CANTERBURY DOINGS

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS

By Fbitz. Fine weather has boon experienced during the past week, save for a heavy fall of rain early on Thursday morning, and as a result training operations have gone on without interruption. Even on the one morning mentioned, when the plough ■ track at Riccarton was rendered unfit for : fast work, there was no inconvenience, tlie i caretaker meeting the position by thxou- ' ing open the trial grass gallop. Though wo are still a week off the opening of the Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting, this is the last opportunity I will have of referring to the fixture in advance. So far as can be judged at present, the prospects of the meeting are excellent, and some first-class racing may bo expected. It seems pretty certain that we will have a large gathering of visiting horses. All the North Island contingent in the Great Easter Handicap are regarded as sure to put in an api pear an ce. With regard to the Great | Autumn, Undecided is the only one concerning whom I have heard any doubts : raised, the fact that he is engaged at the I Feildin.g and Wairarapa meetings rather : complicating the jjosition. As to the Otago i horses, Gapon in, the Great Easter and : Parable in the Great Autumn are now looked on as doubtful visitors, in view of f their form at the Southland meeting, ' coupled with the fact that they also claim engagements at Riverton. In the meantime, Royal Scotch and Bronze rule as : favourites" for iho Great Easter Handicap ! with Byron, Culprit, ajid Gipsy Belle next in order of fancy, while Bronze, Los Angelos, and Masterpiece head the list in the Great Autumn, Midnight Sun and Dearest liaving most admirers among the | others. I should say that Royal Scotch j will start favourite in the seven furlong race, but it is hard to say what will head the quotations for the mile and a-half event on toe day. | With so" many visiting horses engaged in ' the principal handicaps, the track doings ! at Ricoarton have not been of a particu- ! larly exciting description so far. but they i are certain to lives up during the next few days, when the visitors put in an appearance. In the meantime solid work is being accomplished by several of the local oandi- ! dates, but it looks very much as if the ! outside contingent would have most to say in the final decision of the two big handicaps. j Masterpiece, who claims an engagement in each event, is moving very freely jn his j tasks. I doubt, in fact, if the Derby j winner was ever so well as he is at; prej sent. In the earlier part of his racing ' career this well-grown colt was very babyj ish, but he is growing out of that now. i Since he won tho Derby he has been a i great disappointment, but there are indicaI tions that, he will do something before long ! to establish himself once 'more in public favour. He has been responsible for one or two solid performances on the track i lately up to a mile and a-quarter, and he j has many warm admirers for the Great I Autumn Handicap. I will not be suri prised, however, to find him shaping well I in the Great. Easter. It is, of course ! against him that he does not like to bo ; bustled in the early stages, but there >s j plenty of room at Riccarton, ar.d tho long ; straight should serve him well in the seven furlong race even if ho is not out with tho leaders at the start. Tannhauser has bracn moving along ! nicely, and though he has done nothing j sensational, he has got through a good i preparation for the Great Easter. I feel j sure wo have not yet seen the best of the j son of Martian —(band Opera. Countermine has done a lot of solid galj loping lately, and she is in groat heart just now. 1 have, however, a slight prej judiee against this mare in tho best company, though she is very useful, even under j big weights, when the opposition is not ! too select. She carries weight well, and i is an ideal welter handicap performer. Kilts has been going well in his recent work—better than ever before, in fact. In

spite of that. I cannot bring myself to regard him as up to Great Easter form. I'iigraii s Way, a speedy sprinter, has no credentials to recommend him for seven furlongs. Apart from the doubt about Ms •soundness, ho must be reckoned witli so fill' as pace is concerned, as he is galloping very well at present. Oratava seems scarcely class enough for the Great Easter, a. remark which also applies to Miss Advance, who labours under the further disability of being unsound. Hoatherbrae, -who is in the Great Autumn Handicap, has not done much fast work lately, and 1 am disposed to regard her, taking- a line from track operations, as anything but a certain starter for the mile and a-half eventRose Noble has provided quits a lot of excitement on the tracks during- the pa?t week On Thursday morning he went out for_ a mile spin, but after galloping about 50 yards he stopped and refused to go on After prolonged efforts his rider eventually persuaded him to negotiate a couple of circuits, varying from a trot to a half-hearted sprint down the straight each time. On the following morning the circus performance was repeated, and it was only after several applications of the whip that he was got once round. The vagaries of the Medallion horse are a source of great annoyance, -bo his trainer, who will experience some difficulty in getting his charge thoroughly wound up for a severe raca Mumura is moving along nicely in his work, and on Midsummer Handicap form lie may run prominently in the Great Autumn. Martine's displays on the track are of a highly encouraging description. If wo could judge her on them alone she is a very fin© galloper, but unfortunately she has failed repeatedly with the colours up this season, and most people will prefer to leave her out of their calculations for important events until she has done something in public to wan-ant support. Outlandcr is very well just now, and is doing a lot of useful work. I think he is better at present that hie has ever been, but it is against him that he is such a slow beginner. Few horses at Riccarton are going better than The Cornet. The Great Autumn may be rather beyond him. but 1 have marked him off as pretty sure to win a decent race before long. Apart from the Riecarton-trained Jot. Canterbury horses in the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps include Culprit, Byron, Valido, and Ixxs Angelos. who are trained privately. I have no definite new. 3 concerning this quartet. It is reported, however, that Byron struck himself while galloping during the week, receiving injuries which render it doubtful if he will fulfil his engagements next week. The Champagne Stakes is not exciting a great deal of attention at present, the fact that only two of the candidates are trained at Riccarton rather relegating that race to the background ir the meantime. At the same time, when the two-year-okl event is under discussion it is admitted that it offers possibilities for a fine contest. Winning Way has been showing a lot of pace in her work, but it is not quite of a. satisfying character, and I am disposed io doubt her ability to regain her position, at the head of the two-year-old class. Her stable companion. Auttimnus, on the other hand, has been bowling along freely, and there are plenty of peoplo about who prepared v-o find him equal to the task of beatinrr "-mengarde this time. It mutt be adnvvterl. however, that form points to the Highden filly. So far as tin? minor events are concerned there is a prospect of some very interesting siwTt, if we leave the hurdle races out. there being a chance that they will end rather disastrously. Goroniform continues to gallop brilliantly as ever on the tracks. On Thursday he covered nine furlongs in 1.56 i-5, and on Saturday lie was responsible for a mile and a-quarter in 2.9 3-s—two very fino efforts. I doubt if there are many horses in training that could eoual the records of the Multiform —Helen Faucit gelding on the Riccarton tracks. Colleen Mary has been doing good work lately. Her public form this season has been disappointing, but there have been distinct indications that she is improving, and I will be surprised if she does not win a decent race soon. AncilLa has come on a lot during the last few weeks, and she should be worth keeping in mind for the .remainder of the season. I have an idea she may turn oui verv useful. The two-year-old Stardancer Is galloping in rare style at presenij. She is only a handfal, but she is likely to develop into a good sort. On Saturday sho showed good form in a six-furlong spin, covering the distance in 1.15. Glenfinnan is doing atf ractive -work, and he may win a two-year-old handicap before the season closes. This son of Clenranald —Lady Annie showed a lot of pace in the spring, since when lie has keen gelded, and hopes are now entertained that he will make a useful stake-earner. Apart from ih<y racing, there will he two interesting sporting events next week, when Mr H. Friedlander and Mr G. I). Greenwood will offer a large number of hoTses at auction. Counterfeit has been getting through a lot of pood work lately. The danchter of Treadmill —Delusive is in fettle, and she should lack nothing on the score of condition when she lands at Ellerslie for the Great Northern Oaks, a race which does not look like proving a very severe effort for her. I hear that there is a chance of a very important sale of trotting stock being held in Christchurch at an early date. If events turn out as rumoured, it will bo one of the best opportunities that has ever occurred here for securing hisrh-elass stock. G. Price arrived from Wellington on Saturday with Bronze, Ermengardc. Blakeney, arid Lockwood, while T. Quinlivan put in an appearance on Sundav with Royal Scotch. Midnight Sun, and Theodore. Mr J. Buckley's jumpers, Dorando and Fisticuff, have arrived from Oainaru, and have gone into Moraghan's stable, to remain there probably for the winter campaign. Dorando fhaped well in a schooling task this morning. Rose Noble gave another display of temper on the track this morning, and, after some trouble, could only be persuaded to work the reverse way. Prosser is expected to arrive on Wednesday with four horses—Dearest, Gipsy Belle Alohi,, and Royal Marine or St. Felix. The hurdler Featherston will leave for the West Coast to-morrow to compete at the Easter meetings there.

D. Roberts has taken in hand a coup.e of yearlings-a filly by Charlemagne II Suzannah, and a gelding by St. Ambrose**TL Outts will leave for Auckland tomorrow in charge of Counterfeit, who naa got through a sound preparation ijn view of her engagement in the Gales. n _„ ; __ ' The proposal of tke Wellington Racing Club to arrange a match between Counterfeit and Bronze over a mile or a mile and a-half is not likely to come to anything as Sir George Clifford does not favour the idea.