Canterbury doings

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 55

Canterbury doings

By Fbitz.

We s-re now enjoying & quiet time after trio bustle and excitement of the Grand rsat.ional week. The respite, however, will only be of short duration, as we will very &oon navfc to be considering the spring meetings. In the course of a few weeks, in lact. we will be right in the thick of the spring fixtures, and a study of the calendar shows that in 10 weeks' time the New Zealand Cup meeting will be an us. Since the close of the Grand National meeting the weather has been fine, and the trainers at Riccarton have taken full advantage of the favourable conditions to push on withihe horses wanted for early epring engagements. This applies more particularly to the two and three-year-olds as many of the older division were competitora at the Grand National meeting and are therefore pretty forward. It is too early yet to form a definite opinion about the local two-year-olds, but I think it will be' found that a few of them can gallop fast when the. time conies to show their ability The Amberley Steeplechase Club's meetmXrJ7lll be held on the Amberley course on Thursday. This is an enjoyable sporting fixture, -especially Tvith mmtins ■enthusiasts, but from a ra.oinpf point of view it is moderate only. The class of horses engaged is decidedly ordinary, taken all round, and I am afraid th« fields will be poor. The Ashburton County Racing Club's spring meeting will be held on September 16 and 17, and nominations are due on Saturday. The two trooting events, one on each day, are open to both trotters and pacers, the new rule passed at the Trotting Conference last month not applying. Since the autumn meeting extensive improvements have been made at the course. An important alteration being the removal of the horse-boxes from their old situation. Application has been made to the Railway Department -to have the time-table trains altered so as to suit visitors, and the \isuai excursion train from Christchurcb. will be put on each day. J The committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club has passed the programme for the eprjng meeting. The stakes total £1120, ! an increase of £265 over the amount given j away last spring. The two principal events are endowed with £150 and £120. Most of the horses purchased by Australians at the Stead sale were shipped to ' the Commonwealth last week. Cla.ncha.ttan. | who was bought from Slir George Clifford I by Mr A. Skirving, was also 6ent to Melbourne on Friday. The trotting stallion Boldrewood. who ! was recently by Mr W. L. | Tredea., was shipped to Melbourne on Friday. He will probably be raced against Emulator or any of the other stallions exhibited at the Mebourne show. Judging by the few specimens of his .foals I have seen, I expect the General Tracy horse- to make a big name for himself at the stud. Boldrewood was accompanied last week by the brood mares Kitty G. and My Lady, the latter of whom has a foal at foot by Rothschild. j It is on the cards that the hunter Pilot ; may be sent to Sydney to take part in the steeplechase events at the Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting. I Mr H. F. Nicoll's. pair, Cross Battery and ] Sea King, will probably be shipped to Syd- ] ney this week to fulfil their engagements in i the Commonwealth. In the first place, they | will go to Rand wick for the Australian i Jockey Club's meeting, and I expect it will depend on circumstances whether they aro sent across to Melbourne for the meetings at Caulfield and Flemington. W. J. Tag- < orarfc will have charge of them, and L. G. , King will accompany him to do the riding. The weights for the New Zealand Cup have made their appearance, and they will < provide plenty of food for discussion during the next few weeks. There will be j other opportunities for referring to them, but the state of the law, of course, prevents an-v criticism of the handioapper's work. The Christchurch Hunt Club's Point-to-Point Steeplechase was held at Templeton on Saturday afternoon, in the presence of | I a large number of spectators, many of [ whom journeyed from Christchurch jn motor 1 cars and other vehicles. Mr G. MurrayAynsiey was srarter. and Mr W. B. Cowlishaw judge. The following is the result of the race: — Point-to-Point Steeolechasa, about four miles : Miss I. E. Rutherford's Jack Sininc Mr J. H. Selbv) 1: Mr A. S. Elworthy's Craigmore (Mr H. Elworthy) 2; Mr D. Westenra's Zenda (owner), 3 ; Mr P. Acton-Adams's Prince Charlie .(owner). 0; Mr A. S. Ehvorthy's Brisk (Mr P. Elworthyl, 0. Jack Snipe, Craigmore and Zenda, were in front all the way. About a mile from the finish all three refused at a fence loading from a road into a naddock. Jack Snipe was brought b&dk quicklvi and was a long way on the road for home by the time the other pair cleared fh's obstacle, eventually winning by nearly a hundred yards from Craigmore, who was a similar distance in front of Zenda. The last of the Grand National visitors, consisting of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's four horses, left for Napier on Saturday. Definite arrangements have now been made for Cross Battery and Sea King to journey to Sydney for the Australian Jockey Club's meeting, and they will be shipped 1 on Thursday. During Taggart's absence in Australia with this pair, the remainder of his team J will be looked after by M'Guinnes?. [ Sweet Angela, who fell to Mr J. Gics-

T king's bia at the TaHdhurst sale, is uoff under Hepburn's charge. Matthews is getting a tery useful team together. Among the latest additions are Vesper Bell and Coroniform, who were secured by pairons at the Stead sale, and Rose Noble, who changed hands last week. M'Cracken has made a fresh sfca-rt with' Pas SeuL, who failed to find a new owner when offered for sale last week. Flitaway is suffering from a. burst foot?, and has had to be eased. The break in! her preparations is particularly unfortunate with spring engagements "so close at hand. Bonny Glenn is still moving freely, and if he remains sound he should win lots 6£ races this season. Sheenan has his three-year-olds, Merry Lass (by Finland— Pleasure Seeker) and Passion (by Pilgrim's Progress— Greek Maid), in active work. Passion, who did not race; at two years, bas grown into a fine filly. Pine is keeping Count Witte busy, and r . ( he should wove a rare bargain if he keeps 6oun«l, as he was &■ brilliant galloper as * two-year-old. , ■ i Virtus, who developed Jameness on th« eve_ of the Grand sfational meeting-, is jjt aotive work again. . Eurus is being treated to a. spell after hi* . exertions at the Grand National meeting.