CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2605, 17 February 1904, Page 47

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fritz.

It will be remembered that at the lcquast of Mr "\V. H. P "^'ocdioH- the committee of

ihe Ci:iteiburr Jockey C u'i rsked M: J. E Henrys to explf.ii hi= hr^dusppi.ig o^ Lady Lyonoi-s and Aeilo 111 the C.J.C. Filly Stakes. It is understood that 3lr Heniys has replied to the request, and that the subject will be considered at a special meeting on Tuesday, February 16. The nature of lir Heniys' leply is not public property-.

Mr Harlgill had more than the usual number of close fini.shes to oecifie at the C.J C. summer meeting on Thursday and Saturday, which, of course, leflects considerable credit upon the handicapper. M. Henrys.

Just before racing commenced at Riccarton on Saturday it was annoujjeJ that Mr Stead had disposed of the two-yea:-o".d colt Malakofi (Stepniak— Sortie) to Mr G Palraei, and the colt fi.ci.shed third in the Richmond Plate 111 the latter gentleman's colouis. The puce pa.d has not transpired.

Just prior 'to Koyal Crown winning the C J.C. Trial Stakes his owner, Mr J. A. Holmes, refused an offer of 200sovs for the Musketry — Crown Jewel hoisc

Zetland, who seemed the Richmond Plate at the C.O".C. meeting, is gi f .ed with a fair amount of pace. He is by the impoited hors? Obhgado -from that old favourite* Lady Zetland. H? possesses a soms.vhat r>lam head, and does not bear a great r?sen:b'?r.ce to his illustrious dam. Lady Lil'i an, o-i tbe other hand, is very like Lady Zetland. Otago owners secured a fair share of the spoil at the C.J.C meeting. Kremlin won the Craven Plate, the evergreea Biazer the L 11wood "Weltei Handicap, and Fiow^r o' Clutha the Fij-uig Handicap. Kremlin also finished second 121 the Hornby e ii. er .

It has been found difficult to ride Ragabrrsh with an ordinary racing s'.ddle consequently she was ridden almost barebacked by L. H. Hewrot, a surcingle, to which was attached the iions, forming the only pad or her back. She won Jier race, too, defeating a favourite in Ki-uTiilin.

Cocaine was injected into Ae'lo'-s eft fore leg before j=he started in the Lyttelto-i Plate, and a similar dose was administered t# Djm-Djm'f, foot before ho went out for th? Lioweod Welter, Mr J. E. Chariton, M.E.C.A r .S., being in attendance.

The ha!f-kiother_ to TreadmJi, by Clanranald, was emasculated last week.

Sir George Clifford's nl.y To-morrow rs improving veiy iast, and It is hoped that she will sliort'y bs on the track again. Sir George Clifford won throe events en ths first day of the C.J.C. meeting, whilst Cams' e CLuel finished second in the principal event.

Mr H. Piper, the well-known starter, jocularly sugges+ed during the progress of the C.J.C. nioelii'g that there worJd not be so much bieaJdng away iiif the barrier was formed ot two lengths of barbed wire. I hepr thai several North Island clubs hnve approached Mr C. O'Connor regarding starting at their meetings.

Ths :\*arth Is.and hack Te Taiaha easily annexed both Selling Races at the C.J.C. meeting. He was purchased by Mr T. Sheenan on the irrst day for £40, hal* x>f winch, accoiding to the conditions of the ipee, vr.s ieturn°d to him, Merrymakei nmshi'ig secord Aftei winning on "the second dov ho -was bought in ai £50. halif of which goes to the owner of Ordnance, who finished second Te Taiaha owns a leg, but he ought to pick up a few country stakes during the next few months.

L. IT. Hcwiitt wps foui tinio.-i successful at the 'C.tT.C. meeting, V. Cottor snd H. Donovan rach icde three winners, ana Jli C-. L. Stca<3, H. Kins. Langstone, S. Smith, F. Jones, and A. C. ocifrey weio each once succestfu" 1 .

Acceptances for the New Zaihin.l Metropolitan Tiottiag Grub's meeting, which begins on Thursday, are rot yet available, bnt I fancy tho following horses an their respective engageiv?nts in the order named- — Introductory Handicap — "Vanforth, Expsrimont, and Bonnie; Lincoln Handicap— Mount Palm, Austerlitz and Piccaninny ; Ladies' Biacelet — Nabock'.ioh, Venice, and Eose lealh ; Spreydon Handicap — Zeppa, Ahaura. and E'sie T. Uetioijolitan Handicprj — Cocoannt, Lopp, and Sir Hector; Halswell Handicap— Picca-.inny, Mount Palm, and Silvery ; Dash Handicap— Pygmalion, F-redenlck, and Austerlitz ; Elccirlc Handicap — Gertie, Piccaninny, and The Oi-Dh",n.

The autumn nipeting of the Ashburton Trot-1-iiR Club has been fixed for April 51, when £175 will be given in stake 1 !. The lad T. Cot' on. who h?s adopted the "Sloiui" method of riding, i« gradually coming to the front as one of our best light-weiehts, and providing bs head is properly screwed o-i he should do remarkably well 111 the saddle, as he rides with judgment and finishes w eJ.. Sev?rr>l trotters ariived from the noith on Saturday., they having engagements at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting. I had a look at the Government thoroughbred hoi = c Bfisuto one day last week. Basuto bis just rV.sb.ert his southern season, and was taken to the north on Friday to -winter at the ]>.viii State Farm. He is one of the best of the horses imported by tha State, and :f appecraiiees go foi anything he should piove v f-u-'cessfi'l sire. , No one expects to meet a big crov, d at tne C J.C. summer meetings, and the attendanc= at Eicce.rton on Thursday last was not above, ■if ito to, the average of past yeais. A very few "stable outside Canteibmy were represented, and the visitors return to their homes l-twrvded. The weather on the first day was aJI that could he desired, but on Saturday v hgh*- ram fell, but not enough to sjnously inconvenience those present. Of stand and paddoe!: accommodation there wrs plenty and to spare, the grounds on the whole looking veiy well, a great improvement having been effected since the Cup gathering. At the back of the grand«iind and between that strv"ctuvo and the stalls a couple of exercise rings have been foimed, aiound which the contestants walk, the public, who are not allowed inside the rails, thereby being given an opportunity of ''iewing the horses. A few traineis consider that the rings should be made wider, but there is not. much wrong with them, and there is plenty of loom to make still another and wilder ring outside the existing ones should it be required. Speculation was not by any means busk, the sum of £3660 being put thicugh the totalisator on the first day, as agaunst £36 C 2 last year; whilst on Saturday the amount handled was £1213, making a total oi £7873 for

the two days, as compared with £7982 last season.

Proceedings opened with the Tiic'l Stokes, Cerise ei-A Blue and Abi lty seciirn 3 the gieatest r mount of patronage. Ns. thr: , however, maaajed to secure a place, the race tailing to Ro\«l Ciow:\ who wo.i handily by a length from Sulnra, Siimmsr Kosc comii'g next in older.

A fl,o field of 16 wen, out foi tlv Iloi^-y Welt^i Handicap, the southern horse Ivicmhn, who has bicn **eiy successful' this season, bciiig mstc-Hcd fa* ourite. The son of Sicp.ual: s-ooa lan to the head of pfTaus, nr.d v h"ii well in the Btra-ght he appeared to have the race at his mercy. Bclcw the distance, ho'.vtve -, t lie whip wes put on nun, m lespcse to a challenge from Nell Gwyn, but just as he appeared to_ hold her Rag ibrr.sh came wi'h r. stioiig inn 'on the outside and v.-on by a length, with Nell G>vya only a head awsy m third place. Piobably the fu".yh would ha\ -2 bton much c'oocr had nioie vie beer, made of Kicmim.

Or the four starter lr the Filly Stakes Tessera was heavily cupiTortcd, and after tins iiliy and Quickfhe had luu together in Lont until clos-^ to the chr.ii- the favourite drew oir nnd secured the verdict by about a length, Aello fi.ii t-hing a pcor third.

7L'e Tauiha, who had been bi ought down from the north, gal o^ed away from Ins opponents 'n the Telegraph Strikes. Merrymaker and King Dick filling the lospoctire places. An exciting finish wi'i witnessed ia the MidsumniPT Handicap be.wean De la Ecy and Canine Cluel, the favourite. This pair at once cut out the lun-fiing. and with a qu-rter of a mi:_e traversed the former v.-tt3 '.erdmg Canaie Chiel, after whom came Terrapii. ;,nd Magnificent, the latter foiuc lergtln awcy. At the sixfur^iig po=t tho two last-named l.a r l drawn 1 eaicr -to the leaders, who were almost togsthei. Running for and into the straight De la Rev still held a s 7 i ght advantage, but Cannie Chiel quickly ranged alongside him, and right to the judge the pair raced together, the official giving b:s verdict in favour of De la Rey by a bare head ; Terrapin about t/iree lengths away. V. Cotton rede the winner and L. H. Hewitt Cannie Chiel. and the finish was stubbornly fought out by both.

The same riders again met .11 the following lace — the Lyttelton Plate, — Cotton riding Chryseis and Hewitt Malakoff. The latt»r jumped away smartly, -whilst Chryseis was plow to begin. At the half-distance Clirysc s had raised Somaicff and Zetland, and 111 the straight she drew alongside Malakoff. Another fine struggle resulted. The lasi-uameel appeared to be holding Chiyseis, and many thought that Mslakoff had v»o.i, bat tbi» ludge said "No; Ohryseis by a nose." Zetland finished thi-eo lengths away in thud position. Tho Mohican waa unfortunate^ sow to move at the sta'-t of the Craven Plate, Lclah and Wmdw histle breaking away in fiont. Before a furlong had been covered, Lowc-ei, Kicmlm was showing the road to Wmdwhistle ; Biazer and Loiah close up. Before the distance it was evident that the race was all over, Kremlin running home a comfortable dinner from Blazer, who defeated ILolah by a length for second money, Wmdwhistle finishiag next in 01 d »r.

Catherine Goidon was sent cut aavourite for the Halsweli Welter Handicap, and afixr lying m the rear for more than iia'f the distance phe came through and won by p length fro'ii Re'iance who \vab barely so far un front of Muskbur/1. Bill Perkuvj who was sciongly supported, faded out of the contest toon aftei enteiing the straight.

The raciiif on the Beccnd dsy commenced with the Eiohmond Plate, Chryaeis being sent cut favouiiite. She agpin bapan c'owly, however, Zetland and Malakofi takiiig up the ruiining. Zet.and quickly assumed co_-auid.nd, of vhich he was never deprived, winning oasiiy by thiee lengths. Chiyseis and Mtiiakoff fought out a fiae finish for second place, the formrr securing the positian by a long neck. Relnn.ce. consequent upo i the good form shown by him on Thursday, was tent out favoui ite for the Bclinst Plate, and he bore out the good opinion formed of him by winning nicely fiom Poacher, Saranges (lute Trixie) occupying third position. Stcelspur dropped out of the contest half a mile from

Mr Stead started Machine Gun and Silkworm in the valuable Middlepaik Piste, S.r George Clifford being represented by Stronghold. Only these three started The lastnsmctl shoved the way to Machine Gun until "■■ell ia the sti-fighi, when tae lattei diev/ up to and passed Stiougho'd. From this out Machine Gun cpsily held piemier position, and woii by a couple of lengths from Silkworm, who finished four lengths m advance of Stro. ghold. The last-named is a hpndsoru^ co t, and though lus opponents wave muoh too good for him he should see a bottei dcy.

Tha fact that G-ladcome wi a starter jn the St. Albans Hraidicap lert an r deled interest to that oOiitest, her recent iiientoi-ious perfoi--mancas m the Noith Islfjid beni? still fresh 111 the nurds of ireegoers. The fill-" looked 111 capital condition, and des/p.te her hea\y burosn of 0.13 she wis rcgnic'l^d ss posDossmg an undeniable chance. Many investors, however, pinned their faith to the Yaldhuist repre=entat'\e, B.igpipes, this Gipsy Gi^nd filhlooking wondcrfulh' well. The favouiiLe and WirdwhiStle got well awa3", but ±>agu:pes v. a« slower to move. "When well into then stiiJ^s Gladsome w?s steadied, Nell G wyn running through, and showing the ■naj' 111 componj with Windwluptie, Bcigpipes in thud place, liunmng into the stiaight Nell Gwvn wss in charge of afians, V liidwhistlo f-tlhi.g nvaj. When well in the running, Gladsome ranged alongside the lea r lei , raid at the di&iance the filly -Aas well out fiom Nell Gwyn. Fiom this out she was never appjOoched, and she lan home just as she liked four lengths in advance of the fast-nmshiKg lennpin, who defeated J3a2 r) iP c i' 5 l } y a couple of lengths for second Lone ui s The filly was heailily cheered on her return to scale.

Muskbuin and Kigabrnsh were considered to r,iis =3 capital prospects- in the Lmwood but i-.^ither had anything to do with the finish. Tl'at o'd favourite Blazer began qit'cklv, a.,d he was 'oon striding along in fiont of Speculate and Antigone. Despite the efforts of bis opponents, the St. Clair gelcling reta ned his position to the end, and wci by a length and a-half from Speculate, Natalie, who finished stiongly, securn s; tluid place.

Aftei Te Taiah-a had comfortabh y en the Selling Race by thiee lengths from Otdnance, he was purchased by h Pi > owner for 50s>ovb Then came the Fhing Kandicip, Kiemlm receiving more support than that accoidcd to F'ower o' Cluthn, whilst Lo'ah and Sophifciic each Lad rnnny fucnds. Flower o' Cutha lan close to the leader, Kir? Dick for four fuilonjs; but here she shot out, and the lace was all over. Kiemlr. seemed second 1 place, leating Sandy by a length. The lpeoti.ig ">\a c brought to a conclusion with the Post Hard'cap, for which Terrapin was bettei fancied than either of his six opponents Three furlo.igs fiom home De la Rev, who was canymg top-weight, ranged n'ongs'dc the leaders, Narcissus and The Mohicm, and a pretty race home resulted m De la Key winning by a good length from. The Mohican, who was a neck in fiont of Terrapin.

At a meeting of the committee of the Canteibiuy Jockey Club, it was resolved ihat the

(■'^qualification imposed by the R&llcsic:'-Sp-its C üb, in Pcerr 1 cr. lsoßl s OB o- John Fh--Lmiii, H. A'ei an, a' d i>.? nsie Cc'.d Medil'.st =hou'd Ll3 ic:no\pc"i. Mr "' O. KutliPifoi I viote a 'ctcr addics^d to the Seciotarj 01 (he C.J C. accept rs v ith bonlvst'c fm the C-aven Plata, find enteir s he. foi the Tupl Stako. Ur iorti'ii.it;ly, the po=>t cfli r -c dcl "cic 1 the letter, m mi=ii<ke, to the -D.I C , with the re -ult iiiat it did not, reach the Ouiitiijuij Joi.kev Cinb until soveial houis pftei tle time [or closing Iho e'^ry, etc.. theictoic cov'd iiol bo accepted. If I lcmcmbci fright a similar thing ocrui-rd v. th a letter =e'"t by 0 pio'"iir_'it Gintpi'Dury owner addressed to the D.T.C, but C.J.C. is" not muoh like D.I.C.

I hn>e just managed to glance ot the handicaps issued for events to be ctecided at the Duncdm Jockey Club's autumn gatheung Yom editor ill undoubtedly go fully into the subject, and I have meieiy witten these fow lines m orJpr Lo suggest that Glrdeomc ought to wm the Cup

The "annual mpot'ng of the Chustchurcb j Hunt dub was held in Warner's Hotel lest night, ilr F. D. S. Nc-ave piesidmg. l r ne j annual report s'atsd that the past year had ' been a very successful one in the fie'd. Not ! withstanding the increasing- difficulty in seotul^g ct v rliy ii'-"r town sui'rble for drrgs, member 0 had had some gooc"i tuns. The increase 111 the number of followcis at the Tuesday meets we\3 lars;^, r.ocwithstandjiig -which the amount claimed for damages was smaller than it had been for some years past — a fact attributable pmtly to the tac + and energy of their late master, who-e loss they all dep'ored, and partly to the erection of special fences to enable hors-es qualifying for hunters' certificates to test their ability to jump over fences iv Pint" hied by the club. The number of hounds in kennel consisted of 17£ couple, exclusive <-[ this year's pups. The huntsman was satisfud that lip had sufficient hourds m kenrel ■lo give a nood season's sport. A successful point-' o- point" steeolechass fox Mr Steadi's cup had been Leld, and resulted in an exciting race Lei'ie; won by the Mess-rs El-worthy Bros. Owing to the condition of the finances, the committee did not think it advisable to hold the annual sports and farmers' lunch. With regard to the latter function, p suggestion *iad been made that they should this -car entert?in the fnrmera on the occasion of the point-to-point steeplechase, a trophy dlor which had been promised to the club by Mr G. Palmer. Owing io the death of the laic rnas f er, the committee had given careful consideration to arrangements for hu^-tincr the hounds in che future, and made the (following suggestions- — (J) Purchase of small piece of land and cottage, and erect hunt stables and kennels thereon, and for thiy purpose to spend the reserve fund of JC4OO now on fixed deposit at the Bank of New Zealand. (2) Elect an honorary master, who with the huntsman, should make all arra^~" w f..t £ ! for ob' fliaing country, and act as mpsl-er in the fi°ld. C?) E'.ter into a coMwct v.ith the Lnntsman, who has hunted the hoards for the past two seasons, niicJsr which be will keep aiid h-unt fhe hounds and provide hcrses, whip, tiid all requisite for thst purpc.se. The ba'pnee s^heet showed +hat the receipts, inc'udir.g a baler.ee carried forward from' Jast year, ot foS 36s JOcI, were £bOC 8s 4d, ancl the expcndit.ne .Si^O 3s SJ, there being a credit IxVarc at the end of the year of £210 5s 7d The 3frov L ai.d ba'.p'ice sheet w e arH^ted. The foH^-v ng office-ben rers were elected: — Prspident. Mi It. H. Ehod-s: vice-president, Mr F. P. S. ?*erivp; treasurer, Mr Palairet ; secreUiv Mr J. D. Hell; committee— Messrs A. E. G. ■Rhodes, P. Actou-Adams. T. Bassett, G. L Hiead, L. "Ruth eric. d, G. Gerard. G. Gould, K. Nerve. W. H. P. T^o-d'offa. J. TTestsnTa. T\'. 0. Svmea, and J. C X Grigs. A letter v. m rc.i'T fiom Mr J. > Qo by miaking an offer to hunt tra hounds for the season. It woe re1 solved that i.he club bhould hunt the hounds itself, the details to be left to the committee to arrange. «