CANTERBURY DOIXGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 54

CANTERBURY DOIXGS.

By Fjcitz.

The weather has undergone «oveul changes during the past week. In the early part it wa-s beautifully fine, and it remained so until Friday rlfglit, whrn some heavy showers fell. The sky cleared again on Saturday but thieve are signs that we may be in for a further wet spell. Now that the holidays are over there are no conflicting interests, 6O far as trainers are concerned, and a downpour would be welcomed en account of its influence on the track*. Mi- F. Angus who was at om tune a leading trainer and rider of trotting horses, died recently. For some year= he had been right out of the sport. The Auckland trotting mare, Tho Moaress, who has been an inmate of N. Price's stable for several months past. ia to be taken home shortly. Sh-e- is in foal to Albertorioue. The Pjiumpton Park Trotting Club's meeting was eoniiiMied on Friday and concluded" on, Saturday. View&d from any aspect that may be mentioned, it was one of the most successful fixtures ever held at Plumpton. The- fields were uniformly large and of good 1 quality, and the racing ■was full of interest. Financially, too, it was an excellent meeting. The totalizator investments showed an increase of about £3000 on last year** figures, added to which tho cJub received upwaid's of £300 la bookmakers' foes, so that when the accounts come to be adjusted there should

bo a handsome profit as a restrffc of t&e three tkija" sport. Racing comn-e^eed on Friday with the Templeron Handicap, for which there weire IT starters. Plush shot out at the start ami soon establ'shed 1 a good lead. The only one that even lcoked like catching her was Hue P^teet, but the challenge in the straight was stalled off very comfortably, Plush winning by two lengths. Bright was 50 yards away, followed by Prince Wood'bum and Blackinore. Eleven lined up for the Ladies' Bracelet Hasidioap. Lady Mine streaked away a.t the start, but j Maori Child gradually oveirhauled her, eventually winning by a dozen Lengthe, with Imperial Kit eight lengths away, third. Maori Child is a fine stamp of a squaregaked trotter. He is by Maori Prince, i uho, I understand 1 , had a brief career at tk'R stud, aaid who is now- a dog cart gelding doing duty in a North Island doctor's trap. The field for the Plumpton Handicap numbered 10. Vitella, Lady Lyllian, a-nd Berroy made the early ruain>fng. but Aberfeldy gradually M-orked bis way to the frorot, and finally won by eight lengths from Fusee, who beat Lady Ljllian by four lengths, with Berringcotte and Vi'fcella close up. A-beri-eldy won in good style, but Fusee's performance w«« a trifle disappoinrtinig for a horse with such ■ a great reputation. The Islington Handicap, of three miles, attracted 10 starters. Variation soon direw out dear, but at the end of two miles Nellie H had riui through into second place, end lcoked like beating Variation. When challenged, however. I?he latter drew away again, and he won comfortably by sdx lengths. Nellie H. beat Mary Lincoln by eight lengths, with Sydney amd Kebo close up. There were 10 starters for the Stewards' Handicap, for trotters only. 11 Slewee "was responsible for the early pace, but Bell Car took charge some dietanoe fiom home, amdl he won by 10 lengths from Mies Vivian, who WU3 a, similar distance in front of Slewee, with The Moorese, who tired in the dosing stage of the race, a good fourth. Twelve lined up for the Lyttelton Handicap, but King V. gave nothing a chance, as he led all tho way and won by six lengths. A fine piece of vigorous riding on the part of N. Price enabled RedehLld to catch Miss Florrie C. in, the Last stride a.nd make a dead heat for 'second plaoe. Laudervale, Pansy, and Viewmont were next to ftnneh, just behind the d&ad heater-?. Seven lined up for the Railway Handicap. Firederick jumped out smartly and kd all the way, winning by six lengths from Hinau, who bSat My Mistake by a length, with Verax, Factory Boy, and Florin close up. The winner, who is a brother to Fritz, had not won a race for some time, but if h.3 keeps well it should not- be long before he scores again. Eight lined up for the ■ Final Handicap, which provdded a good race. At the end of half a-mile Ben Bur was just eleair of Prince Randle, Joy, and Almond, but a little further on Prince Randle took charge and won by diree lengths from Almond;, who was six lengths clear of Victor Huon, with Ben Hur close up. just in front of the rest of the field. On Saturday a start was made witb the 'Progressive Handicap, for which the fieid numbered nine. Princes* Louise direw our early in the raes, followed by Lenape, the x rest' of the starters bein.g soon left a long way behind. Princsse Louise was still _in charge at the home turn, wieire Lenape caught her, and evcantually won by two lengths, Pylades being a hundired yards away third The victory of Lenape was very popular. She is owned by the well-known veterinary surgeon, Mr J. R. Charlton, who drove her a very quiet and patient race. Thirteen lined up for the Ladies Bracelet Handicap. Ethel Ball made all the running, bwt Early Dawn caught her before the straight was reached, and^-won comfortably by cix lengths from A^apanthus who was a similar distance in front of Ethel Ball. The Champion Handicap attracted nine shairters. Miss Burlington went off smartly, followed by Verax and Florin, and this trio made all the early runin-mg. Half a-mile from home the back markers were within striking distance, and an interesting finish ende<l in Lord Elmo bearing Mis.? Burlington by two lengths', Terra Nova being three lengths away, just in front of Albertorious, Florin, and Fusee. There were six starters for fche Advance Handicap, and Chatham was in front all the way. winning very easily by half a-length from Glaremont, with Cleopatra. 50 yards away, third. The Hornby Handicap attracted eight starters. . Havelock went off smartly, and' soon opened up a good gap -from Turk, who headed the othars most of the way. Half a mile from home Tea Tree, Laudervale, and Redchiid were overhauling the loaders fast, and turning for 'home Laudervale. went out in pursuit of Havelock. The latter, however, responded gamely to F. Holmes'* call, and won by half a bead. Tea Tree was eight lengths behind Laudorvale, and Turk rlose up, fourrtih. For the Middl-efon Handicap the field numbered 11. Cinders, Pansy, and' Alliance led for half ' a mile, when Mits Ftarrie C. took charge. jln tha second mile the hack markers joined in, and Redohild. finishing in great | fctjle, lx»at Miss FJorriie C. by four lengithts. Prince Warbeck being a length aw^ay, third. Laudervale was going well, and looked like being dangerous, w-hen he broke 20 yards from home. There wene eight starters for the Telegraph Handicap. Withington was in ftont all the »way, and he won by two lengths from Elector, with Verax three lengths away, third. Advocate lost a lot of ground at the start, but showed a great biu-,t of B peed, anc) might easily have been ihird if he had been driven out to the finish. Gc-k'leaf was left at tbe post and took no part in the race. The meeting was brought to a close with the Au Revoir Handicap, for which theie were 10 starters. Bell Car made a break in the firea; half mile and lost h:s place. Belroy, Prince , Warbeck, Joy, and Abexfeldy being most prominent iroumding the tuinn.' In the straight, however. Bell Ca,r put in a great run and beat Princs Warbeck by two lengths, with Aberfeldy two lengths further . back, just in front of Belroy, Lodi, and Prince Randle. j i P. M'Grath is expected to arrive at Lyttelton tins week wath ths horg>ss -nrhich ■ Mr J. F. Buchanan is putting into tra/ning. I The position of stud 1 grcom at the Little River 6tud wiill probably bs filled by J. , Secular, who was head lad to W. Pine ' when he was training Mr Buchanan's [ horses. \ > The disappointing Ls Hus3e, by Stepniak — Decoy, is to be geldocl. j Prim and Orsino, who have been enjoying a Bpell 6'nco the Ohi ivtchurch

Racing 'Club's meeting, will resume active work during tha-' weak. The yearling brother to Caspian met with an accident on Friday. His rug became loc6 3 and frightened him, with the resulx that ho jumped the fence out of his paddock, and ran intc another fence. One of the colt's hind leg* was broken below the stifle. He will be kept for a few days to give the limb a chance to knit, failinsr which ho will be d-estaroyed. The colt was bred at Elderslie, an-d was purchased for 80 guineas by Mr G. Payne.