CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2058, 3 August 1893, Page 30

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

1 B* Rata.

We have had some very bad weather at Riccarton during the last couple of days. Saturday was an excellent morning for training, but in the afternoon it commenced to rain heavily, and on Sunday morning the course was partially flooded in go far & some of the tracks were concerned. I do not think, as a matter of fact, that the course is properly drained. There has been a deal of draining since I have been here, but the drains seem to, be too level. A suggestion was made the other morning that they ought to have been sunk wijsh a big hang and finished up in gravel pits, of which, there are a lot about the course. The argument was, and eventually proved on practical experience, that water will soak down tnrdugh gravel oven when run in in larger quantities than a couple of days' deluge at Riccarton could produce. The sand track at Riccarton on Sunday was under water, and I do not think it would have been had the gravel-pit style of getting rid of water been in usage. I fancy the suggestion is one of the best I have heard in connection with drying the Riccarton course quickly. It appears to me that it would be almost as efficacious as the windmill system at Dunedin. , Regarding thonew steeplechase schooling track a lbt of work has been done during the week, and it appears to me that some of the visitors require a lbt of work over the big sod wall and big post-and-rail fences, and the present rain will interfere with 'schooling very greatly, the ground is so slippery? Up till Sunday morning, however, all the tracks had been in excellent order, and there has not been anything during the season so far to grumble about bar the recent rain. All the small schooling fences have been retained, and the big new ones are most excellent finishing obstacles. If 'a horse ba good enough to get over the fences on the new schooling steep'echase track, he is certainly good enough to compass the obstacles on the pourse proper. Another thing is, however, that a horse well schooled over smaller obstacles might refuie those in the new schooling track when galloped siugly or with another horse, and -when in company be might negotiate # the steeplechase course proper without making a single mistake. That may be the position of some of the North Island horses now at Riccarton but I have a (Strong impression that some of the best of them will!not care for the National country. s» When the North Island horses now at Riccarton came down they all looked light bar Jack, and he appears to me to be short of a gallop or two, and if he be bo he will now be impeded greatly in his preparation; I have not, however, seen him pull up yet after a strong gallop, and he may have very little fat in his inside. Perhaps he may be fitter on the day than any of the North Islanders.

Norton looked a bit light on his arrival from the North Island, but a good many people now say he is even short of work. He may be so, too, but I do not know so much about that. Lunn has certainly built him up very considerably since ho took him back from the north, and though ho has not galloped him very extensively since he came home, it must be recollected that Lunn has a big paddock at home where he can do a good deal of work. Ido not think Norton is short of I heard this morning' that there is something wrong with Kulnine, but Ido not believe it. He pulled up soundly enough after a good gallop with Norton on Saturday morning. A real good one is Kulnine, and there are good judges about Riccarton that think Lunn will net the big "double." With hard going I understand that Lunn thinks himself that his charges have a big She'enan is pitching the wol'k into Erin-go-Bragh, and some people seem to think that he may have his horae a trittoo light by the day, but I fancy Sheenan knows very well what he is up to. At anyrate old "Erin" is now looking as well as I have seen him do for some time. The weights for the Maiden Hurdle Race are seemingly satisfactory enough to owners and trainers. I have heard no adverse criticism on the event at' anyrate. Freeman wap undoubtedly crushed out of the big Steeplechase, but Mr Henry appears to have treated him leniently enough in the Maiden Hurdle Race by letting him in at 11.9. An impression obtains that Freeman will win. Liberator 10.11 has got a good deal of weight for" a nonce, but; he has been a food performer on the fiat, and I understand that c can jump very well. He is exercised at Russley, and I have not seen him at Riccarton but once since he has-been located there. Jack 10.3 must be in the Maiden. He looks a real good stamp of horse, and but, for a continuance of rain I think he will, strip fit enough on the day, contrary opinion notwithstanding. Jacob Faithful 9.9 I do not know anything about at present, but Ben Trovato 9.3 has done a lot of useful work recently, and doubtless Sheenan means him for the race. He was fast on the flat at one time, too. and why Bhould he not have a show 1 Balquither 9.3 has not been broken in for very long yet, but he jumps well and he can gallop fast, and I am of opinion that Jack Butler has a great idea of his winning the race under discussion. Matariki 9.0 was trained at Riccarton some time ago, and he must .have' improved greatly since being trained here- ere he can win the Maiden Hurdle Race from such as Freeman, Liberator, and Balquither. The Winter Handicap, too, has come in for considerable comment, and Vogengang and Cajolery, both 11,5, are supposedj to have a big show. Vogengang is going well, and Cajolery's schooling exercise does not seem to have impaired his speed greatly. Young Cheviot 11.12 may have got a bit too much, buti it must be recollected that he has won in good company, even at Riccarton. Liberator's 11.9 is no more than his public form merits, and The Idler 11.8 only recently won a treble at Wellington. When he came down here ho was a bit light, but Paddy M'Grath seems to have got a bit of flesh on him since his arrival here. Retina 10.13 would have a very big Bhow could she be relied upon, but she will not go Btraight unless when she wants to herself. Awarua Rose, at the same weight, is going very well, but perhaps Melusina 10.1 is the best of Cutts's trio. I hardly think Wayland 10. 0 will be fast enough, 'his minimum burden nevertheless. Of the lot in the First Hurdleß St. Barbe and Jaffa, both weighted at 11.0, are fair horses of the hunter type, but neither is particularly good in fair company on the' flat. J. M'Taggart, who is down here with Unity, thinks of settling down in Palmerston North and establishing himself as a public trainer. He trains horses very well if Unity be a fair example of his work, and I trust he will be successful in getting a few horses. He will give an owner of horses all the satisfaction he will get anywhere, I am confident. Mr O. Campbell has been riding a lot of exercise lately, and a capital horseman he is. He tells me his gelding by Doctor Madge was named Wildfire and not Firefly. Folly seems to be standing all right, and I understand he is a rare "doer." He may win a hurdle race ; he jumps like a deer, and he has ere now shown a good deal of foot on the flat. The chief impression of Victrix at Riccarton is that she is a game, honest mare, but a bit narrow and leggy. She has, however, been taken in a lot of doubles, and it appears her connections think she will run well in the National. Magpie is in fine fettle at Leeston, but he is supposed to be a bit slow, and some of the cleverest people at Riccarton swear by Norton and Clarence. They were coupled for my firat tip, too, and I do not think I waa far wrong in naming the .pair. •' Gondolier is considered too leggy altogether at Riccarton, and his quality is not considered up to a very high standard. Ido not think he is a_ very brilliant horse either, and I doubt his ability to staythe National country. I know some people, however, who are taking him in doubles for the big hurdle race with a National candidate. A real good looking horse is Empire, but a good many people object to his near foreleg, on which there is a big bony enlargement. His owner says he is sound enough, but a good many people do not think he is a horse that will stand long. His owner ought to know what he really is, however. There is a new horse called Director located at Bush Inn now, and he impresses me as a really good one. He resembles Viscount greatly, and from the one gallop he has" had at Riccarton up till to-day (Monday), I should say he is a fast horse. Solomon is going real well, and, he does not look like one that will go away empty-handed. His stable companion' Jos. Sedley can gallop a bit, too. ■ ' Clyde is pegging away very well, and we all know he can jump. He looks in about as good fettle as ever I have seen him. Another jumper in excellent fettle is Bloodsucker. He may not be fast comparatively, but he appears to be in as good nick as anything about, and he jumps well. I hear that Marvel, now , being trained at Rusßley, is going on very well, and it is expected he will win a race at the forthcoming National meeting. Opinions differ respecting the chances of Mr O'Brien and the 0. J.C. in the pending law suit. The case is a very interesting one anyhow. I understand that some of the Linsdale Lodge -horses will shortly depart for Australia, but I do not know what it is intended to Eend over.