CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 31

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Rata.

To-day I visited Lonsdale Lodge, and as usual the place waß in tip- top order, and looked a model of perfection amongst New Zealand stables so far as I know them. I have heard most experienced trainers say that there are stables here they would prefer to the Lonsdale Lodge sbrucbure, but parsonally I am of an opposite opinion respecting the position of that stable in regard to class. There is, I think, no stable whatsoever in the vicinity of Riccaiton that can equal it in so far as enclosed stables are concerned ; and perhaps the two nearest to it in the South Island in respecb of excellence are Mr M'Lean's stable at St Clair. and bhe Racecourse Hotel stable at Riccarton. Practical utility has been the main feature in the construction of the Lonsdale Lodge stable, and it does not have the imposing architectural beauby of sbables one can sea at Newmarket— Ryan's for instance ; but ib is a most excelleub structure of its kind for the centre in which it is sibuabed, and speaks jusb as forcibly for the flourishing state of the New Zealand turf as does the Riccarton racecourse. Coffin-like the Lonsdale Lodge stable may be called by some people, but in a few years hence it 3 outside appearance will be almost hidden from the road by a profusion of trees, aud visitors will then take a great deal more notice of the inside than they will of the outside. Though we are now in the heart of winter almost, the lawns and flower beds round Mr O'Brien's dwelling house show the existence of good practical attendance, and a few years hence, when tho trees become fully grown, Lonsdalo Lodge will be a pretty residence, and the greatest of latest adornmente to the vicinity of Riccarton racecourse. There is not too much land attached to Lonsdale Lodge, and the proprietor could undoubtedly do with more paddocking room. There are only seven acres in the properly altogether, and though the land is rich enough to grow as much of anything as twice its area further down the road towards Soekburn, where the soil is very shingly in places, seven acres of ground is not enough for therequirements of the horses Mr O'Brien usually has in hand. Altogether, however, Lonsdale Lodge is a place thaWmpresses one with the idea of very easy circumstances, and if Mr and Mrs O'Brien bo not as comfortable there as the owners of broad acres who reside mainly at their station mansions I am greatly mistaken. It has been rumoured frequently that Mr O'Brien has an idea of residing permanently in Australia, but Ido not believe it. If he can beat Lonsdale Lodge greatly in Australia he is even more fortunate than I take him to be.

The fir3t of the horse 3 I saw was Launceston, who is in real good winter fettle, and I will always believe that had Jimmy Leeson been up on him as fib and well as he was on Challenge Stakes day that he would have run a great horc e. I do not think the best of Launceston has been seen yeb, and should he remain here duriDg the spring he will be worth following, bub I have "an impression that he may journey to Australia. Could he win a decent race there his looks would sell him fast. He is a well-made horse, and a good mover.

Like Launceston, Loyalty is in excellent winter trim, and his Challenge Stakes victory stamps him a real good horse. I have an idea, that Loyalty has thrown back more to Fair Nell than St. George, and he may train into a good three and four-year-old. Viscount, the horse Mr O'Brien bought somo little time ago in Dunedin, is looking well enough, and he is a sound one, but I am not greatly impressed with his quality. He will be good enough, undoubtedly, to win in some company, but that company will not b9 particularly good. My opinion is that Viscount would suit a small trainer who makes a specialty of plating, better than he will his present owner. Philson, by Tasman — Rose and Black, is a good youngster that is likely to race well during the coming season, and I am strongly of opinion that Tasman, did he have a really good show of mares, would make his mark as a sire. Getting a good show of mares is the main point of a thoroughbred sire's celebrity. Tasman is now located at Lonsdale Lodge, and I do nob think Mr O'Brien fancies Mr Morrin gave him a good enough show up at Wellington Park. I doubt whether he did, either ; my own opinion is that he has gob no English horse bhere better than Tasman. Tasman has the bluest of blue blood in his veins, ho was a most excellent performer, he is an uncommonly well-made horss, and he left off racing as sound as on the day he was foaled, a great deal more than can be said of a majority of racing sires. Response looks a beautiful mare in her box. She has a splendid bop with excellent quarters and shoulders, and few who have seen her in regular work will gainsay the fact bhat she is a brillianb filly. Ulbimabum, who was boughb along with Response in Australia, is good looking enough for anything, and he looks like one that will 6tand a long racing career. He has not shown such speed on the training tracks as Response his, bub he is a beautiful mover, and gives the impression of a nag that will race well with age. In his box Taranna is quiet enough, and the little flightiness he sometimes exhibibs on bho training tracks may, I think, be put down bo playfulness as much as anything eke. Ke has never shown great brilliancy so far, but from what I know of him I am of oi^'nion that he will prove a very useful customer to own. I did nob see Freedom ; at present he is located at Derrebt's place. I know he is in active work, however, and no doubt he will be wound up for something hi the spring. Altogether the Lonsdale Lodge team is a real good one — I think the bsst team of racers at Riccarton. A good many people might say that Luun's team is a better one, but I doubt greatly whether it is, and barring the jumping events during the winter I do not think Lunn's horses will win as much money during the next 12 months as the Lonsdale Lodge team will, and I do not know that even the jumping events in the winter need be barred. There is no jumper in Lonsdale Lodge, and the chances of its representatives winning much ere the metropoliban meeting are remote, but duriDg the flatraoing season I think the winnings of the Lonsdale Lodge horses will sufficiently surpass those of the Middleton stable representatives to make amends for the latter's winter successes in the jumping lice. Yet two-year-olds have a good deal to do with a stable's annual wicning total, and Lunn has now got a couple of very promising youngsters in work. In regard to the two best teams ab Riccarbon ab prebent I do not think there can be two opinions in respect to what two stables can produca them. Ib ap« pears to me that Lonsdale Lodge and the Middleton stable are a ljng way in front of any other training establishment.

Norton and Kulnine did nothing at Auckland, and the reason may not be difficult to explain. The going must have been very heavy, and from some of the dividends paid I should

think that some of the form must be very unreliable.

I understand that both Kulnine and Norbon will go to Hawke's Bay, and probably they may not come home empty -handed after all. I know they are a pair of clinking good ones in capital fettle, and if the North Islanders can " down " them wholesale we may expect something " hot " here about National time. So far I have seen few better horses of their class in New Zealand than Norton and Kulnine. Last week we had splendid weather for work up till Saturday morning, and on that morning some rattling good work was done by horses that will nob be wanted for three months yet. I hardly see where the advantage of that comes in, but I supposo trainers think when they have a pound or two to come and go on in a horse's condition they can do nothing batter than rattle him along whenever opportunity offers. Beyond the morning Saturday was a " terror of a day ; we had the worst snowstorm I have seen in Canterbury, and yesterday (Sunday) rain followed in its train, and to-day the tracks had to be all shut up. As a matter of fact only two teams put in an appearance on the course for walking exercise. U,p till Saturday morning the tan was in splendid order, and I understand ib will be the chief track used during the winter. The eand track will be saved as much as possible in order to allow the grass to come through in the spring, and it will then prove uncommonly serviceable should we have a spell of wet weather .bsfore metropolitan meeting time. Cajolery went over one of the fences on the new steeplechase schooling track on Friday morning, and he is a horse that jumps beautifully. Hs will be hesrd of ere tho jumping season 'closes, and now he has led the way over tho new schooling country, I opine he will be speedily followed by a lot more. Saturday's snow and the present raiu— it is raining "heavens hard" as I am writing to-night (Monday)— will do that track a world of good. The wet will set ifc, and I do not think we will hear much grumbling about false going presently. One very frequently hears a lot about badmouthed horses at Riccarton, and there is no doubt that bad-mouthed ones are in a majority, and my own opinion is that boys aro responsible for ib. Somehow boys are not looked after as they ought bo be ab Riccarton. Head lads have too little power over them, and trainers cannot attend to everything. Those who journeyed up to thß North Canterbury Jockey Club's Trotting meeting on Thursday are pretty unanimous in the opinion that the sport provided was equal to that usually seen in the immediate neighbourhood of Chfistchurch, but trotting dees not seem to " fetch " the inhabitants of North Canterbury as it does Carisfccliureh people. The attendance of local people seems to have been very poor when the extent of the population is taken into consideration, and less than £700 went through the totalisator. Dennis paid £6 18s in the Dash Handicap Trot (in harness), and Strathallan £5 12s in the Novel Handicap (in saddle), and beyond that the dividends all represented 2 to 1 against and under. Ida II paid 2 to lin the North Handicap Trot (in saddle). In the Ashley Handicap, decided previoas to the North Canterbury Handicap, Ida II ran a real good race with Dorothy, and only sustained defeat by half a length. Butler started Lady Thornton in the Galloway Pony Race, and she won fairly easy, but as the stake was only lOsovs it is reasonable to suppose that the company was not exceptionally good. Midnight won the Maiden Trot (in saddle), Toby II the Rangiora Handicap (in saddle), and Fair Nell II the Recovery Handicap. The annual meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Club was held to-night, and the club seems to be in a solvent enough position, though a profit was only made over one meeting during the season.