CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 47

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fp.iTz

O ) Wr-diir—di^v !d = t icprp=*-'iitHtiv'"» of the ! X"vr Zealand Metropolitan, Plumpton Park, ! and New Blight <" Trotting Clubs niet in cor.- I ference to discus tho allocation of dates for the pr«- -.»i.t seabon Mef--«rs P Soup and C. Calcutt vere vlso prc-s -nt on behi'f of the Trotting Association, Mr Se'ig occupying the chaii. Aitsi a debate lasting over two hjoure '

It w-is cUt ;d=-l fiat tb* New Z^a'.M.d Chib shculJ hove Aagus-- (row over), November, Easter, vnd another (?nte, to be settled later O'i. the Pluopton Club, Boxmg Day and New Yeai's Day (one meeting), and fhe King's Birthday, and the New Brighton Club in October, and another date, to be agreed xipon later. These dates only apply to this season. Mr G. Bisset, whose name has been sent m as a candidate for a seat on the New Zealand ■ Trotting Association, informs me that he as desirous of having hi 3 name withdrawn. i The Guard, who mjuied one of hib shoulders when he fell in the Grand National Steeplechase, has not yet been sent; home. He is gradually getting better, but it is thought "that he may never be able to race again. This is indeed a great misfortune, as he w;>s the best horse racing over couutry we had G. 8.0., who put, his off iore fetlock out of joint when pulling up nt E;ccarton recently, was attended to by a veterinary surgeon cm the following day, and though the horse will never race agr m his leg is mendmg slowly. H. Franks did not take The Swimmer home after the National meeting, but kept him here, as he intends to take the horse to the Eangitikei meeting, m company with Inchcape, and then go north in tune to attend the Avondale fixkire. Though but little business ha= been transacted in connection with the New Zealand Cup during th-e past week, ihere is every indication that thia Ta-ce and Stewards' Handicap v«ll afford "the means erf brisk speculation in the near future. Siege Gun is the local favourite for the Cup, closely followed by Tortulla and Nonctte. Of all the horaes seen out at the recent Grand National meeting who are engaged m the New Zeahind Cup Siege Gun is the only one whose prospects, if the inquiries made for him can be accepted as a guide, have j been even considered. Thi3 colt certainly showed a, great turn of spoed when racing in tlie Winter Cup, and as be is a big fellow, with plenty of size and grand breeding to recommend him, to say nothuag of his being one of the Yaldhnrst representatives, he would appcair to possess p first-class prospect of distinguishing himself. -However, 8 to 1 is an absurd price to accept about a horse nearly three months before the race is run, and m this caae Sioge Gun iB only one of two trained at Yaldhurst. There are many who assert that Uomany Queen will be the selected of the pair, but how they .kr.ow is quite another thing. No horse ran better then Ostdak at the meeting, and there 16 just a possibility that this speedy horse may be sent out to contest the Cup. " "We do not know whether he can stay, but we do know how fast he is, and, with a ligfet weight to cany, he .might effect a« big a sirrpnae as did Bloodshot when lie nmshed second in the Melbourne Cup. Terrapin may siiow up better at Timaru than lie did at Christchurch, and so, too, may Magnificent Kelpy is » powerful horse, and I am not inclined to accept his form here cs a guide to his November prospects. He looks quite able to cover the distance of the Cup, and should he be the Hon. J. D. Orniond's selected he might run a really fin<> race. Of the 21 horses nominated for the Canterbury Cup, the distance of which has been extended to two miles and p-quarter, Cannie Ghiel, Glenaladale, Pampero, Vladimir, Lavplette, Grey Seaton, St. Michael, Ringman, Kelburn, Bornbardo, Welbeck, Tortulla, Porirua, Siege Gun, Imperator, Nonette, and Punamu are engaged in the New Zealand Cup, whilst Cruoiform, Golden Vein, and Tercelet were withdiawn. The Yaldhurst colt Evelyn Wood wae not nominated "for thf handicap, but is included the we<glvt-for-age race. If some of those engaged in the latter have any prospect whatever the top weights will faie badly in the New Zealand Cup. Thirty-one horaes have been named in the Jubilee Cup, one mile, and a capital entry of 57 was taken for the Stewards' Handicap. One hundied and eleven nomination's have been leceived for the Welcome Stakes (1903), 101 for the Derby Stakes (1904), 58 for the Oaks Stakes (1904), 112 for the Champagne Stakes (1904). 119 for the 'lhir-teent-h Challenge Stakes (1905;, and 106 for the Middlepark Plate (1904).