CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 41

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Ffutz.

As a whole, better racing has seldom been seen at Riccarton than that witnessed on Thursday and Saturday at the Summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club. Some of the finishes, especially on the first day, were remarkably close,- and taken altogether, the gathering can fairly bo put down as successful. Financially — looking at the fixture from a totaKsator standpoint — the result is not quite so good as that of last season, when £9942 was put through the machines, as against JEB9II this year. The meeting has usually resulted in a slight loss to the club, and will probably do so again ; but that is alter all a smalt item to the C.J.C. The fixtuie gives South Island owners an opportunity to make a lew pounds, and occasionally attracts those from the Noith. The attendance on both days was about up to the average of past years, and the weather was all that could be desired.

A start was made on the first day with the Halswoll Hurdle Race, the withdrawal of Sub Rosa leaving Dundee, Clinker, and Fly to contest the race. Dundee outjuniped his opponents, and although a& is usual with the son of DuntrooD he was under the whip almost tho whole way, he comfortably disposed of Clinker. Fly, who was then hopelessly beaten, blundered at the last fence and unseated C. Cochrane, but fortunately without injuring him.

The Hornby Welter resulted m a surprise being effected by Garrnoran, who is a three-year-old gelded son of Cianranald and Fauna, owned by the well-known local auctioneer, Mr A. Boyle. The Spinner and Leather Medal were almost "equally supported on the totaiisators. At the end of the first furlong the Stepniak — Illusion gelding Rougcmont was showing the way to The Spinner and Leather Medal, but with half the distance covered old Skirmisher put in his claim. In the run down the straight he disposed of Leather Medal and The Spinner, but Garrnoran came very fast on the outside, and with Skirmisher objecting to the flail, Garmoran secured the stake by a bare length, whilst Gold, who had an uncomfortable passage, was a good third. The last-named was purchased by Mr D. O'Brien out of a Selling Race at the Christchurch Racing Club's meeting two months ago, and he has since worked a wonderful improvement in Trinket's daughter. Rougerriont is a big, lumbering gelding, who should improve in time. Old Banner was sent out in swaddling clothes ; First Blood took no part in the final struggle, and The Spinner xan below expectations. The race was probably the be3t of the meeting, as a hundred yards from home a length only separated the first seven. G-ar-moran carried 8.0 and covered the seven furlongs in 1.32 -1-5, not bad going for a three-year-old. His owner participated to a small extent in the £32 dividend, whilst an individual whose dreams foreshadowed the horse's success purchased one ticket. The trainer of the horse, M. Hobbs, did not consider his charge was worth supporting. The Middle Park Plate was reduced to an unequal match between the three-year-old Screw Gun and the two-year-old Cavalry, a coll by the Trenton horse Light Artillery from Sunningdale. The youngster is a powerfully-built short-legged colt, just the sort to furnish into a clinking three-year-old. Ho had bo show whatever against the Yaldhurst crack, who simply cantered horce in the 3iow time oi. 1.20 1-5. Belligerent easily accounted for the Telegraph Stakes, the last hundred yards finding a weak spot in Constance, who finished second, whilst Miss Rudslone was third. The winner was bought in at £40, half of which goes to the owner of the second horse, and the remainder to the club. This means that the owner of the winner actually receives lOsovs from the stakes, exactly one-half of second money; but, oS course, the stable benefited fiom the totalisator. The well-bred Crow's Nest, by Cianranald from the Maxim mare Weather eye, ran very poorly indeed, and is evidently not yet ready to race, if he ever^ does. Seabrook ran disappointingly, and Blunderbuss is piobably not much good.

Jupiter was the only withdrawal from the Midsummer Handicap, and of the remainder SkobeloS was heavily supported, the son of Stepniak, who was brought to the post carrying Mason's best polish, looking very fit and well. Of the 1012 investors in this race SkobeloS carried nearly one-third. Malatua looked well, and though he failed to gain a place, he occupied a good position for two-thirds of tho journey, and then the weight and pace, not his condition, stopped him. Djin Djm has never appeared better to the eye, and he piobably ran the best race of his life, as he was carrying 8.8, and 1 finished a fair third. Matthews had to ride him almost the whole journey, and from this it will be gathered that though lazy he is a fair horse. Strathnairn was one of the best-looking of the lot ; but he died out of the struggle at the business end of the journey, and finished last. Dundas went out second favourite, and for over a mile and a-quarter he led the field at a clinking pace; but he failed when the pinch came, as he has frequently done before, and I am satisfied that he cannot stay a mile and a-half at a strong pace. He was well treated, had a clear run, and could not see it out. Dundas has been described as unreliable, but he is reliable enough over a distance of ground of which he is master, say a^inile, and it willtake a really top-sawyer "to beat him over eight furlongs. Probably Hobbs will not attempt to again train him over a long journey. It is just possible that whilst the horse was been condemned as soft-hearted, he is simply unable to stay, and no animal should be condemned if he is physically debarred from successfully galloping over a mile and a-half. I confess that I have several tmes selected Dundas to win races over 12 furlongs or more, and have also been inclined to write him down ; but I am convinced, after seeing the horse suddenly drop out of several long contests, that he is not able to stay, and that it would be better if he were never asked to gallop over a mile. Huku probably registered the finest performance of the whole lot. He was almost last at tho entrance of the straight, but he finished at a great pace, and filled fourth position, just behind Djin Djin, though many expressed the opinion that Dundas defeated hm. Haria appeared unable to get to tho leaders during the earlier stages of the race, and although he made a nice, though perhaps too early, run at the top turn, he would not pace it with the leaders at the finish, and dropped back to seventh position. Cameo has filled out into a commandinglooking horse, and that he has pace is proved by the fact that he raced alongside Dundas for a mile, shortly after passing which he had had enough. Ben Farley's owner was quietly confident that his horse would trouble the best of them; but notwithstanding this fact, and that the horse had registered one of the best mile and a-quarter training gallops seen on the track this season, he went out with odds of 9 to 1 laid against him. Always in a handy position — he was running about third for a mile and a-quarter — he came awey, and at the distance post he appeared to be running along at his ease. Abreast of the stand, however, SkobcloS, on the rails, threw out a determined challenge, and Hewitt, who lode a fine race all through, had to shako up Ben Farley to win by about half a length. Skobeloff actually got his nose in front once. I fancy Hewitt allowed his mount to slacken down eve so little, when the race appeared at Ira mercy, and it is nob easjr to get a horse at top again. Ben Parley/ s

victory was well received. Ab I have previously stated, T. Sheenan refused £250 for his horse a fortnight ago, and he must now congratulate himself that he declined to part with the horse. Ben Farley has made a vast improvement during the last few months, and had it not been that he injured one of his legs just before the Christchurch Racing Club's Sumrnei meeting, and so prevented his showing his best form, he would not have got into the Midsummer Handicap at 7.1. The pace was strong all through, as will be gathered from the fact that the 12 furlongs were covered in 2.3G 2-5, which, as will be seen from the accompanying table, constitutes a record for the race since the distance was altered in 1888 to a' mile and a-half: —

The St. Leger — Forme colt, Formosan, was made a pronounced favourite for the Lyttelton Plate, for two-year-olds. He got well away, and secured the event comfortably from the Stepniak gelding Ladykiller, the lalter's stable mate, Whirlwind, from the Dunedin Cup winner Tempest, finishing in third position. Cavalry, Melita, Warbeck, Sara, Mackintosh, Stephanie, and Clytie also started, but none of them had the slightest hope of succeeding. The winner "'is a big, lumbering colt, just the sort one might expect to fill out into a Derby hoiss, but 1 cannot say I like him very nrfich, and, in addition, he is said not to be a good winded colt. However, he has plenty of 'size, and if he should happen to train on and stay, he ought tc worthily uphold the reputation already made by members of his family. That public favourite Blazer really had no trouble whatever in annexing the Craven Plate. Jumping ofi in his usual styie, he was in command from the time the barrier v/ent up until about a hundred yards from home, where Suzannah, under the whip, was allowed to range alongside him, but Jackson only had to move ever so little, and the son of St. Clair came away in a canter^ The great merit of his performance in carrying 10.2 and cutting out the seven furlongs in lmin 29 l-ssec, was at once recognised by those present, the horse being greeted with a well-deserved cheer on his return to scale. Suzamnh was the only one to get near the brilliant southerner, whilst Rochester finished third. Jupiter made no sort of show in this race. He" was slow to begin, and never once flattered his supporters. Hermosa was Blazer's nearest attendant for half a-niile, but here the little mare fell back beaten.

The Trial Stakes, which brought the first day's racing to a conclusion, saw Phryne get home after a capital struggle with Bristol, the Dunedin mare Decoy filling the other unenviable position. This mare was well supported, and looked really well. Phryne is a splendid stamp of mare, and when her racing days are over she should bo invaluable as a matron. Bristol appeared to roll a little at the finish. This horse is undoubtedly fast up to sis furlongs.

j The second day's racing saw Dundee, al- . though buidened with 12.13, again easily defeat his two antagonists, Sub Rosa and Clinker in the Belfast Hurdle Race. He gained filly two i lengths at every jump, and with Sub Rosa, who is gifted with pace, hitting and negotiating some of the fences badly, the Duatroon horse cantered home a comfortable winner. Clinker also jumped slowly, but he appears to be game enough, and under the whip came at , the leader half a mile from home, but he could not keep with Dundee, "who registered the • good time of 3min 5 4-sseo for the journey. ! The Linwood Welter Handicap was voted a fairly good thing for Dundas, and so it proved, as he was in front the whole way and won in a canter from Gold, who was four lengths / in front of Haria. It would have taken a lo' more weight to have stopped Dundas. Phryne was fourth, but First Blood, Sequin, and Scottish Minstrel appeared to be outpaced. The race for the Champion Plate had been looked forward io as likely to provide the finest race of the meeting, and with the defection of Benzoin the race resolved itself into a match between the three-year-old Screw Gun and the five-year-old Blazer. The latter had been scratched for his handicap engagements, his owner being desirous of giving his horse every chance in his contest, with the Yaldhursfc champion. Both carried ]olb penalties, so that they met on proportionately equal -"/eight-for-age conditions. Tho betting on the event showed Screw Gun in the position of favourite. , Both horses looked thoroughly fit and well. , Blazer's fiiends argued that the form showed | by him in the Craven Plate was good enough to , beat anything, whilst Screw Gun's supporters j suggested that seeing that Mr Stead knew what j Blazer could do the colt must be a Teal good ; one or he would not bo started. When the i tapes went up Blazei, as usual, hopped off a ] length to the good, and at the end of the first i hurdred yards he was two lengths in front of his opponent. Running round the top turn Screw Gun gradually drew nearer to the leader, and when their heads were turned for home the Hotchkiss colt quickly made up his lee way, j and a furlong and a-half from home they were I racing on even terms. The whip was out to i tho Dunediu horse, however, and it was at once j seen that he had met his Waterloo. Screw G-un gradually forged ahead, and abreast of the outside stand« he was a neck ahead. Jackson drove his mount along for all he was j worth, and had the horse tried as hard as his rider the finish might have been closer, though Blazer could scarcely have won. Screw Gun's victory stamps him as one of the greatest horses we have ever had the pleasure of seeing race in the colony, and his success" when pitted against an acknowledged champion, who got all the best of the start, makes him out uncommonly good. Both horses were cheered again and again. Races like these give a fillip to racing which uplifts the sport, and I am quite sure of the truth of the statement thai the event was looked upon as the race of the meeting. Screw Gun may be fully the equal of Multiform for aught I know, but whether he is or not the fact that he carried 9.1, and cut out the seven furlonsfs in lmin 33 l-ssee from a standing start speaks volumes for his quality; and given fail luck Mason should have the ( pleasure ol frequently leading him in a winner jin the future. Both Mr Stead and Mr Solo- | man were heartily congratulated, the latter gentleman being one of the first to shake hands i with Mi Stead and congratulate him on the j possession of a champion. Mr Stead has won ' the race twice, whilst Mr Solomon took it la^l ycir. r| "he following are the winners of the Champion Plate: — 1 fct lb m. per. MS9S— O4'l Medallist 3yrs f! ]0 2 14 3-5 tlPflq-Blazer • ... 4vre 9 8 ISO 2-K 1900— Seiev.- Gun ... Syra 9 1- 128 1-5 Oiw mile and a-qnoi'fer- t Seven furloi g-s. • Tliq Yaldlmrst stable provided the favourite for the Richmond Plate, for two-year-olds, in lamenej who i& a daughter of Dreadnought and

f Marion. The filly won rather easily, WhirlI wind being her nearest opponent, vith Melita, I third. Mr Stead thus secured both juvenile I events, and the form as a whole of the two-year-olds makes them out a poor lot. Formosa and 1 ; Ismene carried top weight in their respective races, and defeated the remainder of the youngsters comfortably. Of £956 invested on the St. Albans Handicap no less, then M 55 was put on Benzoin, Ben Parley (£159) being next in demand. Benzoin cut out the running from Ben Parley for half a-mile, the latter stumbling when corning round. th.3 top turn. Skirmisher was piloting the remninder of the field, of whom Jupiter was last. Entering the straight Skirmisher had drawn up to Benzoin, whilst Sochester and The Spinney were close on their with Ben Farley next. Benzoin quickly rotir •% and Skirmisher v/ent on in front, snd a hundred yards from the post he appeared likely to win, but Ben Parley, coming with a- fine run, easily disposed of him., only to be immediately threatened by '.Rochester, who failed by a bare half length. Ben Farley's success under 8.6, in the hne time of Iniin 43sec, makes him out a first-class horse, and equal to the colony's best handicap hoises. Benzoin's running is a great disappointment to his friends and backers. The finish for the Flying Handicap was one of the best of the meeting, First Blood getting home by a neck flora. Dead Beat, who in turn defeated Hermosa by a similar distance. Suzannah and Corusa (who got cast in har bos ' on Wednesday night, and did 'not- start on the first day), were the public selections. Corusa - was in front for over half the distance, then dropped out of the race. A protest was entered agfinst First Blood on the ground of inconsistent innning, but was nob sustained. Belligerent secured the Selling Race rather easily from Seabrook and Bristol, the last* named failing over the. last Ivundred yards. The winner wa3 purchased by Mr V. Harria ' for £65. As this gentleman owned the second horse Belligerent only cost him £32 10s. The Post Handicap was a gift to Strathnairn. Garnioran and Decoy filling the respective places in the order named. A well-known Riccarton trainer has accepted the position of private trainer to Mi Hungcrford, and. he will shortly leave for Australia to take up his duties. The New Zealand Trotting Association sat from half-past 6 till half-past 2 in the morning taking evidence in tbe All Day — Little Archie case, the rnatser being further adjourned until the following Tuesday at 7 o'clock. The nominations received for the Plumpton Park Trotting Club's Autumn meeting are fairly numerous, and give pionii3e of providing good spoit. A. Franks, jun., arrived at Lyttelton on Saturdiy with the St. Leger — Hazel and St. Leger — Hilda youngsters. They are to be shipped to England. There ia every probability that the Programme Committee o£ the Ashburton County .Racing Club will submit to the members a much-improved programme for its forthcoming Autumn meeting. When Fiv&t Blood won the Flying Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday the result was received with mingled gioans and counter cheers. In the second hurdlo race decided Hit the C.J.C. Summer meeting the hurdle was erected opposite the eastern ei^d of. the new pisr.d, instead of, as in the past, in front of the grrnd stand. Mr Hairy Thompson, of the Cauteibury Yeomanry Cavalry, has been appointed by the Canterbury Jockey Club to act as cle't of the course at Riccarton during the abser.ee of Mr 2,1. JLewin, on service wrh the Third 2vev; Zealand Contingent, now en "route for Sourii AfricaHe was on service ior the first ■ time et the Summer meeting. A new electrical apparatus his beea erected at Eiccarton, the dial of which iaces the saddling paddock. At the proper time, instead of ringing a bell denoting "go to post," the clerk of the scales presses a button, which rings a gong for the space of one minute. This is shortly followed by another ring occupying a fourth of that time, and at the end of four minutes from the first ring the gong bounds again for a rnimvte. The throe rings cover a space of five minutes, and at the third ring all horses in a given race must be out of the paddock, otherwise horsemen aie subject to fines. The Hororata Racing Club has received an entry for its annual meeting quite up to the average of past seasons. The trotting events, as ustial, have filled well. It will be recollected thai for some considerable time cases have been brought against bookmakers by the Canterbury Jockey Club for trespass on the racecouiso. The penciliera have combated the right of the club to exclude them from the course, and finally it wa& decided to bring a test case before, the Supreme Court. Several civilians, at the suggestion of iho bookmakers, interested themselves in the matter, and the case was considered in Chambers last week by Mr Justice Denniston. Several letters on the subject appeared iv the columns of the Lyttelton Times, to which the' following footnote appeared : " The case referred to by our correspondents is that of the Solici-tor-general of the colony, at the relation of T. M'CJatchie, J. Haigh, J. Fox, J. O. Delarnain, and J. Pieece, against the trustees of the Christchurch racecourse, incorporated under the Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Act ofr IS7B, and Sir George Clifford, G-. G. Stead, and W. H. E. Warldyn, defendants. By the statement of plaini, the plaintiffs, through the Soli-citor-general, sought to set aside a certain lease granted on August 8, 1899, by the trustees of the racecourse to Sir George Clifford, Or. G-. Stead, and W. H. E. Wanklyn, of the greater portion of the reserve, and comprising the racecourse and. buildings thereon, ior a term of seven yeais, at an annual rental of £20, to be held by Sir George Clifford, G. G. Stead, and W. H. E. Wanklyn, on behalf of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and subject to such rules, conditions, and regulations as the Canterbury Jockey Club might make. The plaintiffs also sought to have certain lules and regulations declared invalid. These rules and regulations had been made by the trustees on August 8, 1899, and enabled any jockey club to whom any lease of the racecourse might be granted for any term to make its own rules and regulation^ regarding the conduct of meetings, and as to the persons to be admitted to and allowed to remain thereon or excluded therefrom, and also as to the fees and prices of admission^ The defence set up, aftei generally denying matters of fact, was to tho effect that the jockey club had always, in reality, been in possession of the reserve and the racecourse thereon ; that it had laid off the course, erected buildings, and, from first to last, since 1878, spent a sum of at lea3t £-iO,OOO. Also that the jockey cluh gave all reasonable facilities to persons wish- , ing to attend race meetings, and only wished to make rules to preserve order on the course, and to exclude persons therefrom, such as bookmakers. The case would have come on in the ordinary course at the Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court this week, but on Friday, February 16, the defendants, by their solicitors, consented to a decree being made by the court that the lease should be set aside and cancelled, and that the rules and regulations made on August 8, 1899, should jbe declared invalid so far as they permitted any jockey club to make its own rules and regulations as to the- admission or exclusion of persons to t>r from the course. A decree to this effect was made, and the" defendants were ordered to pay to the plaintiffs the costs of the action. As the position now stands, the trustees of the Christchurch racecourse cannot let the reserve to aivy jockey club for any term ; neithei can they empower that jockey club to make rules

of it 3 own relating to admission to or exclusion from the course, and the reserve is left under the sole control of the trustees, subject to the terms of the acts under which they were constituted." The New Zealand Trotting Association has been advised by the Colonial Secretary of the following totalisator licenses allocated to affiliated clubs for the senson 1899-1900 : Ashburton 1, Auckland 3, Canterbury 2, Greymouth 2, Greytown Hospital benefit 1, Hawke's Bay 1 Lancaster Park (now Metropolitan New Zealand Trotting Club) 2, Masterton 1, Nelson 1, 3Sfew Brighton 1, Otahuhu 1, Plumpton Park % Tahuna Park 3, Wellington 1, Westport I,— '■iota 1 . 24. This is practically the list as arranged between the president of the conference and the Hon. James Carroll, who was at the [time of the conference Colonial Secretary, with "tho exception that the Colonial Secretary has deduced the Canterbtiry Trotting Club's permits fey one. It is also likely that the Ashburton 'and Wellington Clubs will each receive a second permit.

Yc.r. Koise. Age. W./I.*. Sl'is Tirae. .st 1b m. .°. ISB3— Bundoora ... 4 8 3 6 335 1581-Choviot 4 S 8 4 34L ISBS- Wapiti 4 6 7 5 3?8 1856-Leon 4 7 3 3 3WI ISB7— ifauician* ... 4 fi ?, (i 37h ISSS-Kpricgston ... 3 6 0 7 2 38:1 ]SS9— Dudu 4 7 5 6 253 J 590- Suit an 5 9 2 6 240 IB9i-Prime 3 7 12 6 2 38 18^2 — Cnichfeld ... a 713 11 289 l fc 93— launce'.ion ... 3 8 3 9 240 ISM-Ilc-j iianl ... 4 7 0 6 2 151 1895-La.VZotl.snrt... a 9 0 5 2}f7i 18H:-La->Z-tKud... a 812 8 238 1897— M'rqnis Zetland 3 712 5 2&7 3-5 189S— AJouutetank ... a ■ 7 5 — 2 3!> 3-5 IS93— AUair 3 8 6 7 237 2-5 !&00— Urn Farley ... 4 7 1 9 236 2-5 * After a dead lieat with D.rvventer, 4yis, Gst, fan" iv Smin 6'Jsec.