CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 37

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By M. Qiud. Final payments for the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race are not due until Friday next, and this, added to the fact that I am writing eight days before the meeting takes place, makes my selective task all the harder. There seems to be a general opinion that the field this year will probably be the weakest from almost every standpoint that has ever contested the Grand National Steeplechase. The freather has cleared up wonderfully during the last few days, and if the welcome change is continued for another week the course, which has lately received a fair amount of attention, should be in tip-top condition. Trainers, however, have had to resort to all sorts of practices to keep their horses in anything like condition to enable them to successfully compete at the meeting. The next week should effect a great improvement, however, and I hope to see the South Island horses hdld their own with animals trained in the North. The betting market still shows Dummy as favourite, whilst Muscatel and Powder Monkey have also been well supported. Morag is not often inquired for compared to those mentioned and Tally-ho and Venture are not without a few friends. Perhaps the simplest method of placing my opinion before my readers is to give each horse engaged a paragraph to himself. Commencing with Dummy, 12.9, I can only say that last year's •winner should run a great race, and if he does not win, he should occupy a place. In company ■with Muscatel, on Saturday, he galloped nicely »t half-pace, and jumped several of the laining

fences and walls in capital style. Last year, in all his work, he was never extended, and his sole jumping was at the wall going down the back, which he negotiated each round. The Mute's son is jumping as boldly now as he did then, and, in addition, he appears to be in fairly forward condition. The chances of such a wellknown capable performer as Dummy cannot be overlooked, especially as he knows the country, and can be trusted to successfully negotiate it. He will probably be ridden by P. Johnston, his pilot last year, and notwithstanding heavy impost, which is 231b more than he carried to victory a year ago, I fancy that whatever beats him will win. Morag, 11.1, has improved a great deal in appearance since I last saw him and he is another that can be trusted to jump. The old fellow has lost a lot of that ragged look that used to characterise him, and as his recent running denotes that he is still possessed of a fair amount of pace, I fancy he will be a hard one to defeat. Muscatel, 11.0, in her gallop with Dummy, did not jump nicely at the beginning, but she afterwards showed up well, and if she is her stable companion's superior, which I doubt, the Wanganui winner will take some beating. She looks really well, and will probably run a nice race. - Kanaka, 10J.3, will scarcely see the po3t, consequently it is useless discussing his chance. Kuku I will not have. From what I have seen of him in the past, and on his work, I should say the contract is just a bit beyond him. He is doing useful work, though he would please me more if a little more pace was shown by him. Ruby is fast enough, but appears to be a mo3t unreliable fencer. She won as she liked at Hawke'e Bay, but then, the conntry is not like Wat at Riccarton, and as she refused at the { Hawke's Bay Hunt Club meeting and repeated her conduct here on Saturday morning, I am ! not enamoured of her prospects. She will jump better, perhaps, in a field. I am told Venture gave her a lead twice on Saturday, which she declined to accept, consequently I do not at present see how she can prevail. Blackberry, 10.6, I am afraid, will be an absentee. A nice horse this, and one, too, that might have made the race interesting, but he is not quite himself, and Eia exercise during the past few days has been confined to walking. Tally-ho, tO.O, ha-s put in some useful work riinco her arrival, and she is an accomplished fencer, but I have not much fancy for her. Powder Monkey, 9.9, has never been better than she is now, and if the little marc goes straight, I cannot see anything likely to beat her. Of course, that little "if " has a lot to do with her prospects, as she cannot afford to stop on the journey ; but, all standing up, she must have a real good chance. Powder Monkey has occasionally jumped cleanly and well, both in her races and in training, and there is no doubt about her pace. With a nice handy weight like 9.9, I fail to see how the top weight can give her 3st. But while she is a certain jumper, she has run down the smallest fence in the long journey she will have to negotiate. The stable appears to estimate her chance very uighly. Venture, 9.8, is a fine fencer, but, as I have before said, is slow. He is bound to sh*po fairly well, and there are many judges who consider that as the obstacles require a lot of jumping, his ability in this direction will counteract his deficiency in pace. Te Kooti, 9.7, I have no fancy for, and although he can jump all right, he haß none too much pace, and, in addition, he is unsound. Regarding the Grand National Hurdle Race, run on the second day, and of which I shall have another opportunity to speak, I can only say that I believe Social Pest will at least obtain a place, and of the others I like Defiance and Dundee. Marina is an unlikejy starter, Umslopogaas though looking well is scarcely the horse he was two years ago, and Torpina, at the moment, is under a cloud. Troubadour looks really well, as does Windermere, who is juinpiug in great style. Kuku I do not like, and for the remaining five I have but little regard. The betting points to Defiance as the likely winner, but as he is engaged in the Maiden Hurdle Race, he may, if started, give a better line of his ability. Of the Winter Cup field I can only say I still look to Ngaparu to run a great race, as 'also will Mauser and Benzoin. Female Franchise and the better of Castashore and First Blood •nay run well. A glanco at the handicaps for the First Handicap Hunters' Hurdle Race suggests that the top weight, Irish Twist (12.9), should have something to say in its decision. In jumping a few hurdles at Riccarton he jumped very big and very wild, so much so that Windermere, his companion. vnA nearly jumped on by the big fellow. If he improves a little, he should run well, as he is gifted with pace. So, too, is the Maxim horse Proverb (12.0), but he is not the best of stayers, and if the pace is made fairly strong, Ido not think he will see it out. Zola, at 11.12, may be dangerous, as he is fast, but I have no fancy for Crusader (11.11) or Te Kooti (11.10). Victoi II (11 9) is not particularly fast, and I do not favourably rf:gard the nrospects of Fly (11.5), I Tamapu (11.4), Skipper (11.4), or Mpdicus (fl.8). i The latter has any amount of pace for a contest of this description, but he does not much relish fences. Birthday (11.8) and Liberal (11.2) should be dangerous. In the Maiden Handicap Hurdle Race Defiance is set to give Jib a stone and a-half, and he can" probably do so, but a win in this race would penalise* the Dreadnought horse slb in the big event. Roller, a stable companion, may be preferred to Defiance. 1 shall be surnrised if either Vulcan, Shekel, Pensioner', or Rangefinder proves victorious, and lielieve the contest will be fought out between Mr Ormond's representative and Jib. There are only eight engaged in the Enfield Steeplechase, of whom Black Dust gives the next on the list, Barnardo, 61b. The former has been lumping well in the north, and ought to run well. Bprnardo will take a lot of beating, and if he successfully negotiates the course (he is jumping well), he may nearly win. Dundonald is a capital jumper, and fairly fast, though I hear he is not as forward as his trainer could wish, and of St. Hiko and Schnapps the latter has a recent victory in a similar contest to recommend Irim. Huntingdon, Rawai, and Dugald are also fairly safe conveyances, and I quite expect to see a really pretty race. My selections are as follows- — First Hunters' Hurdle Race. — Proverb. Maiden Hurdle Racp. — Defiance. Winter Cup Flat Race.— Huku. New Zpaland Grand National Steeplechase. — Powder Monkey. Tally-ho Pate Steeplechase. — Natation. Enfield Handicap Steeplechase. — Barnardo. Ladies' Bracelet — Dundee or Bulrush. The only serious defections, as disclosed by the first acceptance for the New Zealand Cup, j are Daunt, Oingo, and Starshot. lam unaware what caused the former's withdrawal, but Mr Hobbs's mare has injured a suspensory ligament, and will probably never again race. This is extremely hard luck, as the mare has not done much since she became an inmate of I the stables at the Racecourse Hotel. She was | scratched for the Winter Cup at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday last, and this paved the way for her withdrawal from the New Zealand Cup. It was generally anticipated that St. Paul and Swordrect so far as the latter is concerned, the top fish II would retire, but whilst this was corweight has stood his ground; not only so, but he could have been laid to win betiveen £3000 and £4000 last week if the price had been agreed to, so that someone thinks highly of his chance. A thousand was secured hero from one bookmaker alone. St. Crispin and Blue Jacket

r were questionable acceptors/ and they have gone out. Crow's Nest has probably been taken ' out because he showed but little ability, and the ! same may be said of the remainder, with the exception of Lord Rosslyn, who has gone to his owner's stud farm. The publication of the list has not led to an increased speculation, Explosion still holding his position of favourite. The payment of forfeits shows that 32 are left in the Welcome Stakes, of whom Mr Stead and the Hon J. D. Ormond have three each, and Sir Gr. Clifford two. Twenty-five remain in the Derby Stakes, the Yaldhurst stable having five engaged — viz., Screw Gun, Sant Ilario, St. Lucia, Skobeloff, and Courtier, Tolstoi being withdrawn. The Oaks Stakes- list contains the names of 20 fillies, the Hon. J. D. Ormond being the only owner with more than one representative. The Eighth Challenge Stakes has still a large number engaged, but in this race, as in the others, many ought probably to have been withdrawn. The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr F. H. Pyne to Mr A. Boyle, of Christchurch, regarding the passage of the champion, Multiform, in the Ruahine: — "Wo have had the most awful Jroubie with Miiltiform. He did really well until a fortnight ago. All through the bad weather he was splendid. After leaving Monte Video, Doolan (the man in charge) gave him a dose of physic, as he wanted it, and on the Saturday he could not 'have been better. On Sunday morning, June 31, Doolan. sent ior me. Tha horse would not feed, and was lying flat on his side with his head stuck out. He semed to be in no pain. ■ Doolan had already given him a cold drench. I About four hours afterwards he began strugj gling awfully, and knocked himself about a good deal. We poured a pint of beer, with some ginger and nitre, into him. We also fomented him for hours_ with blankets, wrung out of very hot watei, changing them every few minutes. ( But it was impossible to tell where the pain j was, or what was wrong. We took his temperaI ture; it was only 103deg. Of course, Doolan I sat up with him all night. The captain had j the electrio light laid on the box, and he and i all on board, especially Parsons and M' Alpine, I the first and third officers, worked like Trojans, I and helped in every way that they could. Next I morning the horse was worse. His eye was glazed, and he turned very savage and dangerous; before his temper was perfect. We had to pour o.itmeal gruel down his throat to keep him alive. On Monday afternoon he started to purge violently. We gave him a pint of castor oil, with 60 drops of laudanum, and next morning he seemed easier, but still very bad. In the j afternoon he waa much worse again, and we j feared that it was impossible to save him. To i make a long story short, this lasted for eight | days. All the time it seemed 100 to 1 against j iiim, but Doolan and a capital man. named Frew, whom he got out of the steerage to help him, worked like tigers and kept him alive. | He had to be drenched all the time with gruel, | and he would eat nothing. He also continued to purge violently. On the 19th, when we I reached ,T'eneriffe, he was better. The agent there had. been instructed to wire about him. Two code words had been Bent, one to mean "Horse is well," the other "Horse is dead." Of course, neither of these was any good. Wa wired " Horse ill. Advise meet at Plymouth.'' At Tenerifie it was impossible to get any green stuff. However, I got a lot of delicious young carrots. They were lOcf a dozen, but hang the expense. He likes these very much, and they will last to Plymouth. To-day he is nearly well, feeding all right, eye bright, coat shining, in no pain, temper good, and in very good condition considering. In his struggles he chipped several pieces off his head and body, but this ' is nothing, and the wounds will be well in a week. He kicked poor Doolan on the temple and nearly killed him, and also bit a piece out of his arm. He is the best man I ever saw with a horse, and whatever was wrong was no fault of his. He was most careful about feeding and j watering, and in every way did all that was I possible. No trouble was too much, and hs ! hardly left the horse day or niglil. Once he I never left th<s box for 16 hours. I shall certainly beg ivlison to reward him handsomely, and I think the officers also ought to be re- " warded. M'Alpine. the whole of one broiling afternoon in the tropics, was stripped to his waist helping to foment the horse. The puzzle is, what was wrong? It coald not have been hia kidneys or inflammation of any sort, and I i can only think that it was violent cramp in the stomach from want of exercise — muscular con- j j traction, in fact, I am sure the weather was j not the cause. It was never very hot, and there j was also a good current of air through the box | always. The only thing I know is that the | Horse was nearly dead for eight days." i Mr H. Brinkman's handicaps for the first i day's racing at the Canterbury Trotting Club's Spring meeting, which commences on AugU9t 16, are almost sure to be liberally responded to by owners. In the' absence of acceptances I I would suggest that Director, Effie. Jean Valjean, and Governor may trot well in the Innovation Saddle Handicap, and probably Gladys 11, Farewell, Daystar, and Amelia may between j thfm provide the -winner of the Pony Harness j Handicap. In the High-class Handicap Wildwood meets Viclcery on lsec better terms than when the lattei* defeated the big: horse, bul that rs.ee was nin in very heavy, sloppy going, which does not suit a long-striding horse like Wildwood. Vickery, however, is likely to gain a considerable advantage from a standing start, but even so, as between this pair, I fancy Wildwood will on this occasion reverse the placinga. j Prince Imperial ssec reads well if he is ready ; to race, whilst Cling, on the same mark, is bound to run well. Again, there is a speedy pair in Candidate and General Tracy 6sec each, whilst Lauderdale $)sec and The Baron and Motuiti on the lOsec limit mark make up a high-class field, and I look forward to a slashing racp. Wildwood ought to win. In the Intermediate Handicap (in saddle), I like the look of Miss Brownwood, Lexington, and Bazaine, and Thelma, Woodbine, and Wandering Willie are a promising trio in the Progressive Harness Handicap. The Spring Handicap (in harness) is likely to nroduce a fine contest, and I expect to see Almont run a great race. Sing Sing is another promising horse, and perhaps Vasco, if he is thoroughly well, which I doubt, may have a show. Milp Electric Saddle Handicap will see Bellman very near the winner at the finish, and Misa Biownwcod, Ruahine, and Young Burlington may also be seen to advantage. Perhaps Polly Huon, Shylock, and The Member will shape prominently in the Dash Harness Handicap. The show ground track has been the scene of a fair amount of work during the last few days, and some fair performances have been registered. It has dried up splendidly since the advent of fine weather, and if it continues dry until the meeting, the track ought to be in fairly good condition. Mr Mace was offered £160 for his Rothschild pacer Almont, but declined to part with him at that figure. Registration trotting certificates are now ready for distribution. The annual meeting of the South Island Trotting Association was held on Monday of last week. Present — Messrs Selig (president), Harris, Myers, CJarkson, Chadwick, M'Lean, Derrett, Howell, Walker, and Mulholland. Several members spoke highly of the services rendered to the association by the secretary, and it was unanimously resolved to grant him a bonus of £40. The chairman congratulated members on the position of the association, and said that there could be no doubt that the pant year had been very satisfactory, so far as the South Island was concerned, and that the efforts of the association had been in the best interests of the sport. He mentioned the fact of the Lancaster Park Club having purchased a

' ground as an evidence of the healthy state of trotting. He concluded with an expression of the hope that the new board would successfully carry on the good work that had been commenced. In speaking to the vote of thanks to Mr Selig, several "members referred to the great services rendered by him to the association as president. Mr Selig acknowledged the compliment. A vote of thanks to the treasurer concluded the business. The following balance sheet was submitted at the annual meeting of the South Island Trotting Association, and was adopted: — Receipts — To balance, 1898, £114 4s Id, subscriptions £25 4s, passing programmes £48 10s, license fees £105 7s 6d, appeal deposits £20, clubs' fees collected £10 2s, changing name of horse £5, rules and minutes of conference £5 10s, assumed names £2 2s, Ashburton Trotting Club (refund) £4, North Island Trotting Association (refund) £5 ss; total £345 4s 7d. Expenditure— By secretary's salary £63 15s, returned appeal deposits £20, printing and advertising (licenses, Referee and Turf Register) £19 11s 6d, rent £29 7s 6d, refund fees (Tapanui R.C. and Gore R.C.) £10 2s, petty cash (telegrams, stamps, typing, correspondence, gas, cleaning rooms, and stationery) £19, minutes (conference) £5 10s, refund (change of name-) £5, conference expenses (secretary, printing, and stamps) £15 17s 6d, P.O. box £1, stationery £1 3s 9d, auditor £2 2s, stamps in hand £1 19s Id, credit balance at Bank of New Zealand £150 16s 3d; total £345 4s 7d. Assets— To furniture £17 13s 6d, rules £3 10s, Turf Registers £4 4s, stamps in hind £1 19s Id, credit Bank of New Zealand £150 16s 3d ; total £178 2s 10. J. Rae, the Auckland trainer, is staying at the Racecourse Hotel, H. Goodman at Derrett's, R. Kingan at Webb's, Mr Haxdwick at Thomson's, and S. Waddell at Mrs Luna's. The monthly meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club was held on Tuesday. Leave of absence for three* months was granted to Mr F. H. Pyne. It was decided that the existing trainers' and jockeys' licenses should hold good for the Grand National meeting, and a sub-committee was appointed to report on the applications for the new season, the- report to be made at the next monthly meeting. A. number of amateur riders' certificates were issued, and several trainers registered. An application for removal of the disqualification of a horse that ran at Heathcote was refused. The secretary of the New Zealand Trotting Conference on Wednesday despatched to all affiliated clubs the nomination papers, which, are returnable by August 14. Ab soon as they are in hand, the list of those nominated for the nine seats on the board will be sent out to clubs, whose voting papers have to be in the hands of the South Island Trotting Association by August 28. Each club may nominate five members for the board. The annual general meeting of members of the Ashburton Trotting Club was held on Tuesday afternoon, and was very well attended. The annual report was read by the secretary, Mr W. Simpson. After congratulations on a successful season and a promising future, the report referred to the good financial position of the club, which had a credit balance of £42 12s 6d. An extra totalizator permit had been granted, so that another meeting in the year could be held. The following officers were elected: — Mr Donald M'Lean, president; Mr P. Devane, vice-presi-dnt and treasurer ; Mr W. Simpson, secretary ; Mr A. A. Fooks, auditor. Two new members were elected and a deputation was appointed to interview the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association on the subject of the trotting track. The Tiniaru Hunt Club Steeplechase meeting will be held on ' Thursday, 'the gathering having been postponed one week on account of the state of the ground. The cpmmittee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club has passed its programme for the forthcoming Spring meeting. The delegates of the South Island Trotting Association intend to ask Mr T. Selig, president of the South Island Trotting Association, to accept a souvenir from them for the manner in which^ he has conducted the business of the association since he has been its president. A requisition signed by seven members of the Canterbury Trotting Club has been forwarded to the president asking him to call a special general meeting to reconsider the proposal to amalgamate with the Lancaster Park Club, now known as the New Zealand Metropolitan Trot- ! ting Club. It is understood that the questiou ] will come up for discussion on Wednesday next. August 8. Dauntless and Kanaka were yesterday scratched for all engagements.