CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2720, 2 May 1906, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fbitz. p The success of Mystification in the Thompj son Handicap did not enrich many local investors, it being generally "thought that the . son 01 Apremont would not be able to hold his own with the best of his opponents. G-lenowlet was freely supported in her Railway Handicap engagement, as also was Ailsa, I and on the second day of the meeiing • Achilles carried a lot of local money. The son I of Medallion evidently registered a fine but j unsuccessful performance under a big -weight. I Newspaper writers all over the colony have | again and again drawn attention to the fact ! that several racing and trotting clubs are not j treating their totalisator investore as liber- : ally oi fairly as they should, and it is high time every club in the colony should pay dividends down to sixpences. Some clubs, too, not only refuse to pay sixpences, on a dividend worked out from the investments in a £1 machine, but if -they run a 10s totelisa tor they divide the total amount in that reaper and binder with the number of tickets i issued on the winner and (if necessary) the j second horse. The dividend may thus work I out to, say, £1 10s lljd. The ten-shilling | machine pays out £1 10s, and by doubling this amount the winning investors on the £1 receive £3, the club thus securing Is lid on every £1 ticket sold. This is, of course, in [ addition to the 10 per cent, deduction, and no one, to my knowledge, has yet adduced sound reasons therefor. It is well known that anothei strong effort will be made in Parliament to abolish the totalisator, md clubs might very well. a3k- themselves if by their action they are not straining the loyalty or those members who previously voted for the retention of the machine. A' struggling club might urge their financial weakness as a reason for not paying out sixpences, or for adopting the doubling process,, but this argu-zn-en-t does not apply to wealthy clubs. It has been suggested that the racing and trotting conferences might very well discuss this question, and endeavour to bring all clubs into line. However, I trust that the members of the clubs will effect a change in the present system. A great deal could be written upon this subject, but enough has been said by myself and others to freely explain the iniquity of the system. I hear that Petrovna is to be given a short respite from the " 'ammer, 'ammer, 'ammer.'' Taxpayer is now in -the hands of W. Clark, who will train Mr Rutherford's horse for winter engagements. The champion trotter Fritz was billed to appear at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeiing on Saturday, but the Vancleve horee was not started in the International Handicap. A meeting of the Ellesmere Racing Olub was held at the secretary's office, Leeston, on Monday evening. Mr H. J. Pick occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance. Accounts amounting to £49 14s 7d and stakes for £111 10s were passed for payment. A hearty vote of tbanka was recorded on the minutes to Mr John MTuinie. tlie treasurer, who will shortly leave the district. The Christchurch Racing Club's autumn meeting takes place on the sth of next month, and although I shall have another opportunity of expressing my views thereon, I may j just as well jot down my impressions, even though the acceptances are not yet to hand. Cannie Chiel has been awarded top weight in the High-weight Handicap, and he should run well, as also may Ability and Antigone. I prefer the prospects of Cannie Chiel. For the Maiden Handicap Korea should have a great chance, and Chivalry ought to just about pick up the Flying 1 Handicap. A good race should eventuate in .he Christchurch Autumn Handicap, and of the 13 candidates I like the look of Beau Sea-ton, Pas Seal, and Savoury. Balsam and Korea are nicely treated in the Hack Race-, whilst Cannie Chiel and Ability should have something to say in the decision of the Welter Handicap. The handicaps for the events to be decided j at th.© Ashburton autumn meeting have been '

r published, the majority of th» horses engaged thereat being handicapped for the Cbristohurch meeting. Hence I will refrain at present from expressing an opinion thereon. The Ashburton Trotting Club was favoured with fine weather on Thursday last, and a goodly number of country and townspeople j assembled to witness the racing. The totalfeatoi revenue, though not large, was fairly j satisfactory, and some of the events provided j capital contests. That well-known performer i Cocoanut registered a really good performance in the Laghmor Handicap, two miles. The mare started from scratch, and got to the end of the journey in 4.49. Maoriwood, in receipt of 45sec, finished three lengths behind Cocoanut, whilst Cleopatra, 26sec, occupied third place, some distance away. The Trial Handicap fell to Eleanor somewhat easily. Lady Patch and Sweet Nell filling second and their depositions respectively. Princess May won the Allanton Handicap fairly easily from Cleopatra, after" whom came Alice H. Wild Belle secured leading position after a mile of the Ashburton Handicap distance had been traversed, and although Rowlock got close to hei in the straight, he then broke, and the mare won by a fair margin, with Success_ in third place. Lady Patch led all the way in the Ladiea' Bracelet Handicap, and won comfortably from Maritana, Botany a poor third. Although Wild Belle was penalised 1 9sec in the Wakanui Handicap, she won easily from Success, Abbey Fail trotting into third place. The McLean Handicap was a gift to Prince Retty, who was receiving 3o&ec from Fritz. The latte* would not settle down, and trotted unkindly, being defeated by between 30 and 40 yards. Little Jimmie appropriated the Longbeach Handicap as he liked, finishing a long way ahead of Sweet Nel l 11, who just defeated- Maritana. The New Zealand Metropolitan brought its most successful three-days' autumn meeting to a close on Saturday, the final day's racing having been postponed from the previous Saturday owing to heavy rain. The course was in capital order, but a strong nor'-wester proved somewhat disagreeable. Some high-class fields contested the majority of the events ; indeed, it is questionable whether so many firstclass horses were ever before seen out on any one day. Speculation was brisk, the figures showing that the receipts, Amounting to £8044, were some hundreds in advance of the amount handled on the coresponding day last year. Imperial Rose was sent out iavourite in a field of four in the Halswell Handicap. She led for two-thirds of the distance, but, tiring in the run to the poat, Security caught her, and won by nearly a length; I Havelock being about 50 yards behind the I second horse. Eleven horses contested the Champions' Handicap, oi 200sovsj two miles, 1 only 7sec dividing them. The positions of the I candidates were as follows: — Black. Child scr, i Verax 3sec, Boldrewood 4sec, Euchre 4eec, I Vickery 4sec, Monte Carlo 7sec, Marian 7sec, j Darwin 7seo, Miss Vsra Capel 7sec, Sir Hector 7&ec, and Discoverer 7seo. Marian declined to ' leave her mark, and; was not persevered with, whilst Miss Vera Capel began unkindly. Passing the stand the first time Discoverer was leading Sir Hector, Darwin and Euchre coming next. Euchre was in front at the luUfdistance, and remained there to the 'end, winning, easily from Verax, who just defeated: Vickery for second place, whilst Discoveret was close -up in fourth place. Euchre has probably nevei been better, as hei practically had the- race at his mercy aIL the- way, and covered the journey in 4.44 3-5. V.R. quickly disposed of Richard E. and dampett in the Ladies' Bracelet, and. although Specialfornv looked dangerous she broke, and V.R. won [ easily, Sweet Nell filling third place. A good i field was harnessed up for the High-class ! Handicap, Wild Arab being the popular selection. Orlando soon established a fair lead from the favourite, the latter being unable to make much impresion upon the leader. WalI lace L. was trotting well in the rear, and, gradually overhauling Orlando, got up in time to secure the verdict with a- little to spare. Austrey, closely followed by Hamlin, was leading at the half-distance of the Flyera' Handicap, but the latter breaking he lost his position to Almond and Cocoanut. Entering the straight the lastntmed headed Almond, but she could: not overhaul Austrey, who won by four lengths. A pretty finish was witnessed in the Wilkm Handicap. At a little more than a mile Robert Enrraett, Fichu, Cinders, Jim Jim, Te Whiti, Vanclare, and General Grigg were all going well. Running for the straight Fichn j and Robert Einmett were together, with Cm- \ ders next. The last-named finished strongly, I and got up in time to win by a bare length, a ] similar distance separating second and third horses. Ben Hui annexed the Farewell Han- ' dicap somewhat comfortably from Wild Rose, Sir Hector in third place. Myoeotis, General Mac, and Lily C. finished close up in a bunch. Nine champions went out to contest the International Handicap, which, brought the I proceedings to ah exciting close. When half j a mile had been covered Miss Vera Capel, j Elector, and The Needle were out in front. . closely pursued by Boldrewood, Norice, and Cccoanut. Norice broke up when looking . dangerous, and- Electoi- landed in the straight j just leading The Needle and Miss Vera Capel, ( The last-named won -by three-quarters of a length, whilst The Needle' defeated Elector by a head for second place.