CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2409, 3 May 1900, Page 47

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fritz

The efforts made by the New Zealand Trotting Association to bring about an amalgamation between the Canterbury Trotting Club and the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club have failed. It was thought that as a result of the conference between the two presidents of the clubs named and the sub-comrniltee appoiuteel by the association that something would be done, but since then the prospects of a partnership being effected between the two aie less promising than ever. It was understood thai each club should call a special general meeting ti discuss amalgamation, but whilst this was"done by the New Zealand Trotting Association, the other club only discussed .tho. . matter in committee. The result came before the association on Friday, Mr Selig pre-

siding. In the matter of the proposed amalgamation of clubs, Mr T. Marr, secretary of the Canterburj- Trotting Club, wiote enclosing the following resolution: — "That the committee does not see its way clear to act m the matfcei until the annual meeting of the club, the question being of such vital importance to the welfare of the club." The secretaiy of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club enclosed the following resolution: — "That the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club agree to amalgamate with the Canterbury Trotting Club, in accordance with the wish of the New Zealand Trotting As&gsiation and the Colonial Secretary, and as they consider it is in the true interests of the sport, that a committee consisting of Messrs V. Harris, C. Louisson, C. S. Howell, and H. V. Styche be appointed to meet a like number from the Canterbury Trotting Club, to arrange terms of amalgamation." After &ome discussion, jt was proposed by Mr Ho-vell, and seconded by Mr King — "That m viev. of the Colonial Secretary refusing to grar.t the Canterbury Trotting Club another totahsator peimit for this season, and tiie desire of the Colonial Secretary to promote amalgamation with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club having fallen through (although the latter club are prepared to amalgamate at once), the programme submitted by the Canterbury Trotting Club for May be no' passed by this association." The motion was carried. The piogramme of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club was passed for May 2<i and 2G. On the night previous to the first day's racing at. the South Canterbury meeting, J. Lewis, who was m chaige of Mr J. C. N. Grigg's horse Conqueror, was awakened by a lad, who informed him that Conqueror had got out of his box and was running about in tha yard. Lewis at once jumped out of bed, and, right enough, the son of Medallion was cavoitmg round the yard. How long the horse had been out in the heavy lain it is difficult to say, but he must have been there some time, as he was hterailv soaked, avd he had cbewed pietty wel l everything withia reach. Who lei the horse out is a mystery;, buL whoever it was was thoughtful enough ie close and lock the dooi again Conqueror easily secured his race, and his wetting did not appear to have done him much Imm. Peculiarly enough, Lewis tells me that Mr Gugg wired to him on the evening previous to the races to be caieful of the fastenings on Conqueror's box. "When that gentleman arrived in Tirnaru on the following morning, his a3tomshraent may be imagined when he was told chat the lock on the door of Conqueror's box had been tampered with. Perhaps someone can explain this strange coincidence — I can't. Huku may not be seen out again for some time, as he went amiss just before the Autumn meeting of the C.J.C. By the way, his trainer, G. Murray-Aynsley, has left Masham Lodge and taken possession of R. Roay's establishment. Mr G. Dowse, the well-known handicapper, naturally feels annoyed that h.e made a mistake in handicapping Conqueror at 6.10 m the Flying Handicap at Timaru. He willingly admits the mistake, he being under the lmpiession that he was dealing with an entirely unknown quantity. On the second day Conqueror was accepted at 9.4, top weight m the Shorts Handicap, but he did not start.

It will be remembred that Bristol was purchased by G. Murray- Aynsley for J353, after the son of St. Ciair had won the Addmgton Plate at the C.J.C. Autumn meeting. On the day previous to the South Canteibury meeting J. Taggart bought him at the same figure, £10 to be^paid to Aynslej out o£ the first two stakes Bristol might win. Bastol won his two engagements at Tim am, so rt will be seen that Mr *M. Logan {in -nhore nomination the horse ran) and J. Tag,gart have been quickly recouped their outlay. The horse pulled up somewhat sore, but he may "be all right in a few weeks.

G. Matthews las< week took up his new duties at Mr J. B. Reid's establishment.

All Stead is reported to have paid £250 for the Stepniak — Adulation yearling colt. The youngster was passed m at Tattersall's at £175. He is a fine hoise.

After Vandyke had won the Autumn Handicap on the first day of the South Canterbury Autumn meeting the stewards held an inquuy into the hoise's running, he having pieviously i<ui third to Bristol and Phryne m the High-weight Handicap, rwn over seven iurlongs. After lengthy consideration the mattci was held over until the following day. when a vote of censure was passed tip on Mr Fitzgerald, who owns the horse, with an intimation that similar tactics in futuie would be more severely dealt with. This is a queer resolution, and one which could not possibly hpve met the case. If the evidence was Sorong enough to prompt the stewards to tell a man not to do it again, it was strong enough to attempt to prevent him doingit again. If a man deserves censure, why not carry the matter a bit further and disqualify him? Judging by the difference between the two distances and the weight carried, there is nothing to jr>btify the assumption that Vandyke was not sent to win his first race. In any case, if 'the stewards considered an inquiry was necessary, why pay out the totalisator money before they decided what should be done? None of Mr Fitzgerald's horses started on the second day, as he declined to accept with the probability of disqualification hanging over him. - Mr C. G. JDalgeiy has sent Nantes tc North Canterbury, where she will be turned out for a, spell. Her respiratory organs are not of the best.

Gillie, the well-known old steeplechaser, is now an inmate of G-. Aynsley's establishment.

The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting, which will be decided on May 21 and 26, is similar to the programme put forth by the old club last Easter twelvemonth.

Kuku, the -well-known jumper, is being worked from D. O'Brien's stable.

Malatua and Military have not been asked to do much since the Autumn meeting.

J. Taggart tells me he will in future occupy Masham Lodge, recently vacated by G. Aynsley.

Windwhistle, by Clanranald — Weathereye, and Battle Ciy, by the same sire, from Alsace, arrived at Chokeboie Lodge last 'week. Trotting men favourably refer to the prospect of the Dunedin Jockey Club putting trotting events on some of their future programmes. The Akaroa, County Racing Club has decided to carry out some important alterations to its course before the next meeting conies round. It was also decided that in future eligible persons desiring to become members of the club can be elected at any meeting of the club, either of stewards or general,_and that Messrs J. S. Murray, J. Coop, J. C. C. Gebbie, and F. Walshaw be elected members. Mr Bradley gave notice that at the next general meeting of the club he would move, " That the resolution describing the present racing district be rescinded, and thai in liev thereof the club's racing" district shall comprise tht County of Akaroa and the boroughs of Akaroa and Lyttelton.

The Christchurch Racing Club has received capital nominations foi its Autumn fixture, the two tiotting races filling remarkably well. Bluefire, Corolla, and Ich Dien, together with two foals, have arrived from' Auckland. The North Canterbury Jockey Club's annual meeting will be held on May 31, last year's piogramme being adopted.

The South Canteibury Jockey Club's Autumn meeting panned out extremely well financially considering the fearful weather experienced on the second day. The meeting opened with fine weather overhead, but on the following

day it rained incessantly all the afternoon, and of course the grounds and enclosures did not provide good walking or galloping ground. Some of the horses and their pilots were simply unrecognisable, both being coated with mud and slush. A cold south-west wind acconi- i panied the downpour, and the attendance was natural^ poor. Though the decision of the ' stewards in the Vandyke case scarcely met with approval, the details of the fixture were well ' carried out, and Mr Gordon Wood can accept 1 the thanks of the press representatives for his atte:;tio.T . On no course m the colony is so j much information supplied to members of the Fourth Estate in such a concise manner. Bus- : tol opened proceedings by cantering home in ! the High-weight Handicap, and on the second J day he again romped home in the Shorts Han- j dicap. Phiyne finished second to Bristol on the first occasion, with Vandyke third. Vandyke came out in the Autfimn Handicap, and j after running last until the entrance to the straight, where the race appeared lo be at the mercy of Jupiter, the Vanguard gelding came away, and, after a short stiuggle with Jupiter, • won by a distinct advantage. Nihilist finished • third, a position he materially improved upon , on the second day, when Jupiter again suffered defeat, Chenystone dividing the pair. The lastnamed looked very well, but nothing had a • chance with Nihilist. Lady Medallist had little te beat in the Washdyke Welter, the 1 well-bred Galileo finishing second and Gloaming third. The soft going considerably as- ' sisted several resuscitated animals, notably Warring ton and Aldershol, the former winning o.i the first day in a common canter, and finishing behind Bristol and in front of Fhst Blood in the Shorts Handicap, whilst the Foulshot horse secured two events. Little Daisy, getting well p.wp3", won Ihe first pony race from ~ Ukase, but on the second day Ukase hopped off the mark, and lasted long enough to win by a head from Little Daisy. Conqueror has giown into a fine onimn.3, pnd simply ran away from his opponents in the Flying Hsnclicap, of whom First Blood was his nearest attendant. St. Denis, who finished' third, was fully eight lengths away. First Blood also hud to occupy second position behind Phiyne in the Stewards' Stakes, for which The Serf was sent out favourite. However, whilst leading at the home turn, p Food-vessel in his nose gave way, and he finiihed last. Bonapaits followed up the success of his stable mate, Phryne, by easily accounting for his antagonists in the County Plate. Both are by the Trenton hoise, Phaethon

Jupiter and Seabrook were the only starters ia the Farewell Handicap, the first-named winning fairly easily. Of the unsuccessful hoises at the meeting, Paladin only ran once, and is evidently a little off colour. First Blood was unlucky, Aberciombie '°;as never prominent, Suzannah was very flighty \t the post, and failed to iuii up to her form, Telemeter broke down badly, Gladys II ought to improve a lot, and Gloaming and Heliograph are poor specimeiis.

I had a short conversation last week with Mr E. Gates, who has recently returned to the Ashburton district, and, m reproducing the remarks of the travelling correspondent of the Canterbury Times, who lecentlj visited Mr Gates" s farm, my readers will form seine idea of what "Welbeck" is like: — When Mr Gates offered his Grove Farm stud for sale, there were some oi the horses that did not realise the prices put upon them ; these are now rur-ning at Welbeck, and will make a good foundation for the new stud farm. Mares like Lady Zetland, Reverie (the dam of Maiquis of Zetland* and Dundas), Beatify Sleep (own sister to Conqueror), Flying Kitty (.the last daughter of the famous Mies Kate), and Camperdown, full of Perkm Warbeck and Musket blood, have few equals in the colony, and with a number of younger mares of less fame, but equally good breeding, make a collection that Mr Gates may well be proud of, and froi/) which- he is sure to breed some first-class racehorses. Lady Zetland, now >=ome 13 years old, \ievei looked better in her life, and having no foal this year, MiGates will probably send her to the best horse in Australia or New Zealand. Her two-year-old daughter, Lady Lillian, by Phaethon, is so much like hei dam in size, colour, and make that it would be easy fox anyone who had not seen the old marc often to mistake the two. She will probably grow a bit bigger, and if she pioves of the same quality as her dam she will be large enough. Mi Gates intends" bieaking hei at once, and putting her into work. Lady Zetland's other--foal, a bay colt by Phaethon, met with an accident whilst in Southland, and still looks bad, but Mr Gates, thinks that he will recover, and as a three or four-year-old make a. good horse. Reverie, by St. George out of Hammock, is a mara that MiGates may well think much of, as her breeding appearance, and progeny all recommend her. She met with an accident when a yearling and nevei raced. As a tvi o-year-old she bred Marquis of Zetland, then missed a yea,, and bred Dundas, and the next yeai, Lady Dundas, all racehor&es; and Mr Gates has a yearling colt out of her now by Perliin Warbeck 11, a fine, reachy, blood-like youngster that is sure to keep up the reputation of the fpmily. Beauty Sleep, by Medallion out of Siesta, n as handscinG as he* brother, Conqueror. She is in foal to Marquis of Zetland, and, judging frem her yearling filly, Tinwald Beauty, by Perkin Warbeck 11, she wil prove a aluable sLud mare. Flying Kitty, by Phaethon, out of Miss Kate, although a bit on the small side, is very like her illustrious dan? m appearance, and being a young mare and going to the siud without being knocked about at racing, will doubtless prove a success. She is in foal to Telemeter. Lady Warden, by Prime Warden out of Camperdown, is remarkable for her great likeness to her sire. She is just about to begin her education, and if she proves herself as good on the turf as her sire was, she will be hard to beat. Another very promising youngster running at Welbeck is a chestnut filly by Phaethon out of old Burlesque. At present she reminds one very much of that great horse Euroclydon, to whom sbe is related through her dam. Anothei filly, by Phaethon out of Catherine Wheel, was running in the paddocks. Marquis of Zetland, who looks a little ihe wor=se for wear, but with all the pointa of a racehorse and sire about him, completes MiGates' s Welbeck stud. The new place seems to suit the stock admirably, as they were all looking fresh and well.