CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fbitz

The weather during the past week has been somewhat mixed, but' the threat of lain did not amount to much after all, and for- the most part the ■conditions have- been favourable for training oparations. With the opening of our big spring carnival now less than three weeks' distant, the weather question is of vital importance to the trainers at Tticoartom who have no desire to have their work interfeaied with at a time when they have to be pushing their charges along if they hope for success. The past week has been rathe.r quiet at Riocarton, owing to the absence of so many trainers, jockeys,*" and horses at Wingutui, assisting at the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting. They had quite a good run there, four races each day falling to hors>es trained in this quarter. We will have the campaigners back this week, and the tracks should then begin to wear a more business-like appearance in the mornings..

There will be a. fair team of Canterbury horses ■oompe.tmg at the Wellington meeting. H. Cutts'will take fche two-year-olds Winning Way (Dannie Obiel —Lady WayAvard) and Trireme (Treadmill —Chryseis), W. C. Clarke the three-year-old Oka (Stepniak —Sortie) and the two-year-old Andrea (Sarto—Brisa), and R. Derrett will have the sprinter Kilts. I hear, too, that R. J. Mason will make the trip with the three-year-old Byron (Martian—Greek Maid), and a two-year-old, either Lady Georgia -(Obligado—Kitiroa), Gnome (Obli-gado—-Sprite) or Taffeta (Charlemagne II —Silk Gown). This contingent will serve to add to the interest in the racing at Trentham.

I bear, by the way, that Byron has grown into quite a good three-year-old. ■fie knew how to handle himself last season, and at the Wellington summer meeting he impressed good judges to such an extent that they were prepared to see him finish up the best of the yoaac. After that he went off, and was turned out. From what T can learn, he has come back to his best, and promises to be up to expectations. He is credited with being able to run a journey, but on this point we should have early evidence, as he is engaged in the WV'ington Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, which will be decided on Saturday. If he wins that event we will have to admit that he is a candidate for the highest honours, as he will be opposed by a decent field. New Zealand Cup form was not cleared up very much by the racing witnessed last week. At Napier Park Bobrihoff made Kilosteri and Goldfinder look very ordinary over a mile and a-quarter, and neither of the Oup horses can be said to have covered himself with glory. Goldfinder's effort was probably an improvement on his display at Hastings a week earlier, and h'3 seems to be coming on, but I cannot fancy his chance in the two-mile handicap. Kilosteri will have a further pull in the weights over Goldfinder when it comes to the Cup. and I am prepared to see him in front of the San Fran horse again. At Dunedin in the Mosgiel Handicap the field of five included only one horse not in the New Zealand Cup, but she settled all their pretensions. I must confess I was disappointed at Coroniform's showing, as I thought he would win. However, so far as the New Zealand Cup is concerned, I do not think lie wull be in the field if Prim and Martine continue to go on all right until the day of the race. Outlander gave the best display behind Counter-mine, and as ho appears to be coming on, he may have a rough chance, especially as he has fXMne pretensions to staving- Puaka. ran badly, and I have no liking for him, dospite a decent showing at Ashburton last month. The Cornet's effort oh the first day was somewhat atoned for by his win on Saturday, but he does not appeal to me in a Cup connection. This horse, by the way, is earning quite a reputation as a second-day winner. It is marvellous how some horses appear to improve out of knowledge with one gallop in public. The Cornet's record in this direction is becomin.sr quite remarkable. Next Friday will be a ' busy day at the office of the Canterbury Jockey Club, as payments are due for the New Zealand Cup, Stewards' Handicap, Derby, Oaks,

and Welcome Stakes, and nominations for the minor events to be decided at the spring carnival. We should then have a good idea as to what owners' plans are for the meeting. The handicaps for the Stewards' Handicap have made their appearance, but so far I have not heard much discussion concerning them. The one point that strikes me is that Mr Henrys appears to have adopted a higher scale- than usual. Certainly, so fair as the three-year-olds are concerned, he has set a high standard. In awarding Counterfeit 8.6 he has made her out to be a particularly brilliant liily, as I cjpnot recall another instance of a three-year-old receiving such a burden in the Stewards' Handicap. In other respects, the handicap is a flattering one, there being several smart sprinters in with very liandy weights, Nyland taking the eye as a particular casta in point. There is certainly material foi a fine field. Nominations are due to-night (Wedne* day) for the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting. The news that Wild wood Junior will not be nominated foi .the New Zealand Cup Handicap is a matter for regret. He struck himself about three weeks ago, and after working one day last week his leg filled, so his owne* decided wisely in electing not to go on. with him. He will now be free to do an uninterrupted season at the stud. In the absence of Wildwood Junior the handicap for the thousand pound race will be interesting. There will, I expect, be over a dozen nominations, with a limit of about five seconds. R. J. Mason with Vice-Admiral and Peireire, J. Franks with Culprit, Aphaea, and Bon Soie, and R. O'Donnell with Los Angelos, Genius, and BonrJtas, arrived book from Sydney last week. The only one of the team to win in Australia was Los Angelos. I expect, however, to find that the trip has benefited all the horses, and I am prepared to see several of them among the winners very quickly: This journey to Australia in the spring does lots of horses good, as past results have shown us. The success of Autumnus in the Dunedin, Stakes last week came as no surprise, after ■his displays on the track here "before he went south. He is the beet two-year-old at Ricearton just- now, and our chief hopev I should say, in the Welcome Staloes. I was surprised, however, to find Pawky Lass beating Anna Oarlovna on Saturday. The latter is much better than May Dalrymple on track form, as the running on the two days as between these three did not work out at all. Since his return from. Australia R. J. Mason has been interviewed regarding the cabled account of his remarks to a Sydney interviewer, in which Mason was stated to have strongly condemned the totalisator. Replying to a question, he stated that he preferred not to say much on the matter until the full report of the interview, as published, was available. Though he was quite prepared- to stand by anything he actually said in regard to the totalisator, ho was annoyed to find, on -reaching New Zealand, but a few of the things he said had been picked out and cabled over, arid other important portions of his remarks had been., omitted, with the result that his meaning had been altogether misconstrued. When, questioned by the Sydney pressman about the totalisator, he replied, "What do you want the totalisator here at all for? Here, ih the A.J.C., you've got the best club in. the world, and the one that is the most liberal. in regard to- both stakes and entrance fees." Mr Mason went on to say that an owner could keep a. horse in the A.J.C. Derby, a £4OOO race, and also in all other classic races, right up to general entry day, which fell a fortnight before the race, for a solitary £l. They got very large fields in the races there without the totalisator, and did not want bigger ones. In replying to the questions put to him in Sydney, he was talking about the proposal to introduce the totalisator over there. He told them that they should let well alone, and he expressed the opinion that New ZeaLanderS should not go over there and -agitate for the introduction of the totalisator into New South Wales. There were a very large number of people there, racing and breading, who were not in favour of the machine. Mason l .added that over here, in. New Zealand, it was quite different, as the population was small, and-there was-no other way of getting stakes to race fof. Referring to racing in tihe Commonwealth, Mason said that the sport was booming. Where years ago there was one good horse, there were now 50, and races were much harder -

to wirr than they used to be. He expressed the opinion thn.t the geneirail d!iandard among the racehorses in Australia was higher than in New Zealand, 'because for one good horse that could be taken over there from the Dominion there were scores to be found in Australia. The annual meeting of members of the Methven Racing Club was held on Tuesday evening. There was a large attendance, and Mr C. A. 'Cuff occupied ihe chair. The balance sheet, -which was adopted, sho,wed a cash balance of £2lO. The following officers were elected:—Pati'on, Mr S. G. Holmes; nresident. Mr A. Gummings; vicewesi G. L. Crowley, H. M'Learr, D. W. M'Lean, J. R. Brown, T. Twomey, W. J. Dickie, C. A. C. Hardy, A. Orr. W. Morgan. A. V. Richards, H. Green, T. Dowling, Denis M'Kendry, Dan M'Kendrv. T. Harrison. H. J. Harrison, W. J. Baxter, C. A. Cuff, C. Hills, G. Harris, and H. Kennedy: stewards—Messrs L. Crowkv. C. Ireland. T. Clark. T.. Twomey, G. Baxter, D. M'Dona.ld, W. J. Baxter! A. Street, H. Kenwedy, S. Holmes, and T. Dohertv: committee—Messrs S. Ecran. G. Dove. \T. Oxlev. J. Wildermcth, K. Aitken. W. Baxter, j. T. Mararin,-& Smith, and' Dr Golding; iudate, Mr R. Curtis; handioa.pner, Mr P. C. Thomas; clerk of opiume. Air C. Ireland; clerk of scales, Mr D. Duff: honorary surgeons, Dts Cold'in.g- and James : -timekeepers, Messrs C. T. Middleton and T. Twomey; honorary treasurer, Mr S. Cavleton l ; honorary secretary. Mr F. J. Stone. A sub-committee of five >was set up to draw up a programme, to bo submitted at the first meeting of tha committee.

The local contingent that visited Sydney returned well pleased with what they saw at Rand wick. They found, however, the starter was very strict. Messrs Stead's two-year-old Bon Soie displayed some fractiousness. and kicked badly at the post in the Breeders' Plate, and the officials would not allow him to start in the Gimcrack Stakes. Los Angclos,_ for turning round and kicking out once in the Metronolitan. was ordered to the outside of the field. These drastic measures with fractious horses probaMv prpJain to some extent the srood and cmick despatches. .Something of the sort misrht be tried in New Zealand with advantage.

Grand Rose shnped well for a novice over hurdles duringr the week, but Santa

Claus and Miss Rosslyn performed poorly, and will require a lot of schooling. Miss Advance, by Advance—Couriere,. has gone into R. Ellis's stable. She looks very light in condition. Canterbury, who has been showing signs of unsoundness, has been sent home for a spell, and it may be some time before he is right again. Since O'Donnell s return from Sydney ho has taken over the Seal Rock two-year-old which Longley has been looking after for some time. Izdubar has shown signs of lameness, and the disappointing son of Stepniak—lshtar has been eased in his work. The Cup Prim, Martine, Cronstadt, and Tannhauser, have been getting through-serviceable tasks and are going on well. I have a particular fancy for Prim, who will, I think, be hard to beat •in the two-mile race. , The Chokebore brother and sister, Masterpiece and Madam Madcap, both ol whom are in fine fettle, have been responsible for some excellent work during the week. Masterpiece, if allowed to settle into his stride, hits out in rare style. Counterfeit, who has built up a lot since her return from Wanganui, has been galloping very freely, and her split foot does not seem to affect her. Mr' Greenwood's team for Wellington left to-night. It consists of Byron and the two-year-olds Taffeta and Lady Georgia, in addition to other Riccarton horses already mentioned. I hear that Medallist is booked for the Wellington meeting.