CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 28

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By RATA.

This has undoubtedly been by far the most severe winter I have seen in Canterbury, and had the National and Hunt Club meetings been fixed for a week later— viz., last week, they would not have been the pronounced successes they were. Saturday was the only fine day throughout the week, and it was only fine overhead, the course being in too bad order in consequence of previous rain to be worked ,upon beyond the centre. Still the Christchurch Hunt Club is to be congratulated on getting such a day as Saturday in an exceptionally inclement week. As I have said atmospheric conditions on Saturday were beautifully fine over head, and the Point-to-Point Steeplechase was witnessed by a big crowd of people. It started from Sheenan's place at Hornby and finished down at Templeton, the ground traversed being a good hunting country, and the soil of a kind not easily made prohibitable by an ordinary downfall of rain, and the Point to-Point Steeplechase was therefore as great a success as was the Hunt Club Steeplechase meeting at Riccarton a week previously. Six horses of a good hunter type started — viz, Industry anl Dutchman in the heavy-weight division, and Morok, Encore, Sarah, and Treason in the light-weight class. Of these Sarah refused and only went part of the journey, and Morok and Treason fell, but Morok came down early in the contest, was again mounted, and eventually won, while Treason fell at the last obstacle, and consequently extinguished his chance. Industry, who is used to the country, and has previously shown his cleverness in similcir eventb in the neighbourhood, finished a good occond, and amongst huntei& I tboujd think be io

as safe a conveyance over a hunting country as anything about. To be a safe conveyance over a fair hunting country in Canterbury, too, requires a deal of cleverness and practice in a hunter, and one of the most distinguishing features of the New Zealand hunter is the aptitude he shows for negotiating wire. Ido not believe a majority of the best hunters that could be found in Leicestershire in the hunting season, and they are no duffers, would successfully negotiate an ordinary Canterbury hunting country at the first time of asking, in consequence of the numerous wire fences to be encountered. When in conversation with Mr Gollan recently he remarked that a good New Zealand wire juniper would be one of the greatest possible attractions at an English horse show, and Mr Gollan knows well what hunting is in England ; and there is no doubt that a good exhibition of wire jumping in any of the midland counties would command a big "gate." Though Glen has been heavily weighted for the South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting I fancy that, from what Mr Murray- Aynesley said this morning, he will be an acceptor. He has run so very well of late ;that a handicapper could not have given him much less weight. Neither Morok nor Smuggler has much to complain of in the Hunt Club Cup and Handicap Steeplechase either.

m- s for tlie two m "8 steeplechases at limaru do not appear to be over good, and the entry for the Ladies' Bracelet cannot have been a good one with Juggler made top weight. I heard the entries for the South Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring meeting discussed this morning, and they are generally thought to be very good. The Timaru Cup, for instance, taking into consideration that it is only worth 150sovs, has received a capital entry in regard to quality, and the event ought to produce an excellent contest. Then, again, the South Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap has received a still -better entry numerically than the Cup, and that entry also comprises all the best quality nominated for the Cup.

The 1 lying Handicap too has received good support in point of quality with such as Vogengang. Galtee, Saracen, and Masonic claiming engagements ; and on the whole the nominations for the Timaru meeting augurs most promisingly for a successful gathering. The weights for two of the races at the Dunedin Hunt Club meeting were published to-day, and so far as I can hear they are considered satisfactory.

I hear that both Glen and Launcelot will go to Dunedin, and I fancy that Launcelot will win something down there. Perhaps Launcelot and Glen will both run at Amberley on Thursday, and I believe that they may do so, but I should think their running there will not affect their journey to Dunedin or their appearance out at Timaru.

lorch is not going to Dunedin. He is not supposed to be good enough, but I should think he might go to Amberley on Thursday. The New Zealand Cup is not so far away now, and in a short time touting on the event will have to commence again. Horses are now being pushed along for the big handicap. Looking down the acceptance, Prime Warden is a horse very well known at Riccarton, but I have never considered him within measurable distance of his brother Sultan, and Sultan was never in the first class so far as New Zealand first-class horses are concerned— Maxim, Carbine, and Manton to wit.

Merrie England comes next to Prime Warden in the list of weights, but he ran badly in National week, and as a matter of fact he has never won a good race, bar one, and I do not think he will ever win a really first-class handicap in New Zealand— l mean a New Zealand, Dunedin, or Auckland Cup. I hardly think Cynisca (8.9) can be dangerous from what I know of her, and before ever she ran I spotted her quality ; yet she has been away from here for a long time, bar an occasional visit, and since her change of residence she has won good races over fair distances. I am not in a position to comment upon Cynisca's chance, however.

Crackshot has run so badly of late that it seems throwing away money to back him now for the New Zealand Cup. In National week he started as fit as a fiddle, and his running then ought to be some indication of his New Zealand Cup performances. Should the indication be reliable, however, his victory will merely prove the inferiority of the New Zealand Cup of 18!)2. A good many people think that Merrie England and Crackshot will run better in the New Zealand Cup than they have recently done, and they may do so ; but neither will win, I think. Should either do so, .the field will be bad, and the three-year-olds not up to expectations. The next horse I know anything very much about is British Lion, and he is fancied here by some people, but I am afraid he fs not class enough for some of those who will oppose him. Some of his opponents are greatly over-rated if he be so. He is getting old too. Clanranald, in strong work every morning now, has developed into a beautiful horse, and some of the best judges at Riccarton think he will go very near netting the big handicap. The question is, though, whether he can stay. He has speed enough, and some pcoplo fancy his speed will counterbalance his non-staying, if he be a nonstayer, and that is not proved yet. I fancy, however, he will have to meet some "hot" opponents, and from appearances at present, I am of opinion that a horse in his trial against time will have to do "31" ere he has a show, and some of the elder brigade cannot do that. I think Crown Jewel may be passed over ; she is not going well at present, anyhow. Regarding Lebel I have no information, and below him there arc a, lot of horses I do not know before reaching Flinders. Flinders is in work, but he is always ailing in some way. My impression has always _ been that he is an over-rated horse. Ido not like his confoimation, and I have never seen him do anything extraordinarily good on the training tracks. In Launceston (7st) Mr O'Brien has another Cup candidate, but I do not believe his wind is sound, and I do not believe he is fast either. The best of the Lonsdale Lodge lot in my opinion is Captive, the own brother to Freedom ; he is a real good one, though small. He is in capital health, and has improved a lot since the autumn, and he can stay and travel fast, as fast as most of the three-year-olds about here.

An objection is taken to Vogengang on the score of his dam. She has a stain in her pedigree, but that may mean nothing. Manton's dam had a stain in her pedigree, but there is no doubt she was a thoroughbred mare, and as a rule these stains of pedigree merely indicate too much of a difficulty in tracing the pedigree. In appearance Vogengang is a grand looking horse, and when extended he looks better than when standing or walking, and he is one of those I mark dangerous for the New Zealand Cup.

Stepniak, Reynard, and Hybrid are all from Yaldhurst, and Stepniak being the best performer has received the biggest impost, but I do not know whether he be the best horse all the same. Reynard ran once at Riccarton, and I have seen him on several occasions. He is a little horse, but a real well-made one, and I shall not be surprised to s c him run very well. Reynard is by Le Loup— Miss Kate, and consequently half brother to Sultan and Prime Warden, and I do not know but that a change from Apremont to Le Loup with Miss Kate may not prove advantageous. Reynard certainly looks a most promising colt.

Like Reynard, Hybrid is also a Le Loup, but out of a real good performer in Lady Emma. I saw Mason a day or two since, and he says, as he did on one occasion before, that Hybrid is very well, but his speed does not at present seem to be good enough ; he may improve between this and Npw Zealand Cup day, however ; he is certainly a dangerous candidate. Awarua Rose is now trained by Cutts at Chokebore Lodge, and he is a good one, but I hardly think equal to the quality of some of the three-year-olds in the New Zealand Cup. He is likely to win a good race in medium class company though. Au Revoir is a chestnut three-year-old of Butler's, but he is riot up to first class in his year. He is a good topped horse, but he is not very good in his front pastern joints, and his pasterns are too long. We knew Wyvern very well at Riccarton as a two-year-old, and he must have improved greatly ere he can have a show of winning a New Zealand Cup.

Puwcrewere is an own sister to Craekshot, but not anything like the quality of Crackshot a& a

yearling, and she has no show whatever of winning the New Zealand Cup. We ate a bit off the New Zealand Cup yet, bnfl think that the finish will lie between Captive, Hybrid, and Vogengang. But tipping, like other thing, "makes you careful— don't it? '* Mr Murray-Aynesley, who brought Glen and Launceston back to Riccarton from Ashburton last week, will run both his horses at Amberley ; and Alma will also be started for the Great Northern Steeplechase should the going not be too heavy, but Harry Lunn told me this morning that his going to Amberley with Ahua depends wholly upon weather conditions.

Notwithstanding the weight awarded Glen at limaru, I hear he is likely to be a competitor It is also said that Launcelot may be dangerous at the Otago Hunt Club meeting. Trainers mean to make a fair attempt to have the inner grass gallop (formerly the inner plough) covered with a thick coating of sand. Theheaviestrainfallknownatßiccarton forsome time back was experienced yesterday and last night, and trainers are already beginning to speculate on the chances of getting backward horses ready for the Metropolitan meeting. A North Island racing man informs me that ocotl'ree, who has been spelled for some tbxe is in the acme of perfection, considering the season In that case he ought to have a show for the Caul. • field Cup, but at the same weight I should prefer Vogengang, should Sheenan send him over. It appears that Florrie, who has not accepted, has been backed for a bit in Christchurch.