CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

B? Fsitz.

Owing to heavy rain, -^hich fell on Friday night and continued on Saturday, the committee of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club decided to postpone its third day's racing until Saturday next, when the following horses may prove winners in their respective races : — Halswell Handicap, Security ; Champion Handicap, Darwin or Black Child ; Ladies' Bracelet, Glenallan ; High-class Handicap, Lord Althorp ; Wilkin Handicap, Cinders or General Grigg; Flyers' Handicap, Cocoanut; Farewell Handicap, Young Stanley or Inglewood; International Handicap, Norice. Muscovite, the aged son of Stepmak and Aileen, carried Mr H. Thompson, the cleik of the course, during the two days' racing at Eiccarton on Easter Monday and Tuesday. A good story is told regarding a gentleman who desired to support Muscovite for the Gimcrack Race, run on the first day, and for vhich the horse's name appeared in the "krect cards." The backer was leaning over the rail talking to the mounted official, and he confided to Mr Thompson the fact that he had given a friend a pound to put on Muscovite on the totaiisator. "Do you think he can win?" asked the backer. "2^o, I- don't think so," replied Mr Thompson : "he's carrying too much weight." "Too much weight!" exclaimed the investor; "he's only got 7.7!" "Oh. yes, he has," smilingly replied the clerk of the course; "he's carrying something like 17st, and you must have great faith in the horse if you think he can wiu under that burden." As Mr Thompson cantered away, the investor looked up at the semaphore, and ejaculated, "Why, he's scratched!" What became of the pound entrusted to a friend is not known, and Dame Humour has not said a word as to whether the backer has yet discovered the point of Mr Thompson's joke. Mr J. F. Buchanan, owner of the two-year-old Benzoii: — Fireside gelding Fireiron, confidently supported his horse to win the Bussley Plate on the first day of the C.J.C. meeting on Easter Monday, in which he failed to serure a place; and when the youngster won on the second day his owner won little more than the stake. Stratagem, the two-year-old son of Nelson and Dudu, who won the Russley Plate at the recent C.J.C. meeting, is a smart, racy-look-ing filly, and should not find much difficulty in picking up a few more stakes. It may not be generally remembered that Kelson was 24 years of age when he sired Stratagem, whilst Dudu was five years younger when she foaled the filly. Nalson, as all racegoers know, won the Auckland Cup three times, whilst Dudu was similarly successful in the Wanganui Cup— viz., in 1688, 1890, and 1891. Nelson possessed a wonderful constitution, as also did Dudu. I might mention that a yearling full relative to Stratagem is now running at Chokebore Lodge, and gives promise of developing into a fair horse. Great as were the respective ages of Nelson s>Kd Dudu, the sire and dam respectively of Stratagem, it is not quite equal to the record held by a two-year-old also bred by Mr E. Cutts at Riccarton. This fine youngster was also sired by Nelson, his dam being Nautilus, the mother of many a good one. When this fcal was dropped the :ombined age of his sire and dam was just about 50 years. Unfortunately, the youngster referred to met with a slight accident when a foal, and although he has been worked he has never been seriously taxed. I believe I am collect in stating that ngotiations are in progress for the purchase of this colt. A strong feature of the running at the recent C.J.C. meeting was the til-luck which attended the horses trained at Yaldhurst. Mr Stead started eight horses during the two days, and not one of them proved successful, although every one of them ran prominently. Huascar wa3 distinctly unfortunate in losing the Champagne Stakes— a race he ought to have just about won had he secured anything like a decent passage. The son of Hotchkiss was biought to the post in capital condition, but the luck of the race was all agsinst him, and it appeared as though the colt might have been more judiciously Jiandled. Munjeet, who was heavily supported to win the Great Easter Handicap, just failed to ruu into a place in a fast-run race; and the three-year-old Highland Reel was beaten for first place in the Epsom Welter Handicap by Ability. Edna | May could do no better in the following event — the Bussley Plate — Stiatagem coming with a. fast run at the finish and defeating her. Delaware and Savoury were both started in the Great Autumn Handicap, and here j again Boomerang proved too good for Delaware, who once more annexed second money for the stsble. Porcelain was entmsted witk the great task of endeavouring to defeat the champion Achilles in the Fourteenth Challenge Stakes but the Porirua crack was not to be denied, and Mason once again had the misfortune to see another of his charges fill second place. Soltykoff is evidently not much good, as he was easily put down by Alexis in the Addington Plate. Here was a really good team, in capital condition, unable to win a single racs at a gathering where in past years Yaldhurst-trained horses have been moat successful. Such is the luck of racing. L. H. Hewitt, also partly owing to the non-success of the horses carrying Mr Stead's colours, did not manage to ride one winner during the two days. The race for the Fourteenth Challenge Stakes was i>ne of the best ever witnessed between two horses on any course in the , world. It was known that Achilles bad probably never been better in his life, and his connections made no secret of their conviction that he might he expected to give one of the best of his numerously ™ood performances. On the other hand, the friends of Porcelain contended *hat he should defeat the j Poritua horse, as. on the weights provided under the weight-for-age scale, he was nieetinp; Achilles on a 141b advantage, the latter carrying a 7lb penalty, whilst Porcelain was in receipt of a 7!b allowance Both horse* were much admired as they paraded prior to the ipce, and everybody looked forward to witj nessing a great race between the pair, it being , generally recognised that it was scarcely likely that either De Witte or Field Gun would be able to extend Achilies and Porcelain. The race will, of couise, be described in your columns, consequently it is not worth while detailing the running Suffice it to say that fiom the start the two wcie almost together. and a hundred yards from home they were i fighting every mch of ground. Each of them I gamely lesponded to the calls of their riders, and 50 yards from the judge Porcelain held a momentary advantage. Here, however, Jenkins drew his whip to Achilles, and the big chestnut flashed past the post, a winner by a narrow margin, amidst the continued cheers of an excited crowd, the son of Medallion having carried his 9.8 to victory in the good time of 1.27— a great performance. Jenkins rode a particularly fine, well-judged finish, and thoroughly deserved the compliments paid him. Porcelain is undoubtedly a first-class colt, but he had the misfortune to meet one of the best horses evt-r saddled tin in the colonies or e^ewhere. I hear that it is possible Achil'ps will shortly be civen an opportunity of displaying his ability in Australia, and if he is landed at the post m anything

like the condition he displayed at Tticcarton he will most assuredly ho»d his own with thebest our sister colonies can produce. Mr D. Rutherford secured both hurdle races at Riccarton, with the aid of Eurus on the first day and the hitherto disappointing Graduated Tax on the second. The latter is not very reliable, but on this occasion he took it into his head to try, and he succeeded in defeating his stable companion. Kirriernuir. I suppose, on her performances , must be described ,as the best two-year-old seen out this season. Sir George Clifford's , filly was obviously not at her best for some 1 time prior to the Champagne Stakes being run. However, she gave a capital exhibition, and got to the end of the sis furlongs in 1.15. Huascar has grown into a fine colt, and though he suffered defeat he would most certainly have woriied the winner had he managed to get anything like a fair trip. Ivanoff ran well in his engagements, and his third I in the Champagne Stakes and his dead heat | with his stable companion Franc in the I Autumn Nursary stamps him «s a colt very | little inferior to the best we have. Franc, the i son of Soult — Anna, is a particularly attraci live, well-grown colt, and it was not antici1 pated that he would be defeated by the i lightiy-weighted Fireirou. The latter undoubtedly possesses a fair amount of pa£e, and i should always he useful, at anyrate over short i distances. Lapland and Lady Landon both | raced well, though unsuccessfully, as also did ' the fairly well-known De Witte. j Cross Battery, who comfortably secured the j Great Easter Handicap, had previously dej monstrated by winning a double at the C.J.C. I summer meeting that she possessed great j pace, and her victory in such an important I race stamps her as something more than i useful. She got over the seven furlongs in ' 1.27 1-5. and won easily from Signalman, | who, as usual, played up at the post for about a quarter of m hour, whilst the Napierj owned Starshoot picked up third money. I do not remember ever seeing such a strung-out J field in an important short event, fully 80 yards separating the winner from the last horse as the former passed the judge. Pas Sexil ran consistently in her engagements on both days. Under 9.12 she finished third in the Epsom Welter, and subsequently won the Yaldhurst Welter, carrying 9.9, top weight. She also ran prominently iv the Temple'on Handicap. Tsitsihar effected a bit of a surprise when she won the Sockburn Handicap, just defecting Beau Seaton, who was strongly supported to win. Tsitsihar had previously run unsuccessfully in the Autumn Plate, wen by Czarevna. Slow Tom. who is not ready or too sound to rac«, made the pace pretty strong in the Peerswick Hurdles, but failed to see it out, and finished third. Boomerang cut cut the mile and a-half in the Great Autumn Handicap in 2.35, the race being run at a strong pace all the way. The son of Meriiwee won comfortably, this showing, if it were necessary, that his success in the Wanganui Cup was no fluke. Delaware registered a creditable performance, finishing second, whilst Martian surprised almost everybody vrhen he secured third place. Red Gauntlet put -up a fair performance in th« Templeton Handicap, sir furlongs, in which he ran second to Signalman, who, hy the way, has grown into a very handsome horso. The Christchurch Racing Club has received capital nominations for Us. forthcoming meeting, and given fine weather the gathering should prove most successful. That speedy, -though unfortunate, filly Tomorrow, owned by Sir Geo. Clifford, has been sent to tho stud, and will be mated with Clanranald. '"With anything like fair luck th-la fine Bill of Portland mare should prove 1 successful at th? stud. J Reference to Sir Geo. Clifford reminds rue I that his colours were carried to victory on four occasions at the C.J.C. meeting. Kirriemuir won -he valuable classical Cham- ' pagre Stakes. Stratagem annexed the Russley j Plate. Signalman appropriated the Templeton j Handicap, and Chryseis wound up the meeting Iby securing the Final Hpndicap Sir Geo. Clifford a«d hi 3 w-ell-known t ra iner. Mr E. I Cutts, wpre heartily conmlimented on the sueI ce&s oC Ihe Cholsebore Lodge horses. | Sir Geo. Clifford during the last four years 1 has thrice won the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes. | In 1903 Treadmill was successful, whilst i Stronghold won in 1904, and Kirrienmir on I Easter Monday. l Ihe totaiisator revenue at the C.J.C. meet- ' m<? amounted to £25,627, as against JE19,781 a ' year ago. ! J. M'Guire, who was riding Koputai in the 1 Final Handicap at Riccarton, unfortunately parted company with his mount, but fortunately witheu f receiving serious injury. The time registered by Boomerang in the Great Autumn Handicap (0.35) constitutes a record for the race. In 1893. Merganser, carrying 9.8. covered the distance in 2.35 J. whilst Lady Lillian and Vladimir have each registered 2.C6 Mr W. O. Rutherford is .ow the owner of the somewhat disappointing Makaroff. It is reported that Mr H. Friedlander received 'something like £400 for the son of Stepniak and Arline. Negotiations are in progress for the pvirchase of Czarevna. the price asked, it is said, being in the neighbourhood of 400sovs. Ability, who won the Epsom Welter Handicap on the first day of the C.J.C. autumn meeting, has been purchased by Mr J. Buckley. The horse is to be put to the illegitimate game. The ?on of Conqueror may develop into » good hurdle racer. Mr G. G. Stead has privately cold the chestnut two-year-old colt F-ouiform, by Multiform j out of the imported English mare Stressa. Equiform stands 16 hands, and has been purchased for stud purposes. _ Messrs Pyne and Co. held a <=ale cf b ocd horses at Tattersall's on Wednesday morning. There wa= a fair attendance, but the sale was disappointing, several lots eliciting no bids, while others were passed at figures below the ! owners' reserves. On account oi Mr J v. i Palmer the five-year-o'd mare Bagpipes (Gipsy ! Grand— Reel) was sold at 56 guineas to Mr Loughlin The same owner's chestnut geldincr Handel (Medallion— Choir Girl) three i years old sold at 41 guineas to Mr Montgomery, an Au^tr-xhan horse owner. A geldin- by Sant T'ano— Susannah, offered on account of Mr H A Knight, was passed at 70 guineas. Mr F. Bufcli's Oood-hve, 11 years (Art illery— Adieu) was pa==ed at 110 guineas. Glancing throuprh the handicaps published in connection v.ith the Ashburton Trotting Club's meeting. I would suggest that the following horses may tiot prominently in tlifir respective engagements —Trial Handicap. Imperial Park. Allenton Handicap, Cleopatra^ Ashburtor Handicap. Redeemer . Ladies Brncelet, Botany. Lagarnor Handicap. Impatient: Wakanui Handicap. Redeemer and Aberfeldy: M'Lean Handicap. Hethe II ; Longbeach Handicap, Derrinercotte. „ I hear that Mr O. G. Stead has disposed or the horse Soltykoff by Stenniak— Hermosa. A representative meeting of owners, trainerp and others interested in trotting, was held in the Empire Hotel on Thursday urder the auspices of the Colonial Trottin" Horse Owners Breeders. and Trainers' Association. Mr L. Wilson pre1 sided The qus^tion of two-year-old races ] was discusse'l. and it was decided to app roach th° Metropolitan Club with a view \ to getting tb« stakes increased for c race to ! be run next November, and also with a view ' to the establishment of a Futurity Race. A.

deputation, consisting of Messrs "Wilson,Carl-, MacMiilan, a'ud Dx ThacKer, was ap-. pointed to wait upon the club's Programme Committee upon this and other subjects. The opinion was expressed that class and sweepstake races should be included in all the, programmes. Fairhaven, by Pilgrim's Progress — Elu-~ sive; Glenculloch, a colt by Clanranald— Madowla; Goldbeater, by Clanranald — Gold, leal; Red Rain, by Clanranald — Catherine Wheel, have arrived from Sir George Clifford's Stonyhurst Estate, to be shortly taken in hand by Mr E. Cutts. "Some of the best trotting I have ever seen," was the verdict of every visitor fc^l the Metropolitan Trotting Club's Grounds on Wednesday, when the second day's programme was run through The weather waa fine, though dull, and the attendance was fair. The course was in capital condition, and the totaiisator investments showed an advance on the sum which passed through the machines on the corresponding day last year. The April Handicap proved a some- ~ what disappointing race to investors, who again placed their confidence in the imported horse Mauritius. For two-thirds of the distance it appeared possible that Mauritius would overhaul Havelock, who took the lead, after between fire and six furlongs had be?n traversed, but he could not reach him, however, and being steadied when pursuit was hopeless, he finished last. Havelock secured the race by sis lengths from Secu- " rity. *fter whom came Impatient. Only two youngsters were harnessed up for th©'" Juvenile Stakes — viz.. ICorval, by Black Child — Norbell, and Ben Blackwood. The former, a powerful colt, was never asked to exert himself, and he won as he liked. The winner is a pacer, whilst his eire Black Child is one of the cleanest trotters we have. The Harvsst Handicap resulted in a surprise, Cedar taking charge of affairs soon after the start, and trotting steadily throughout, won. by a few lengths from the Dunedin horse Jim Jim, who registered a particularly good -^ performance. Jim Jim was giving Cedar lOsec, the wiancr recording 5.5 1-5; Jim Jim. two lengths away, and Florrie third. A veryfine contest was watched in the Metropolitan Handicap, for which the imported American. 1 stallion Wallace L. was sent out favourite. He was quickly to the fore, where he remained until close to the winning post, but here Master Poole, finishing better than k >. has ever previously done over a two-mile journey, got up and secured the verdict by, a neck. General Lyons also trotted well, and was at the rear of Wallace L.'s sulky for the whole distance. Master Poole broke up a couple of furlongs from home, but, settling down again, he put in a great finish, and won as recorded above. The time registered was 4.51. Alice Wood easily picked up the Dash Handicap stake from Myrtle Girl, Underwood filling third position; and Belt Car was in front almost all the way in the race for the Easter Handicap, winning by six lengths from Te Whiti. Jim Jim, ott account of his fine showing earlier., in the day, was made favourite, but he could onlyrun into ,third plafee, a length behind the second horse. With three furlongs of the Flying Handicap joprney completed, ;Valen-- " tia and . Galatea were out irj front," wjfU Florin handy. - Going round the back, Valentia dropped back, and Galatea 'went on from Florin. In .the straight Florin provedtoo much for Galatea, who was defeated. by half a. length, My 'Mistake occupying thircT position. In the Telegraph Handicap Myosotis, from the 2sec mark, registered a very fine performance. Of the 12 contestants several were heavily supported, Terra Nova» leading the way. This horf,e was in front at the half distance, but when running to the judge Myosotis put in a. great run, and won by half a length from Terra Nova, Ben Hur a moderate third. Myosotia covered the mile in 2.15 2-5 — an excellent record.