CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Bt Fbitz. A welcome change in the' weather occurred' in the middle of laat week, when rain fell for a few tours, and afterwards continued at intervals for «■ day. There was not nearly j enough of it to satisfy wants, but it was very welcome after the long epell of dry weather which we have experiences this season. The tracks «t Riccarton were greatly improved by the downfall, jrbich. was just ' enough, to take some of the sting out of the ' ground, , Some of the horses were badly in ' need of relief of thUr description, as r many ' of them were showing decided signs of eoreae>9, The summer meeting of the Canterbury Jookey Olub will be held on Thursday and Saturday. OI the four meetings held at Rico&rton each season thir is quite the let« 6 importaoit. Visiting homes are rarely seen at the gathering, the fields, for tn» moat part, being drawn from local stables. In. thi* reapeo* the approaching meeting proraUea to m ftfi impTOvemferji on xecent summer fixtxlredj As fcir&adj! in* Tisitixui contingent itt« [

eludes Freeland, from the West Coasfji Golden Way, Dabchick, and Spinning Flight, from Aehburton; and the North Island pair Moscow and Vasa. These horses should add to the interest in the meeting, which, according to present indications, looks like .proving one of the best summer jatheringsj ever held at Riccarton. So far as the Midsummer Handicap it concerned, there is reason to anticipate an interesting contest. It is true that the quality of the field is not very high, Paragon and Lapland representing the best class, but there is ample material to ensure a keen racer. There are some speed; animals engaged in th« Craven Plate, which should result in a good contest The Filly Stabou field include* several fairly good performers, while th» minor events on the first day have all ati tracted .large nonrinwtions. The most interesting event on the pTo. gramme, however, will probably be the Middle Park Plate, which will be decided or* the second day, and which is already being freely discussed. As has happened on several occasions in the past, the race may resolve itseH into a contest between the Chokebore •nd Yaldhurst stables, the only pair I expect to see opposing them being Dabchick and) possibly All Guns. Sh George Clifford han still two engaged in Fleetfoot and Husband* man. while Mr Stead can also claim «« representatives a couple of two-year-olds in Aarmlet and Sunglow. The two cracks. Fleetfoot and Armlet, have earned the fulF penalty of 101b, while Husbandman and Sunglow can claim the maiden" allowance ot 51b, and this may prove sufficient to ensure a keen^atruggle. Sunglow, I may mention xs a 'full - sister to Boniform, who had « reputation foi smartness in the early spring^ Husbandman; who is by Treadmill— Goldea' Vale, has beeen showing fare track form* for some fame, and <m Saturday he defeated Fleetfoot rather easily. It is possible, howI ever, that Fleetfoot ia feeling- the effects of ncr recent racing in the- North Island With i the Prospect Chokebore and Yaldhurst of the Middle Park Plate are unusually , bright. , i «, Gl< ?£^ ocll « waß dkwed *9 drop our, of the Middle Park Plate last 1 week It irf hoped, however, that he can be got read* for racing by Easter. GlencuUoch has cew y f?* 31 very this season so far. . The three-year-old colt Goldbeater is show* ing attractive forn? on th» track, and if will be no; surprise to find him /unnind well in pubKc in the near future. * Tremulous is doing good track work at present and her chance of winning a decent race shortly seems bright. Nothing at Riccarton is gbins much bette* over short courses than Prim. It is a greaf pity this filly is not sound, as otherwise 1 feel sure she *ould before now have accomrf plished something above the average. . Galden Way &«, three-year-old Pilgrim* Progress— Tamida filly, wasr very lame afte* a gallop on Thursday. Grand. Stand has been performing well ir* his schooling tasks- and there is every reason! to believe that he will develop into a -decent sort over hurdles. Stratagem has been shaping well in he 3 recent gallops, -«md, as the field ig tot a/ strong one, she may run prominently in the* Mi&mmmer Handicap. She ft, however, a very uncertain quantity under sille. I Freeland cut up badly on, Saturday in « i mile and a-quarter gallop with -Lapland. Soraaroff joined in over the last mile wad fi ?s? ea ta.' wltll t"* l *** 10 lengths m 'fronfl 1 of the West Coast horse. Tfcellme was slow, too, whidh makes Freeland'e performance all the more unsatisfactory. Southern Cross zan a mile and a-quarte* on, Saturday In amin 14 8-ssec, a decent performance for a horse that has the reputation' of being a very lazy worker. Sant Roaalier waa stretched out over « mile and a-quarter on Saturday. He covered! . the distance in 2min 15sec, and his effort wei ] satisfactory, as he was carrying considerably, over his Midsummer Handicap burden Baccleuch pulled up laml after a gallop on Saturday, but appeared to be better beforS leaving the course. The committee of the Ashburton County! Racing Club last week considered a pro, posal to increase the stakes for its auturna meeting. A final decision was deferred till the next meeting of the committee. Excellent nominations have been received] : for the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting next week. Like the sunimteM fixture at Riccarton this is the "oft" meettngi with the Trotting Club, whjch makes the big entry all the more pleasing. The nominations received on Friday foa the Great Easter an 3 Great Autumn HandiS caps must be considered highly satisfactory. There is «n increase in each Tace over lasif year's figures, and a further matte-- foil congratulation is the representative character of the lists, nearly all tfie best performers] in Nei* Zealand beinp included. Amongi those engaged in the Great Eaatei Handicap may be mentioned Elevation, King Billy,Gold Crest, All Red, Marguerite, Glenculloch, Sir Tristram, Zimmerman, Petrovna. Buocleuoh, - Full Rate," Multifid, Paragon, Duskyi Morn, Idealist, end Cambrian, while fn thqi Great Autumn Handicap we have Elevation* Tatigimoana, Marguerite, and Gold Cre*t. Alt Red, Glenculloch, Zimmerman, Bucol«uch,'Armistioe, Paragon, Mttltifid, and Idealist. Altogether it looks as if we would hare * couple of good races in our big handicap* at the autumn meeting at Riccarton.