CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 30

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

P-Y B.ATA.

Tho nominations for the Lancaster Park Trotting meeting to be held in July are not considered particularly good, but some excellent trotting may be seen at the park nevertheless. A feature in tho programme is the Exhibition Trot, a recordbreaking event, and it may produce some little excitement. Specification is the only horse entered so far, but it appears that trotters can be entered later on, and several contestants may put in rtn appearauce. The conditions stafce that a horse must break the world's record over some distance, either in saddle or harness. There are horses here, I think, that can do that over four miles. The four-mile record is the one that will have to be broken. We have nothing hero that can look at the one, two, and three mile world's records. Tho four-mile record is a lot easier broken than tho five ; lOmin 52isec for four miles is not particularly good travelling ; indeed, I doubt whether that record be correct, but it was argued at Riccarton this morning that it is correct and .assuming that it is so Specification can, I think, lick it, and so can Kentucky. In fact, Kentucky has done better time than lOmin 52} sec over four miles, but ho only finished second. 1 do not know that the Exhibition Trot will do a world of good, but I do think it will nitiko a New Zealand trotting horse a world's record holder for a short time at anyrate. A ' sticker " with a 2nrin 40sec gait over a mile could, I should think, easily cover four miles in lOmin 52}scc, and Specification has a 7inin 35scc performance to his credit over three miles. That performance means about 2mm 32sec per mile over three miles, and as he is a real good stayer it is a moral certainty he can cover four miles in less than lOmin 52} sec. My impression is that Specification, real well, is considerably better than a 2miu 30sec horse over a mile, and if thoroughly trained i fancy Imperious would be faster than Specification. Brooklyn too, should he train on, will speedily knock his 2mm 41sec for a mile kite high. A faro good one is Brooklyn, and I understand Mr Mace has some more home-bred ones very promising. Mr Maco has rather a big place down at New Brighton, and it is beyond doubt ho has one or two good youiiK-stei-s not yet broken in, I hope, too, Mr Mace does have some good you n" trotters. Immaterial of tho differences existing between the various trotting bodies in existence throughout tho colony now, it is beyond doubt that Mr Mace has done as much as any other man in the interests of trotting in New Zealand. I have known Mr Mace for the last six years, and during that period he has been first and foremost in everything relating to a development of highclass trotting and an extension of excellence in trotting stock. ■ Six years ago trotting here was in its infancy, and now .New Zealand is within measurable distance of breaking the word's fourmile record, and Mr Mace has been one of the chief workers in a probable achievement of that end.

Even should iv world's record be cut at Lancaster Park on July 7, it is not lik'cly New Zealand will hold such a record long if there be any honour in the holding of it ; but should the colony advance in the trotting department in the next six years as it has clone in the past six years, even America may look to her laurels over certain distances. In racehorses New Zealand has turned out some of the best animals that ever looked through a bridle, and the day is not, I think, far distant when the colony's trotters, under equal conditions of racing, will show up woll against the choicest trotting stock of the world. Personally I have always considered the climate of New Zealand a most excellent one for the breeding and rearing of horses, but in respect of trotting I am of opinion that the New Zealand trotter has been improved more by the experience of trainers than by a big infusion of American blood. Wholly immaterial of American blood, there is equine material enough in New Zealand to produce, 'under proper breeding and tuition, the best procurable trotting stock In two or three generations. What does the American trotter owe his quality to ? English blood, of course, and English tuition at that, too. I happen to know something about the origin o f American trotting, and I have heard the whole progress of the game threshed out often enough up till the institution of the kite track and new sulky. We are experiencing nasty weather at Riccarton. Half-pace work, with a very little jumping, was the order of the day last week, and yesterday (Sunday) a heavy, rainfall set in again, and this morning the course was unfit for work. All the hoives were walking about the roads. I looked in at (Jharlie Bourne — the place recently vacated by Mrs Lunn— this morning, and saw Artillery. He is looking, I think, better than ever I have seen him do before, and from tho stock he has got now I have no doubt whatever that he will prove an exceptionally good stallion ; he is about as handsome a thoroughbred sire as you can look upon. He will stand at Riccarton during the covering season, and will not be travelled, ami already there are about 24 mares on his list. 1 do not know what the mares are, but I trust one or two of them are good ones likely to nick well with Artillery. Given the chance some moderate stallions in Canterbury have had he will be the progenitor of something in the top-sawyer class.

1 had a long chat with Bourne this morning. In his time he has owned some good horses, and I fancy he' may have one or two in training again shortly. He does hot care for the hunter class. He wants something good to operate unon, and towards the opening of the season he will no doubt have one or two decent flat-race nags in his stable.

" J?ree" Holmes is now located at Sam Higgott's place, and I saw his horses in their boxes to-day. Dumlop is the best of the trio lie has in training, and though he is a vastly-improved horse from the time he first came to Kiccarton he hardly looks as well now as I have seen him do. This is accounted for, however, by the fact that he has just recently been taken up. Until lately he has been running about in a paddock, and has been mostly grass fed. Hia long coat does not improve him either in point of looks, but that will .soon come off now, and after " Free" has had him in hand for a couple of months I fancy he will be a very prepossessing nag of his class. At one time last season lie was in good racing fettle at Riccarton, but I do not think the best of him has been seen yet. He will never be a first-class horse, bi t if lie progresses all right' he will be useful. He ran fairly well as a two-year-old, and the chances are he will run better when "Free" Holmes gets a bit of condition on him than he has ever done previously. The Chicken in "Frec's" charge is a big upstanding horse that Butler brought down from the North Island with Chester Lad. The Chicken has been hunted a lot evidently ; he has been cut about the legs considerably. I believe, however, that he is a good jumper, and as he is being regularly hunted he may have a look in for something at some of the Hunt Club gatherings towards the end of the hunting season. To show his best form, however, he will want to get a bit more condition on him.

The third horse in the boxes at Higgott's is a chestnut by Bob In, and though he is certainly not a full-blooded horse he is not a bad stump of hunter. Like The Chicken he is being hunted regularly, and I fancy he will prove a better horse than The Chicken in August. He is in better condition now. J know the lad who educated him in jumping, and he tells me he jumps beautifully, and can go fairly fa.st, and that he has been well cared for of late. He certainly looks a bit rough and soft at present ; but I think his trainer has time to get liim in very fair fettle by August. I met Mat Goodger on Saturday afternoon, and he has no horses in training at present, though lie has access to a beautiful training ground— the ground, iv fact, where he schooled Liberator in such a short time for the Grand National Hurdle Race last year. How many trainers would have lu-oiight that horse out as he did? Very few, I opine ; lie had hardly any time to school him in. For the New Zealand Cup, too, he brought that horse to the post in a ( ondition he was never perhaps in before. In a good many years Liberator would have won that Oup. My opinion is that Mat Goodger found out a secret in the training of Liberator ; and a-? he is a really good man with hordes, I hope to see him have one or two in training shortly. Should he not got any to train just at present, however, he will have something in work bhortly. Mat is coming into a bit of money.

There was a big attendance at the hunt on Saturday afternoon, and it is evident there are some fairly good hunters about, but at the Hunt Club meeting I fancy it will be equally evident that some of them are short of training. Owners of hunters generally make a great mistake in not putting their horses into competent hands for training early in the hunting season.

Mr O'Brien's horse Yellow Jack has been hunted recently, and he jumps very well indeed He is in regular work, too, when the weather permits, and some of them may presently be " whipping the cat" for not buying him at the small price he is on offer for. Some good judges about here think he is a better horse than the one R. Ray gave £30 for. Mr Murray- Aynsley tells me that he thinks he will school War Dance after all for National engagements. A fortnight ago he did not think that horse would be jumped this season,, but it now appears that an effort will be made to get a jumping race or two out of him in August. I should think War Dance will make a good jumper. As a maiden, too, he is just one of a stamp to smother all opposition in a big hurdle race. Perkin's accident to his stifle has proved more serious than was expected. He is still lame, and the cut shows a lot of proud flesh, and is also festering. I fancy, however, the accident will not interfere with his running at the National meeting ; he is in such excellent condition that a fortnight's idleness is not likely to harm him much. Token has been turned out, and he will be given a lengthy spell. He went a bit wrong in one of his legs. It is expected that a 12 months' spell will make him perfectly sound again.