CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Bi Fbitz.

Now "that tfeer holiday meetings are- over, local- owners and trainers axe returning home ■with their horses. Taken all round, I fancy the campaign has been fax from satisfactory to "t&e majority of the Canterbury contingent. At Auckland, it is true,' Six George Clifford had • very* successful time, and Mr G. G--Steadt also_ showed up prominently. On the other hand, Mr G. Murray-Aynsley had at disastrous trip to Ellexslie, aa Bonny Glen broke down badly in the Auckland Cup, and ■will require a very long spell before any further attempt is made to train him. Sir George Clifford was also .to the fore in two zaces at the Manawatu meeting, but Buo cleuch, Fireiron, and 1 Medallist went through numerous engagements' without success. On the "West Coast of this island H- Solomon liad * consistent tun of successes with Suttee and'yardb, but to most* of in© other visitors--ironT'theae 'parts the results 'of the cam- _, paign could not have been "satisfactory, as! j wins-w ere like the proverbial angels' -visits. i - Sir. George Clifford will have a big team to Tepresent Mm at the Wellington meeting J thfs month, as the contingents which.. were j racing In hie colours at the Auckland a-ndf Manawatu meetings will Join forces at Trentham.. There will, however, be "one absentee, Sir George having disposed of Guidwife • while" in Auc-kland. G. Murray=-Aynsley sold Artillerie Wnile he was in Auckland, 'and the Royal Artillery fllly Trill be taken to Australia" at an early aa-te.-- " "■ W.~ Pine xe turned* from the North Island! jn Sifazday on a flying trip, but h« ha* r«tarsftd; to TieatEam, where Buccleuch uiq k

Fireiron will be quartered till after lie "Wellington meeting. Medallist was brought home on Saturday, after a disastrous campaign at the Manawatu, Ashurst, and Rangitikei meetings. D. J. Price was very much in evidence at the Gfreymouth Trotting Club's meeting, and the presence of the teaan, which he had under his charge must have* done a lot to boom the harness sport on the Coast. With Van Tromp and Al Franz he won both divisions of the Futurity Stakes, while Al Franz was successful in two handicaps and King Cole in. three. Then, Sal Taeker gave three exhibitions, each one a mile, establishing figures which are likely to stand as Coast records for some time to come. The Plumpton Park Trotting Club's meeting, which was concluded last week, is entitled to rank pas the most successful the club has ever held. The club was fortunate in the matter of weather, and there was a large attendance each day. Speculation wasi brisk, the totalisator investments for the meeting amounting to £20.276, compared with £15,577 a yeaT ago. In addition to this the club received £75 from the two bookmakers who took out licenses. The stewards of - the Plumpton Park Trotting Club missed a fine opportunity to distinguish themselves on New Year's Day. There was a wholesale smash in one race, three horses falling about two furlongs from horns, and! a fourth 50 yards from the finish. All the mishaps were laid" at the door of the driver of Scottish Mao (W Huston), who must be considered' very lucky in that he was only distanced for the race, thus losing£s for third place, and fined £2. After watching the race I thought he was certain to be given a holiday for at least six months, and even then I would have considered him ai very lucky man. The racing on Boxing Day, when the Plumpton Park Trotting Club's meeting was opened, was only moderate, to say the least. On the second and third days, however, there was a great improvement, the sport being very exciting. On New Year's Day a start was made with the Templeton Handicap, for which the field numbered 16. Otto Cribb led far a little over a. mile, when Houhere, a four-year-old by Specification, went to the front and won easily from Te Porangi, who was a length in front of Otto Cribb. Eleven* lined up for the Ladies' Bracelet. Winsome made all the running, bat John gradually overhauled her, and it "was only by a head! that Winsome scored, Premier Dick being a fair third. The Plumpton Handicap' attracted 11 starters, but it was a poor race, as Dick Fly was in front all the way, and! won easily by four lengths from. Jjs>berb Emmet, who was followed by Fusee, OTT.M., and Albertorious. In the Islington Handicap i Music made most of the running, but Opihi caught her on the post and won by half a length, Dick Turpin being -50yds away, third. The Stewards' Handicap brought out 10 trotters. WoodiandeT got to the front before half the journey • Had' been covered, and) showed the way till near the finish, when, Impatient, after a brilliant run, got on terms l and won by half- a length, juth. Miss Vivian. 6lose up. There were seven starters for the Lyttelton Handicap, in which Vitella drew out early and won very easily from Lucky Child Wild Victor lost a. lot of ground 1 through playing up at the start, and he registered- a t good performance "in getting third. The Railway Handicap was spoiled by the accidents which occurred.. Onward, The Middle, and Wild Duck came to grief rounding the home turn, and Goldleaf felll near the post, as the result of a collisionThe unlucky Prince Warbeck scored a very popular win from Al F. and! Scottish Mac. It was quite time Prince Wsrbeok won arace, after his long ran of placed performn ances. The Final Handicap saw Eulogy making all the running, only to be cut down^ a few strides from the post by Miss Burlington, who won by a length, with Ben Hur close up. Miss Burlington, however, wasi distanced for starting before her time. On the third day the proceedings opened l with the Progressive Handicap, in which al warm favourite in Variation led all the way, end won easily from Mya.ll, a recent Australian importation, with the consistent Ta Porangi third. Nine faced the starter for the Ladies' Bracelet Handicap. The Boss: m'ad-e most of the .running, but Thicket, despite several bad breaks, got up from scratch in time to win by a length. Rotholia, . who showed e> lot of pace in patches, finished! third. The Champion "Handicap, which attracted a field of nine, was a fine race. Dick Fly was the first to draw out, and at the end of a mile he was four length d clear of Lord Elmo and Albertorio-ns, with Verax and Durban next. Half a mile from' home Albertorious moved up to Dick Fly, and a little farther on he went out in front. At the entrance to the straight Durban made a fast move, but Aibertorious easily held 1 his own to the finish, and won by three lengths. Verax was 10 lengths away, fol-* lowed by Dick Fly. Bombay waa a hotl favourite for the Advance Handicap, and he won, after a good finish, by two lengths from Joy, with The Gift two lengths farther back. The Gift was in front, and' going well, when! she stuinb'ed a dozen yards from the winning post, or she would certainly have won. The Hornby Handicap, Che trotters- race, was remarkable, first, for the fact that most of the six. starters raised it badly in Hatches ; and secondly, for the fine finish, Redchild! just getting up- and beating Woodlander by a length, with Havelock Another length away, three lengths in front of Impatient. Another great finish between two -horses was witnessed in the Middleton Handicap. Mmwood led for six furlongs, when Success went to the front. At the end of a mile Wild Victor was in second' place, and cia-tching 1 Success half a mile farther on. the pair raced together to the finish, Wild Victor winning by a head. Lopp was third, 50yds away, nnd Lucky Child fourtfli. In the Telegxaiph Handicap, in- which the field numbered 13, Ga.ki.t-ec made th© running for sic furlongs, when Discoverer drew out end won by three lengths from Francesca, who beat Witbingfon by two lengths, with Electrician and Galatea next. The meeting was brought to a close with the Au Revo^r Handicap, which attracted! 11 starters. Roosevelt was responsible for the pace, but he waa done with, when the straight was reached, a good! finish ending in St. Simon beating Lignite by a length, with The Heir two lengths away, followed by Rooe«velt. Robert Emmet, and; Lopp. But for a bad break early in the race Lignite would have won pretty easily.