CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 25

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By RATA. The projected dispersal of the Middlepark' stud prompted the query, " Where are we going to buy a bone now— go to Auokland for 16, 1 suppose ?" a few mornings Bince ; and certainly, if somebody does not taka breeding in hand, some owners may experience difficulty in this neighbourhood in procuring a suitable class of horse for plating purposes* A majority of small meetings patronised extensively by certain owners are merely plating fixtures, and many of these meetings are very popular in country neighbourhoods. Several Rionarton trainers have kept their stables going fairly well /or several years mainly through the superiority of their horses — mostly platers— over district horses. These horses, too, with rare exceptions, have been the chief prizewinners at proprietary club meetings in this immediate vicinity, and it is noticeah'e that many horseß bred at Middlepark and Bntrley have been admirably adapted for plating and medium handicap raoing. As a matter of fact, however good horses

may be bred at a stud farm in view of being publicly sold, a certain average must necessarily belong to the plating or third class division. They cannot all ,be bred first and second class anywhere ; and however class sections might be statistically apportioned to (tne Mlddlepnrk and Hussley studs, some good bargains have been picked up by owners in this neighbourhood at these studs. Of the present season's two-year-olds, Cajolery and Union Flag are cases in point. Both these horses were bought at Middlepirk below decent plater price, and both have proved considerably better than good plater clais. With average luck they ought to develop into good handicap horses, though neither has claims to be classed as a first flight racer. It has been rumoured at Biccarton that Mr Stead is likely to establish a breeding stud at Bnssley on the departure of Mason to Australia, but I do not know whether the report be correct, and 1 hould he do so even he may not make the affair an extensive commercial speculation. Though provisional raoing men and owners of second and third dais horses, that make a point of "doing" the country and minor meetings, may not have the opportunities of buying serviceable blood stook at hack prices in the fature as they have had in the pait, I do not think that quality In raoehorses will be allowed to deteriorate here ; and I fancy that an owner requiring a plater will always get the kind of animal he requires, at a certain age, should he pay a sufficient market value for it. Owners of big racing studs are always casting oft or weediog out something from their stables suitable for country and minor raoing. IWhen In conversation with Mr Delamain a few days since, he seemed to be strongly of opinion that breeding can be made to pay well in Canterbury, provided it be backed up by sufficient enterprise ; and I have no doubt whatever that he is quite right. Mr Delamain has had a deal of experience In breeding and racing in the colony, and as the managing director of a good syndicate that did not mind paying a good price for a good artiole there is little doubt he would make a big ttud farm profitable alike to tho shareholders and to the colony. I cannot possibly understand bow Sylvia Park failed to prove a monetary success but through having too much division of management in the directorate, and consequently prejudices colliding too frequently with fads. In point of judgment, tbe actual management had very little- to do In getting the fine Sylvia Park collection together beyond paying for the stook, and it appears very likely that but for utilising outside judgment Sylvia Park would never have been tbe celebrated stud it was for several years prior to its break up, Mr Delamain has got some excellent roadster mares— well bred onei— and they are now all in foal to Viotor, and it Is very evident that a high opinion is entertained of that stallion. I recently heard from one of his connections that he had covered a lot of excellent mares last season, and doubtless a good many of them are pretty neatly full blooded, and we may see tome good trotting stock by Viotor In a few seasons.

A few days ago I rode down the road behind a most excellent stamp of pony. I should think she stood no more than 14 hands lin, and with a strong cart behind her; there was nothing on the road that could look at her, and she trotted under the whip too, and did not seem to break a bit. I told Mr Clarkson, her owner, that he ought to trot her and he said he might do so, but he has another of about similar size and quality that has won once and run second six times, I think, in seven attempts, and he means to have a race out of that performer presently. The pony he was driving in the trap was from a mare got by a imall pony stallion, •omethirg like some of the ponies to be seen in the Dunedin saleyards sometimes, out of a purebred Arab mare, and the pony 'a sire was a fairly well bred one, but bis pedigree was not known correctly. I fancy a lot of good ponies are bred further back on the Canterbury plains than Biccarton and Yaldhurst, but there does not appear to be muoh sale for them in Ohristchurch

Tres Seo's near fore leg is looking very big again, and perhaps he will never stand training. It was supposed that his original injury was a broken bone below the fetlock, but he has undoubtedly got a sprung tendon. I should make a trotter of thtt horse were he mine. He might stand all right at that game ; h« hat stood galloping now for a considerable period.

Daring the past couple of mornings Freedom ha« looked a bit distressed somehow, and on Saturday he appeared to be slightly limpy, but he maybe got all right again for the meeting next week! A week since he looked fit enough to run for anything. Tom Field has been knocked oat, and his legs do not appear to have been of the strongest. He was supposed to be a fast horse, and one likely to net something at the 0.J.0. autumn meeting prior to his mishap. ° *

I have heard considerable grumbling this time about the handicapping for the hurdle race on the opening day of the 0.J.0. Autumn meeting and also in regard to the Templeton and Busilev Stakes. Union Flag is, I believe, unlikely to run in the Buasley Stakes, though he will have a go for the Champagne, and will also run in the Aldington Plate.

Upon the rumour getting abroad that the Middlepark stud was to be sold, I hear that Mr Hungerford made overtures to Harry Thomson in respect of training his (Mr Hungerford's) horses - either at the West Coast or at Biccarton, I do not know which— but it appears that Harry did not come to terms.

Cuttß returned from the north on Saturday morning, but Dudu will not be home until Friday A prominent sportsman and an uncommonly good judge offered 600gs for Dudu before she went to the North Island, but Cutts had a great belief in the mare's quality. I remarked to him this (Monday) morning, " You were pretty lucky up north." "I don't know so much about that," he replied j " I ought to havetwon the treble." I returned, "If yon can win two in three always you are right." A real good sort is Cuttß, and about as good a trainer as you can make them ; and be can distinguish accurately good condition, good quality, good going, and good riding. s Charlie O'Connor has now got a chestnut hone called Arcade. I do not know what he is at all, but he is very fat, and I should think he would never win a really good raoe on the flat. No doubt he 1b a jumper, and he has certainly weight-carrying power enough to win anything over sticks er fences •hould he have pace and jumping capacity enough. A fine horse is Flinders, but I fancy that the accident .ha met with by slipping some time ago on the plough has knocked a bit of the stuffing out of him. For two or three mornings he hat appeared to me to be stiff behind, though on several occasions since he met with the acoident in exerolie he has cut out some good time over four and five furlongs. I believe he will be a good three-year-old. Whim was knocked out last week, and I have not seen her on the exercise grounds for a couple of days, and I do not believe she is up to muoh. A mare that has come on since being lame is Tired. I do not think the is a good one, but she is improving under hsr present training. She holds her head too high, and she is too slack in the loins to be a really good one. My own impression is that &he is no more than a good hack, but I hear *he has been ttied highly fora hurdle racer. Asa matter of fact, with one or two exceptions, we have no good hurdle racers here.

Merrie England has been walked out with Lunn's team for sometime, and no doubb a race is expected of him in the spring, but he has done no work lately, and undoubtedly he is under suspicion. I question greatly whether he will ever win a big race. B

The two-year-old filly May is improving in looks very rapidly, and I fancy the will be a good three-year-old. She is little, but she ii stongly built, and I should think she will be a stayer. I saw one of Mr Webb's yearlings by Burling-, ton beiDg broken-in to-day, and the youngster looks well enough, but I hardly think Mr Webb has got a real good one in hfs stable of any age, In regard to yearlings one osnnot tell them accurately until they have got a bit of work. Good judgment is certainly a great thing in respect of buying yearling stock and a good judge can almost; always rely upon getting two good ones out of three— good handicap horses, anyhow — but sometimes a vfty promising yearling turn* out bad. Yefc SO per cent, of good-looking ones turn out well, while no more than 1 per cant, of weedy things ever attain celebrity. Ruby has seemed to be a bit sore for a few mornings, but when fully extended he gallops ns well as ever he has done, and no doubt he will have a out in for something at the 0.J.0. Autumn meeting. Panetti has bought Romulus, and Frank Healy is now training him at Bi'cirton. I b?lieve Panetti has bought three horses since he catnn here from Australia, and evidently he' means having * " go " at some of the plating fixtures at the " other tide." I saw him to-day, but I forgot to inquire on the subject. Yon Tempeky is doing very well at present, and I believe be ii a rettl goo* •• daw," but. I hardly

think he is more than a plater, though be did win at Btccarton once. He may do to again, however. Cajolery is getting a bit lighter, I fancy, bufc he is in fine fettle nevertheless, and he will have a big say in tome of the juvenile events at the G.J.O. Autumn meeting. Cutts Bays that Thackeray was giving them " fits "In the North Island at the starting post. In one race he would not start at all, yet he goes through bis exercise all right. Horry Lunn says he is a bad brute ; one of the worst Apremonts we have had. Ido not know so much about that, though. Good early handling does a lot with some of the refractory Apremonts/ 1 Yataghan is rapidly developing into a fairly good racer, and I fanoy she will be a good three-year-old filly. Her breeding is good|enough certainly, but her conformation and action are all right too. She is not ever stylish perhaps, and not first class, but she will be useful.

The Toi filly in Butler's stable has been lame behind for a long time, and the cause of the lameness cannot be discovered, but no doubt it will orop up presently. When Butler got her she looked like .one that would race a bit, but I am afraid the lameness has knooked her out.

Peerswick is now in very easy work, and he has certainly shown symptoms of lameness lately on one or two occasions, but no doubt he will be started at the C. J.C. Autuma meeting. He Is not at bis best, however.

A mare that is improving very rapidly is Diadem, and she will run well At the forthcoming meeting. She is as speedy as anything at Bush Inn now, though Crown Jewel is In good fettle. Chester Lad in Butler's stable is of little good, and the Peril n Warbeok II gelding will only show to advantage over hurdles, I fancy. On the flat neither will win In anything better than hack company, unless with a biz concession in weight. I hear that Mr O'Brien will not be home in time for the O. J O. Autumn meeting, as he originally intended.