CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1959, 10 September 1891, Page 25

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By RATA.

The subject of racehorse owners being members of raoing clubs has produced some public dis cusslon on two or three occasions, and a few mornings since it formed a topic of conversation at Kicoarton. Professional opinion does not seem to be very strongly in favour of any rule for the organisation of racing bodies, but with an absence of horse owners from committees of metropolitan olubi professional opinion might be more pronounced on the subject. The constitution of raoing authority is of paramount importance to trainers, jookeys, and all people professionally engaged in horseracing, and a just and practical elucidation of raoing law is necessary in the interests of raoing itself. My impression is that s just aud practical solution of an intricate racing problem could not be easily obtained were owners debarred from participation in the deliberations of raoing councils. Members of raoing clubs not owners or connected with ownership in tome way are rarely as conversant with raoing law as they ought to be, and as a rule their inexperience precludes the probability of their suggestions having any praotical value in regard to the advancement and purity of the sport. In regard to inquiries on running, too, it is impoisible that stewards not connected with raoing beyond stewardship or commercial speculation in the promotion of raoe meetings oan mete out equity as -well as owners who have made a study of facing. A thorough knowledge of racing cannot be acquired by reading, and were owners not in a majority in the principal metropolitan club oommitteea justice would undoubtedly soon descend to the level qt "justices' justice," and that has frequently b»en proved to be on a par with •• might is right." As matters at present stand in connection with some of the smaller 1 cluba it is evident that raoing and its requirements are not accurately known by men who have even bad a little to do with the practical part of the sport, and that is why I have frequently advocated a restriction of the powers vested in minor and country club stewards. Bestriot then* powers to the management of their own meetings, with a power of report and suggestion to the metropolitan clubs of their respective distriots. It is beyond doubt that no end of Irregularities are passed over unnotioed, but it is equally beyond doubt that good men have been unduly sat upon through the medium of party feeling, and men who are influenced in that fashion are usually men who would do anything themselves that paid them could they make sure of getting off undiscovered in regard to modus operandi. I never knew a good, straitlaced man who looks at the wont possible side of everything, and I never knew a good public man that escaped public slander. " Where there is smoke there must be fire" is an adage of no value whatever when applied to the obaraoter* and dispositions of prominent public men. Mr Wanklya came to Riooarton on Saturday morning to see after aome improvements to be made In the Inolosures— the erection of some boxes and the conversion of the old totalisator house Into a cloakroom -and Mr O'Brien tackled him at once ia reipect of the training traoka. The winter has been a fine one, and the going on the tan usually good; out towards the end of last week we had some heavy rain, and no work could be done on Saturday morning. Mr O'Brien's argument was that the grass gallop was of no utility to trainers, and there is no doubt he was quite right. On B»turday morning some useful work could have been got through had that gallop been available. Apparently Mr Wanklyn considered the subjeot, for the grass was open on Sunday morning, and it is to be hoped that it will be put to better use in the future than it has in the recent past. As I have previously remarked it has been of neither use nor ornament of late. Gnttßdoes not usually come oat with h team of a Sunday morning, but the opening of the trial gallop for exercise tempted him thh week and he put in an appearance with Yon Temnskv Pahchild, Cruohfield. and Kuphroayne. Ksßrien did

not use the gran on the first time of itt being opened, but sent his horses round the roadt, as he had done for a couple of mornings previously. To-day (Monday) his team was galloped on the grass, however On Thursday morning Sheenan brought out Matter George for the first time after a lengthy spell, but he pulled up lame after a good half-pace gallop, and he does not look like standing yet. Could he be made to stand he would ba a useful hone. At Timaru Glen won a couple of events for Mr Murray-Aynsley, but Lyndoora only got third in the Open Handicap Steeplechase. She may run better at Dunedin, however, provided ahe has got over her lamenets. Charlie O'Connor will take Ohristma3 and Cheshunt to Dunedin, and he will be unlucky should he nofc make the trip pay. Both hones are going capitally, and should Christmas stand he will be a useful jumper to hia present trainer. Ido not care for his fore legs, but he has shown no signs of aofcual lameness nevertheless. I did not attend the New Brighton Trotting meeting, but those who went down from Biooarton tell me some good trotting w*a witnessed. Oonnemara and Siberia each one a " double," though the first of the latter* succetset wat gained by the disqualification of Cats. It appears that the cross for which Oass wat ditquallfiedwas a very palpable one. Sambo paid a £10 19s dividend in the Two-mile Pony Trot, amd Billy*£s l6t in the Two-mile Selling Trot (in harnesi), the major portion of the totalisator money in each case, I am told, going to the winner's connections, though I should think the public had a bit more out of Billy, than it had out of Sambo. Billy only won by a length, but I am atsured he could have got hom£ firtt by 100 yds easily. The other race, a Handicap Trot (in harness), one mile, was won by Director, who started favourite. The brother to Cajolery at Middlepark is progressing in hit preparation rapidly, and he shows every indication of developing into a clinking two-year-old. It is now reported that he will be raoed here as a two-year-old. The weights for the Timaru Spring me9tiDg have produced a lot of criticism here— adverse criticism—Yon Tempaky in particular being supposed to be crushed out. Yon Tempsky has no great record to recommend him, but I do not think he is a bad horse all the same. Lunn ought to have a good time of it at Timaru. If Glanranald ba anything like as good as he wat once supposed to be he should have a big say in the Spring Handicap with no more than 7.8 to carry. He is in good fettle, as is also Cajolery, who ia engaged in the Timaru Guinea*. If Cajolery can be got away well in the Guineas the raoe may be a moral for him. Ho ig very well, and he can cut out about as fast a mile as any three-year-old at Biccarton. He moves, too, like a firat-olasj racehorse. The top-weight (Christmas) will want a deal of beating in the Hurdle Bace at Tiraarn, but he will be seen performing at Dunedin before he runs at the South Canterbury fixture. Sheenan will ride him at Dunedin, and on Friday morning he piloted him over the schooling [fence! at Bicoarton, all of whioh he jumped fault lestly. I trust my suspicion in regard to Chrittmas' fore legs will prove wrong. Captain Abram has got tbe same weight to oarry as Christmas, and doubtless Tommy Stewart will take exception to his treatment. It is generally thought at Biccarton that he is over-weighted in comparison with Christmas. Don ia let in lightly enough, but be is an unsound horse, and at exercise i be has rarely been stretched during the winter. There ia nothing from here weighted for the County Plate or the High Weight Handioap, but Brin-go-Bragh (10.6) and Tom Field (8.10) should run well in the Welter Cutts thinks the grey ought not to have been below his horse in the list of weight adjustments. The entries for the Canterbury Cup comprise some good cattle, and should O'Connor get Craokshot fit to the post the rfinning of last year's winner with the better of the Taldhurst pair will be interesting. Though small, I feel surg there la a really good race in Lebel. Tbe Gilda colt in Imnu'a stable is still lame, but he is being kept pottering about the track*, and presumably the ailment Is not considered of a serious nature.

It is thought that Taaman's progeny can be easily named, and very well named, by the adoption of Tasmanian names in their nomenclature. Mr O'Brien seems to be following that method to a certain extent. Launceston and Avontide are two good names for a pair of Tatman's get. Mr Webb haa no yearlings at Bush Inn this season. One of last year's foals died, and the only other one had to be shot by reason of a mishap. They may be well out of the way «ays Mr Webb, and there is no doubt that the horses bred at Bush Inn in recent years have not been a very brilliant lot.

The Challenge Stakes of 2000aova instituted by the 0.J.0. some time since is considered by professional people a rich man's race, inasmuch as owners have to make tbe stakes, and any surplus over the 2000sovs goes to the fundt of the club. It is very unlikely that there will be any surplus for some time, however, and it appears, to me that the conditions of the race are equitable, and that the Challenge Stakes or a similar event will eventually become a prominent feature amongst the chief events at Etccarton.

Craokshot still wears a knee-pad on the near foreleg, but ih is merely worn in case of probable accident ; " prevention is better than cure," his trainer argues. Taniwha and her foal by Captain Webster are now at Derrett'a; They were in Billy White's paddocks until he left B. Bay's place. Frank Healy has accepted an appointment as trainer to Mr Alexander, of Asbburton. Frank can train wbII provided he gets good horses to train, and he telli me that Mr Alexander hat some good bred ones at Ashburton, whatever their quality may be. Mr Alexander hat a private track on his place near the racecourse

Clark, who got a nasty fall when riding Abua in the Open Steepleohaie at the Hunt Club meeting, is about again, looking none the worie for hit mishap. Tom Field is going on all right under Charlie Stratford's tuition, and he should be able to net a few decent stakes with him during the spring. I believe £160 was the price paid for Tom Field, and he should not be a dear purchase at that figure with the number of indifferent horses now in training in Canterbury.

It is said that Butler paid lOOga for Crown Jewel, and she may be worth that money, but my opinion Is that Tom Field is the cheaper of the pair at £150. When the matter of price is under consideration It It a fact that & good raoehorse is never dear, while a bad one is never cheap, should he only cost a* tenner."

When the nomination fees for the horßes ente/ed for the Banglora meetiug were returned a few days ago on the plea that the club had not got sufficient support to go on with the meeting, owr. era were not at all pleased, and immediately entered into communication with the secretary re the validity of such a proceeding. As a matter of faot I know of one owner (Mr O'Brien) who would have patronised Q-eraldine but for Bangiora, and owners cannot be expected to go contrary to their own pecuniary Interests regarding mattort ia which they have racing law or usage on their side. Though the Forbury is behind Eicoarton in the matter of quality in racehorses it appears that a greater number of successful meetings can he gob up at the southern centre than can be proirnted on the 0.J.0. racecouree. When in conversation with Bob Dorrett yesterday morning the subjeot cropped up; and he is of opinion that it results in a great meaiure from the fact that the Forbury horses are nearer one class than racers are here, and that they are almost always in condition to race. There may be a good deal of truth in his argument. There ara always a good many horses at Biccarton supposed to be of good handicap quality, and two or three more supposed to be up to good classic form, and these are not run as often during a season as inferior haudicap horses and platers are. and consequently some of them are not kept up to a certain pitoh of condition right through the season. Yet in my opinion the success of the Forbury gatherings lies mainly in a larger surrounding population and the proximity of the racecourse to town With the U.J.C. • racecourse out on the Taieri Plains, where I j believe it was at one time, I very muoh doubt whether the attendances would be as big or the totalisator returns as good as they are now. Besides tbe improvements to be made in the enclosures at Biccarton, 100 stalls will be erected outside, behind the half-crown stand, with the wood taken from the shilling stand, lately condemne i and pulled down. Beyond Charlie O'Connor's pair and Lyndoora, Captain Abram and Brin-go-Bragh will represent Biooarton at the Otago Hunt Club meeting. Notwithstanding his "dicky" leg Brln-go-Brogh is going well in his gallopt, and is fit enough, and he must have a big chance of annexing the Shorts Handicap. Brin-go-Bragh for the Shorti, Ghrittmai

for the Tally-ho, and Oheshunt for the Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase might furniih a winning " treble " from these parts. Lisbon has gone a bit "oronk," and was very lame this morning when he left the course. Darrett has bsen engaged to ride Erin-go-Bragh in the Shorts.