Racing has undergone a revolution in its method of conduct, and that revolution is not yet perfected. Perhaps the thoroughbred horse has not been improved upon very greatly during the last half century. I have known racing men who had been on fche turf for over 40 years aver that they had seen just as good horses when they first went a raoing as they had ever seen afterwards. The animal system is a difficult one to improve much upon — it ia far more easily deteriorated— and though the racehorse is undoubtedly a creation of veterinary Bcience, it is very improbable that he can be improved upon now, beyond usage and climate, and I should think that the latter is about the only probable way that he may be improved, aud there is no more likely place for the promotion of such improvement than the colony of New Zealand. No method for the improvement of the racehorse, gauged on his beat quality, has been proposed from a breeder's point of view during many years that has been sound in theory or has had collateral similarity, or a practical basis. Crossing the racehorse with the Arab had collateral similarity in a minor degree to support it, but the similarity wa« mere argument on a bad theory; the extremes were too great, and they proved to be bo when the matter was practically tested. That was a proposed raoing improvement that was an absolute failure, and singularly enough it received almost universal support notwithstanding its theoretical laok of soundness and the weakness of the arguments in regard to the similarity of the breeding in comparison with the original breeding that aotually produced the racehorse. The enclosed or gate-money system of racing on the other hand, received no end of opposition, and itihas proved one of the moßtimportant improvements in modern racing, and the chief factor in a racing revolution. No turfite of the old school— such an one as Mr Redwood, for instance — could have possibly Been such courses anywhere in his early raoing days as those seen at Riccarton and in Australia now, and it is apparent that the excellence of these is a direct result of gate money racing. In New Zealand no doubt the totalieator has had a lot to do with the perfection of the racing and training tracks, and it is now apparently obvious that the machine will sooner or later become universal and constitute the greatest of all improvements in tbe modern system of racing. Before the totalisator can become universal, though, its promoters in some countries — its well-known and proved advantages nevertheless— may find formidable obstacles to surmount in its institution. The training of racehorses is a matter that has been very considerably improved upon, and though disparity of method will always exist in different countries, in consideration of difference of climate, it appears to me almost certain that tho present disparity is considerably greater than it will be presently. Absolutely the best conditions of going cannot fail to be determined for training purposes, and during a spell of excoßßive drought, except on very exceptional ground, the best conditions of going are certainly those supplied by a plough track, and with such as Mr J. Lowther making a tour of the oolonies, it would be any odds on the formation of plough gallops beyond Australia or New Zealand. I do not know whether Sheenan has disoovered any improvement in the schooling of jumpers, but he has introduced a new method in tbe education of Erin-go-Bragh. Some considerable distance from the hurdle to bo negotiated he wheels him round two or three times like a top, then walkß him back some distance, wheels him round two or three times again, and afterwards goes at the obstacle. An excellent man with jumpers ia Sheenan, and doubtless he bas a motive in tbe method adopted with Erin-go-Bragh ; what that motive is I hardly know, but the grey jumps admirably for a novice, and perhaps he is being taught that running off a hurdle merely means being wheeled round, taken back a few yards, and brought at it again, I do not think that Sheenan's new idea, whatever he may actually mean by it, can prove a particularly good one. From the tenor of Mr O'Brien's conversation recently I shall not be surprised should he extend his turf operations beyond Australia in the future provided his present luok lasts. He appears to have various original notions in regard to the training of borßes for other countries, yet he may find a majority of them will not work practically. The colonies are different to Europe or even America. Cutts meant sending Pygmalion over to Australia on Friday, but the Union Company's boat of that date would not have him, though the passage was previously engaged. Amongst trainers there is no end cf dissatisfaction with the Union Company's service, and why should it be ? A berth baa been engagod for a racehorse, like a cabin for a passenger, at the Ohriatohurch office of the Union Company, and when the horse got to Lyttelton he has been chucked in amongst a lot of cattle. Owners of racers cannot stand that kind of thing. No doubt they are willing to pay high rates for fair transit, and they do pay hißh rates under present circumstances. A majority of the Riccarton horses entered at Dunedin are likely to go South. Ahua will be a certain runner in the Hurdle Race, and he is in pr"id condition, howovor ho may perform. The raco is a fairly valuable one of its kind, and no doubt Ahua will be spun right out for it, and a victory in the company be will meet can hardly affect hia weight fortheGraud National. Lunn tell? me he is not certain whether he will take Chain Shot down, but I heard a fortnight since that the horse was almoat certain to go, and I fancy he will be a starter for tbe Maiden Plate. He is standing all right, and looks fairly well. Tommy Sheenan says neither of his pair hae done anything very pood at home yot, but I know for a fact that Ban Trovato can travel ; I fancy he will be v pood horse. Preston ia only amiddling kind of plater, but no doubt he will find congenial company atthoD.J.C. May meeting ue\ orthelePß. Both Lord Aston and Ruby are likely to make tbe journey, and both are in excellent fettle. I think Jim Harris would not mind soiling Lord A&lon, but it is a moral certainty that be will not give him away. Ruljy was HBvei' bettor than Lia b\ now, :mci if ha fails to run well iv tho T-adobtmn'.? Handicap ha n.ivt boa rlutfac. Ho Lr.H u&\er been a profit..':' 1 ■ iifirKa ctr'ninly. Montcagic is pottering along- on (lie training Rrwuudi, bi.l I hJjuu.il fiftrdi) think he ia good onouifh or fii. f-n.Ttn Ui i"nko Dunedin a p-ofitablo trin. Lr«'n*ier, en ihe othor hand, | it; very wr.il, ai.ri if in fail& "o tc^re during the | back euJ, he ought to win a nice or two in tho spring. Ui» forpKv« »l>pe. r r {', bo nouad, but tho furiH&tifti of hi 3 j.jinto is v< ry bad. Should (Jatcimount get well away iv the Birthd&y Handicap, and I suppose " W&xy "

will ride him, he will make some of them gallop, He is a rapidly improving colt, I have got a rare bargain on hand, if anybody wants a bargain in horseflesh. I mean Taasy, a two year-old by Tasmam from a Traducer mare- He is the property of Mr O'Brien, and I am commissioned to get a buyer at £100. Hl3 owner, I fancy, will not profit much by that deal if it comes off. Tho colt is as sound as a bell, and he will mako an excellent jumper after us is done on the flat, bub my impression ia that he will make a real good flat racer. Ho cut his off hind leg when a foal, iv a wire fence, but the leg is perfectly sound, just as sound as Occident's knees. Ifc appears Tasman may get fairly good stock should he got good mares. Last season Mr O'Brien had three Tasmans, and of the three foals I liked tho brown, now on offer for £100, best. He was a handsome foal, and ho is a real good-looking yearling now he bag been broken in, but Mr O'Brien seems to like Flinders better ; that is a chestnut colt out of Waterwitch, and he is not for sale. The third of last year's trio of foals is a filly from Rubina. No doubt Flinders will be a pretty good one, but whatever the difference of the pair may eventually prove to be, Tassy is cheap at £100. Nobody has any idea what the difference can be yet, and Tassy is worth a pair of some of the youngsters lately broken in here. The best of Tasman's last year's get — now foals — I take to be the filly from Nautilus, but Mr O'Brien has four not bad looking ones nevertheless, three fillies and a colt, and the colt will be a big, powerful horse. Harry Lunn has broken in the chestnut colt by Apremont — Flattery, bought at Middle Park just after the 0.J.0. Autumn meeting, and it does not appear to me that his tendon will interfere with hiß training for two-year-old engagements. The St. George — Hammock colt, passed in at Middle Park at lOOgs when the Apreff ont— Flattery colt was sold for 70gB, was also on the course to-day, and he is not a good one. His quarters are bad, and without good quarters you cannot have a good racehorse, Mr Clifford's pair of brown Stonyhursts in Chokebore Lodge look fairly good youngsters, and the brother to Red Ensign, bought by Jim Harris at Middle Park, will be a cheap enough 25g8 worth. I fanoy Jim was a bit sorry at losing Red Ensign, though Bbo was an unprofitable mare. Hazel, in Lonsdale Lodge, is growing into a nice filly. I liked her when she came down from Auckland, and it may be that Mr O'Brien will get a big price for her yet. I hardly think somehow that that stable's next season's two-year-olds will be as good as they have been during the past two years somehow. Indeed, there will be very few Pygmalions, Thaokerays, Gatlings, and Medallions about in thesa parts next season, unless Mason can produce something exceptionally good from Yaldhurst. I shall not be surprised, should the chestnut colt by Apremont— Flattery in Lunn's stable prove to be the best and earliest two-year-old at Riccarton next spring should his leg stand, and I believe it will stand. Chatfield is looking and going well, but with Gatling and Pygmalion gone to Australia Butler will have the best horses of that age at Riccarton in November in Thaokeray and Crackshot ; and Hazel, provided she remains here, will also ba a good three-year-old.