CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 41

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fritz. Though we arc within four days of the C.J.C. Midsummer meeting, scaicely any apparent in-

teiest has been manifested in it, the sending off of the third contingent being aunost the sole topic of conversation ; in fact, half tha poi:>ulntion sesms to have got almost " dotiy "' on the subject, and went completely '' balmy "■ on Satuiday, when the contingent waa Inivdit on board the troopship. As pievio^jiy ieporied, several well-known sportsmen and relatives of sportsmen form part of die contingent, and sporting men rolled up in great' stiength to wish thorn lion voyage. Hiwke'a Bay supplies two or three, whose names have already appeared, whilst a son of Mr Upton, piesident of the Ashburton County Racing Club, is also a member. I wished him success and gave him my lucky threepenny-bit, a small ina&cotte, tiuly, but it will probably help to remind him of his friends at home.

But to return to our muttons. First, I will tench on the Midsummer Handicap candidates alieady at Riccirton Malatua is galloping nicely, and ha will assuiedly give 0 good acccuul of himself, though 1 scaicely- fancy ha will win ; but he will not be very far away wben flails aie swishing. He put up a fair gallop on Saturday morning, being all out at the finish, Gold bringing him home. D u in Djin is going on capitally in Lis preparation, and I fancy his trainer expects the son of Dudu=to record a fair performance. Huku registered a rattling gallop in company with ' Haria on Saturday, and the Vanguard gelding ought to be about at the finish. Haria has been galloping in improving style during the week, and he, too, ii reckoned to have somethiiig more ihan an outside chance. Ben Fa: ley may effect a surprise. He is going remarkably well, and as his owner last week refused an offer 01 s £250 for the doubtfully-sired son of Psychej Shcenan evidently fancies his chauce. If he is as good as his lelative, Vogengang, and Sheenan avers he is quite equal to, if not better than, that hovse, no one needs look further for the winner. But that little "if" is a, stumbling block. However, Shee:ian should know, and I expect to see his lightly-weighted representative run a really good race. Skobeloff is, of course, trained afc Yaldhurst, and I consequently know little of his doings. However, I saw him recently,, and he should with a slight improvement on his best form run 0 fair race. No fault can be fouid with Dundas. He has done well of late, and whatever beats this speedy though unreliable horso should nearly win. Regarding the remainder of the events to be decided on tho first day of tho meeting, Blazer is travelling in great etvle, and «*he will certainly go out a pronounced favourito -lor the Craven Plate. The remainder of the horses engaged in this race that I have seen arc going well, but I do not see what -an defeat th* top-weight. Of the two-year-olds, D. O'Brien's Cavalry is improving with c-ch gallop, as also is Ladykiller, and these two may fight out the finish ot the Lyttelton Plate with tne pick of the Yaldhurst pair.'

The examiners of trcop horses offered foi sen ice in the Transvaal lefused a very large number, much to the surprise. I may say, of their owners, many of whom have received a veterinary condemnation of animals hithe2to believed to have been pound. I have been making a few inquiries as to the motable cause of so many being refused, their breeding, etc. I have it from an undoubted authority that the examiners do not highly value trotting-bred animals as iroop horses. O course these gentlemen, it is suggested, n* be slightly piejudiced against the mogeny ' the standard-bled horse, but I have* failed note this. If it is true that horses so b.^ have been turned away on account of ur.souii ness, the matter demands serious con '=ideraU.« at tho hands of our breeders, especirlly wh<fe it is lemembercd that a reputation for unsound.: ness mustdo a gieat deal of harm to our horse trade. Now that so many horses have been shipped from the colony to South Africa and' India, a profitable trade in the future may bo partially spoilt if the get of our standard-bredi American horses acquire a bad leputation. Imust say I was slightly surprised when one gentleman, who hj<s, during the past few months, examined hundreds of horses, answered my question as to what he attributed the difficulty of obtaining suitable pound horses for South Africa with the unqualified 7-eply: "To the cuised American trotting blood!" Chatting further on the matter, this gentleman ventured the opinion that ." horses so bred were only fit to take you so far as the station," and his experience pointed most conclusively to the improbability of Americanbred stock being able to stand the hard work which might be demanded from them ir the Trsnsvaal. I think the question should be thoroughly inquired into, and there is no doubt that if a report could be obtained from the veterinary surgeons and other gentlemen who have been engaged in the inspection of troop horses, its publication might do a great deal of good to horsebieeders, and would also give owners of American horses an opportunity of questioning the opinion. Of racehorses' the gentleman to whom I have referred doss not say a woid — his duty was to examine for .soundness and general suitability. Of course trotting horses are not bred for sale as troop horses, but neither are thoroughbreds. The report is likely to do trotting-horse owners a great deal of harm, and they, too, will be almost as much astonished as I was to have my query replied to as noted above. If nnylhing is wrong, let our breeders try to rectify the evil. It is strange that whilst such a sea tin ag denunciation should be uttered here as to the value of trotting blood, American journals are loud in their praises of the value as a roadster and general utility hor&e of the standard-bred trotter. Trcop horses are not wanted to tiot much in a place like South Africa, but it is not because they cannot gallop that they hive been refused, but becaxise so many were unsound.

The adjourned meeting of the New Zealand Trotting As&ociahon was held on Wechiescsy, when almost the whole of the business transacted concerned Otago, There was a g,ood attendance oi delegates, the preside.it, ilv P. Selig, bei.ig in the chair. G. Wright, whoso disqualification was recently removed, applied for a diiver's axid trainer's license. It wps decided to recommend the opphcant to apply for a licen&e at the end of the current lacing year. The secretaiy of the Tuapeku itacing* Club forwaided the evidence taken in connection with the disqualification of I'ie horso Erin m the Mi'e Tiot decided at the club's Summer meting. Sta+cments wero lead from, Mr Lino, owner of Erin, vho stated that the evidence taken by the stewaiJs was Jtot; read ovcj Lo him, and that he was rot allowed to be pro -out. Also, that he could p. eve that one 01 the was greatly interested in the second l.orse. It was decided to send a copy of Mr Line's, letter to the club, and also to ask Mr Line to fulfil his statement. 16 tiansphed, from a communication read, that Erin was not a registeref! horse. After lengthy affidavits and statements had been read in connection with the appeal case sent foiward by, the Tapanui Chib, this case was also refeired back to the club. A letter was put in from the handicapper, who stated that he vas unaware when he handicapped John Temple that he had won two trots at Heriot. The Heio case, sent up from Gore, was accompanied by sheaves of statements and letters, but here again the association decided to give the Gore Club another opportunity of perusing the evidence pubmitted to the association. Scvcial licen&es were granted. It was resolved to grsrit £25 to the war fund, li vas also agreed 10 con' sidoi the All Day-Little Archie cese on the following Wednesday at 6.30.

Betting on the Greot Easier and Great Autumn Handicaps, which, has not baeii of grei£

volume, discloses Blazer in most demand for the former. Should the son of St. Clair secure the Craven Plate on Thursday, he is sure to have what is known as a "crusher" to carry in the Great Easter.

Mauser is not nearly so big in condition as before leaving for Kaikoura. He will scarcely foe ready to race this week. Glenogle has baen the recipient of attention from the "flue" fiend, and is an unlikely starter at the C.J.C. meeting. Local racing men are looking forward to the meeting of Benzoin and Screw Gun in the Champion Plate. Fast as is the son of Friar's Balssm, I fancy many will be surprised if he is found equal to defeating Screw Gun. What about Blazer?