CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3216, 3 November 1915, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Bt Fritz.

Next Saturday will witness the opening of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s spring carnival, and it is now quite certain that it will prove a-, very successful gathering. Visiting horses have been arriving daily since the conclusion of the Trontham fixture, and, -with others duo to put in an appearance, there should be no lack of foreign competition for the principal events, as well as for the minor races. Local stables also -shelter some aooJ oerformers.

so that there is every indication of the sport being good. Seventeen horses still stand their ground in the New Zealand Cup; but I expect to see a further : eduction in the number. Most of the candidates have raced lately', several of them having won since the appearance of the weights. The top weight, Warstep, has been favourite ail through, but thre are signs that Indigo may oust tlio Martian mare from her position. This is not duo to anything being wrong with Warstep, but chiefly to the fact that Indigo’s win at Trentham proves him to be in form; and it has to be remembered that ho has a big pull in the weights over Warstep, with whom he ran a dead heat last year. Snub, a stable companion of Warstep, is also in increasing favour; but, out side this trio, Rinaldo is the only horse who is much talked of about here. My own view is that the form shown this season by most of the Cup horses has been decidedly poor. The Stewards’ Handicap is likely to attract a very big field, and the race should be as interesting as usual. There was a feeling in some quarters during the week that Nones was an unlikely starter, but she was backed a few days ago, and she now shares favouritism with Bee and Three. If she goes to the post, I expect to find Nones favourite on the day. There are, however, plenty of other smart sprinters in the field, and the winner will have no time for loafing on the way. There will not bo a big field for the Dergy, but it should produce plenty of interest. In view of the result of the Champion Plate, Desert Gold will be favourite; but sound judges who saw the at Trentham are still prepared to sec Nones beat her. In other quarters it is urged that Snub may worry both the fillies down _at the end of a mile and a-half. There is just a possibility of Flying Start carrying Sir George Clifford’s colours; but I should say a mile and a-haif would bo beyond him with his w.ndy infirmity. It is, however, a long time since so much interest was aroused over the Derby contest. The Welcome Stakes looks like being a great race. Egypt, Rockbound, Disdainful, and Thestius, ah of whom have won, seem certain to be well fancied; but Good Hope, Maorilander, and Hyttus are a trio who may be expected to run well, judging them on their work on the tracks. There are several other juveniles who are also going well, so that the two-year-old events at the approaching meeting should bo more Than usually interesting. Warstep and Snub were responsible for a fine effort over a mile and a-half on Saturday morning. The pace was solid all the way, and they got to the end of the journey in 2.36. Both horses carried about their Cup imposts, Avhich enhanced the merit of the gallop. Taking the weight into account, 1 should say Warstep’s performance was the beet ever seen on the Ricearton track. She was going on nicely at the end—but no better than her mate, who is a much-improved horse, with every prospect of being a big winner this season. Nones has been galloping in great style since her return from Trentham, and she will be hard to boat in her races at Riccarton. , , Bee is one of the popular local fancies for the Stewards’ Handicap. She can muster up a fine turn of speed, and nothing is going better on the tracks. The style in which she won over six furlongs on the second day of the South Canterbury meeting was very convincing. I have been greatly taken with the manner in which Flying Start has got through his work lately. In spite of his wind troubles, it would bo no surprise if he won a good race at the approaching meeting. Marc Antony was tried out over a mile and a-half on Saturday. He finished well, but the time (2.41) was not impressive. He is a useful colt, who should win lots _ of races, but the New Zealand Cup is a trifle ambitious for a start. Ardenvhor has got through some useful work, and there is no doubt he can gallop, though there is an impression that ho will not always try. He beat Spccialform over a mile and a-quartcr on Saturday, but I cannot fancy him for the Cup. The northern Cup horses Bonny Helen, Rinaldo, Indigo, Blackall, and Tangihou have not been stretched out since their arrival at Ricearton, but they have all been racing lately, so that the trainers probably think they are forward enough. Those who have seen him in action, however, suggest that Rinaldo may bo capable of improvement with a solid gallop. First Glance has been going on nicely pt Late, and she will be hard to shake off in races up to a mile. M'Aulay has Daytime and Encore in fine fettle. They are a pair of brilliant sprinters, and it would be no surprise to find them winning at the big meeting. Ardent sprinted five furlongs in groat style on Saturday. Tilley has him looking well, and he is a very likely winner before he returns north. Adjutant is moving along all right in his tasks. He should prove a useful customer, even if ho misses being quite in the front rank among the season’s three-year-olds. It has boon stated in more than one quarter lately that B. Dcelcy will ride Nones in the Stewards’ Handicap, but I learn from Mr H. G. Taylor that ho has engaged the Auckland horseman for Bee. My own idea is that Nones will not be a starter. R. J. Mason was scarcely likely to overlook the detail of securing a good rider, while the Martian filly will have a severe enough programme later in the mcetmg, if she is as good as I think, in the Derby, Oaks, and Stead Cup, without any race at all on the first day. A couple of Mason’s two-vear-olds, Swale and North, have been showing signs of unsoundness lately. F. T. Smith has just taken two more horses in hand for Mr D. Rutherford. One of them is a three-year-old grey sister to Daylight Bill,.by Stronghold—Female Franchise, and the other a four-year-old brown gelding by Boniform —Gwondolina, by Sant Ilario —Female Franchise. The Metropolitan Trotting Club’s mooting is likely to be a very successful fixture, despite the fact that there will not be many visiting horses. These always add to the interest, but in the trotting sport they arc not essential to success in Christchurch, there being plenty of high-class performers in Canterbury. The Now Zealand Trotting Cup is excitipg a lot of discussion. The favourite, Admiral Wood, was worked out fast on Saturday, but he did not please the critics, and ho has lost many admirers. His stable companion Mandercnc. on the other hand, is doing his work in very attractive style, and may be hard to head off. The Auckland mare St. Ursula has' 4 "loft Bryce’s stable, and her owner, Air W. G. Abbott, will finish her preparation himself, probably driving her in the big race. Frandocia is" the latest horse to come under discussion for the Trotting Cup. His recent

track work has been so good that he will have to be seriously reckoned with. The Kakaia mare County Belle, who ran second in the Trotting Cup last year, is reported to be in great fettle. If my information can be relied on, she will put up a record permance from the back mark. The champion mare Emmeline, who was thought to have seen her best day, is said to have coma back better than ever, and her admirers expect to see her register some high-class performances next week. Eccentric is also reported to be doing well, while Our Thorps, looks fit to run for a kingdom. The New Zealand Trotting Cup thus promises par* ticularly well. ( The North, Canterbury and Oxford Jockej Club held its first totalisator meeting last Thursday. The weather was dull in the morning, but the sky soon cleared. For some rea'son, however, the attendance was rather disappointing, considering the handiness of Rangiora to Christchurch, and the totalisator investments reached only £5253 10s. The officials are evidently determined to place the club on a good footing, as they have incurred heavy expenditure on, improvements, chief among them being a well-appointed stewards’ stand, fitted with all the necessary offices, while a grand stand will be put in hand shortly. There were plenty of competitors for most of the races on Thursday, and some decent sport was witnessed. Kingsway won the Waihi Hurdle Handicap after being in front all the way, but Optician and Cyra kept him busy over the last half-mile. Skyline jumped badly; but he should improve. St. Ewe was in front all the way in the - -strict Handicap, but had to bo shaken up to boat Equivocal; while Watcrspray was a poor third. St. Ewe is owned by Mr W. Nicholls, whose first success it was in a race. There were only four starters for the Rangiora Cup. Ceylon dropped out early, but the other three provided a great contest, Multum in Parvo beating Chrysotis by a bare head, with Trcadfire a neck away. More judiciously handled, Chrysotis would have won; while I expect to see Treadfire also do better before long, as he was ridden by an apprentice, who was having his first mount in a race. The Brackonfield Plate, a weight-for-age event, run over four furlongs, attracted a fine field of 16. Samisen was out smartly, followed by Concordia, Aerial, and Derby Day, and they ran in that order to the finish, Samisen winning comfortably. There were four two-year-olds in the field, but ihe best of them, The Toff and Rose Pink, did not get o*f. Moulu made most of the running in the Oxford Welter Handicap, but. Glenyar had his measure a long way from home, and won comfortably, with Sir Hamilton in third place. A dozen went out for the Farewell Handicap, and Concordia led all the way, winning by a neck from the fastfinishing Pcronilfa, with Aerial third. Tho winner has been racing well lately—a win, two seconds, and a third being her record for tho last four starts. She can go fast, but cannot stay. The two trotting event* produced big fields. In the "View Hill Handicap Sweet Nut registered a smart performance, winning easily from Yura Dillon and Foxhill. The winner is a halfbrother to King Cole and Betel Nut. and is a good sort. Lodestar won the Ashley Handicap from Will o’ the Wisp and Gold Crest. It was a good race; but Gold Crest was unlucky, as ho lost a lot of ground at the start. F. Holmes, jun., had the misfortune to break a collarbone through a fall in this race. C. Emerson was , tho most successful horseman at tho mooting. He rodo in the five galloping races on the flat, winning three and being second in tha other two.