CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2080, 4 January 1894, Page 30

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Bat*.

The jockey White has arrived here from Australia. He has altered a good bit during his sojourn at the other side, but he tells me he can ride at the same weight he could when he left these shores.

Great dissatisfaction is expressed amongst racing people at the treatment of Cusdin by the V.R.C. The general argument is that if Cusdin be guilty of anything he ought to know what it is, and receive the benefit of a fair trial. These closed door investigations are all humbug as a rule, and especially so in the democratic Australasian' colonies. In an autocratic country you can better understand them. Even then, however, they are not in the interests of anybody bar those sitting in council, unless indeed those people have no interests at stake, and in racing matters it is impossible to have a competent body of turf rulers not pecuniarily interested in horse-racing. Vogengang must have been a great disappointment to Sheenan. At one time he was highly thought of at Riccarton.and it is beyonddoubtthat Sheenan in particular thought the son of Burlington—Psyche a very smart horse. On various occasions he has shown smartness on the exercise grounds too, but at present a majority of Riccartonians would tell you that if he ever shines greatly he will do so over obstacles. There is no doubt he will jump well when required to do so, but it is difficult to say when that may be. I have a strong suspicion his owner still thinks he will win a good race on the flat. Philson is growing into a beautiful colt, and in him perhaps Mr O'Brien will have another good one to take over to the other side. Philson is a much better colt now than when he won at tho metropolitan meeting. It has been rumoured at Riccarton that Response will shortly journey to Australia, but I do not know whether there be any truth in the rumour. Topham does not appear to know anything of the journey. Derrett rides Response in most of her gallops now, but even with him up she sometimes shows symptoms of fractiousmss. I am afraid she is going to develop an unreliable disposition. A great deal has been said about having too much racing in New Zealand, but a majority of Riccarton trainers seem to think that there is too little of it in Canterbury. There is not enough to give the plater class a show of paying their oats bill properly. A good many people are of opinion that trotting is militating unduly against racing. These people, however, are interested in racing and not in trotting, and I fancy trotting has now got far too strong a hold to be put out of court. Indeed trotting meetinga are now frequently better attended than minor race meetings. Inez is going uncommonly well just at present, and backers had better keep an eye on her in the near future.

Though Chain Link is "cronk" in both wind and limb, he is now being pushed along in strong work, and it is evident he will be wanted presently. He may soon win a small race over five or six furlongs too. He is a cut above a good many of the two-year-olds about, and but for his infirmities might have been about the lop of the juvenile tree this season. Wedlock in the same stable does not seem to improve very rapidly. It is evident that Awarua Rose will be wanted shortly. He has lately been doing a deal of strong work, and he now appears to be perfectly sound. He is not, however, as good as he appeared to be at one time. Clanranald is looking all right, and he is also doing a lot of galloping, but he .does not seem to retain the electric turn of speed he once possessed. January 2. The Summer meeting of the C. J.C. was not at all successful. The attendance was not anything like what it ought to have been, and the amount passed through the totalisator was much less than usual. The Summer meeting never pays here ; yet, singularly enough, the racing is always good On Tuesday Mr Cresswell started, and he did fairly well bar the Hornby Welter. The start for the Middle Park Stakes was a real good one, not excepting Miss Madge's whip round after the word was given by the starter. I think Mr Cresswell will make an uncommonly good starter with time. A bad start was certainly made in the Hornby Welter, but My Jack, who had tho worst of it, eventually won easily from Busybody. Jim Harris made a "moral" of that race with Busybody, but when in company with him and Bobby Ray on Monday morning I maintained that My Jack was the batter of the ' pair, and so he proved to be. There is no doubt,

however, that Busybody must have done a big trial, for Jim Harris at any rate was very confident of victory.

Mr Cutts was also very confident of victory with Lakeshell in the Middlepark Plate, and that horse scored his maiden victory in the race. He has been improving lately, and he may continue to improve until he becomes a good, first-class horse. His early galloping was good enough for anything. Neroli was undoubtedly fancied greatly by her trainer for the Middle Park Plate, and Bhe ran really well, Lakeshell only beating her by a head. Great rumours of brilliancy were heard at Riccarton about Reflector, and he ran into third place, and no doubt be had been highly tried. I fancy, however, that his trial could not have been anything like as good as that of Neroli, who ought to have won in her trainer's opinion. I do_ not know so much about that, however. Her trainer, like myself, was at the starting post, and both of us saw the race from the middle of the course, and I fancy Lakeshell had more foot than she had at the finish. Perhaps, however, Emmerson may have made too much use of her early in the race. He made the running. Lakeshell must have been very highly tried. The Midsummer Handicap produced a really good race. Reynard and Au Revoir fighting out a stiff battle for supremacy. The former eventually winning by a head. Only Au Revoir's 51b penalty lost him the race : weight told near the post. Prime Warden ran badly, and apparently he does not like the Riccarton course. Johnny Faa also ran indifferently, but he is a good horse all the tame.

Vogengang's victory in the Craven Plate was a bit of a boil over. He won so easily, and his defeat of Reflector makes the performance appear to be a good one. I have a suspicion, however, that Reflector is not as good a horse as he has been thought to bo. Lord Aston was a great favourite for the Selling Race, but Addington won comparatively easily, with The Winchman second and Lord A-.ton third. Lord Aston could not have been in his best fettle to have been beaten by the first aud second horses. Dunoon, whom Harry Franks brought to the post very well, got home in the Interval Stakes. Piper thought Abel Tasman had a show in that race, but he may have underrated tbe strength of the field. After running badly earlier in the day, Persuasion won the Post Stakes easily. She has only recently been doing strong work, and in all probability Ehe will be a profitable mare during the autumn. There was a little starting pi ice betting done by bookmakers at the meeting, but the machine returns were not interfered with much by the "walking totalisators." Money seemed to be scarce on Tuesday.