CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 42

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Feitz. Tho noar approach of the spring campaign has boon foreshadowed during the past week by the closing of nominations for tho Ashburton and Geraldine meetings. As usual Ashburton has drawn a better class of horses than its neighbour; but at both fixtures there should be plenty of competitors to ensure some excellent sport. From what I can learn it seems probable that a few of tho trainers from this end will do the two days' racing at Ashburton, and then go on to Orari. Some of the horses who are under orders for the Kurow and Wingatui fixtures may then continue the journey further south. In tho days when railage had to bo paid one way only it was just as well to return home between meetings, but the extra expense involved now in having to pay both ways has quite altered the position. In the meantime, taking a line from Ashburton and Geraldine, it looks as if the spring meetings in this part of the Dominion would be very successful, and those of the Kurow and Dunedin Clubs can also be relied on to attract plenty of support from this quarter.

Considerable interest centred in the meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club last week, as it was known that the programme for the spring meeting was to bo discussed. The report of the Programme Committee, which was adopted, was as follows:—" Your committee has had a difficult task in arranging the programme for the spring meeting. It recommends that tho meeting should be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, November 5, 7. and 10. On the question of races to bo abandoned, on account of racing on three days instead oi four, the committee has endeavoured to keep the programme up to the high standard of past years, in the interests of owners, while at the same time conserving those of the club. In rearranging the races some sacrifices had to be made, but the interests of the best class of horses have been kept steadily in view, with a result that the only weight-for-age race to be abandoned is the Juvenile Plate. The committee much regrets that it wasfound necessary to run the Derby on Cup Day, and this is the only alteration on that day, the Apprentices' Handicap being struck out. The hurdle race on the second day has been abandoned, the Oaks takes the place of the Derby, the Jockey Club Handicap that of the Metropolitan 'Handicap, and the Electric Plate replaces the Juvenile Plate, the Canterbury Cup taking tho vacancy caused by tho elimination of tho hurdle race. On the third day the Middleton Hurdle Handicap, which is an open event, takes the place of the Suburban Hurdle Handicap, the Metropolitan. Handicap that of the Jockey Club Handicap, and the Fendalton Handicap that of the Otaio Plate, while the vacancy caused by tho Oaks Stakes has been filled by the Apprentices' Handicap, with hack conditions. The G. G. Stead -Memorial Stakes takes the place of the Canterbury Cup. The stakes in the Spring Plate hare been reduced by £IOO, while the Canterbury Cud and tho G. G. Stead Memorial Gold Cup have been reduced by £250 each. The trophy in the last-named race has been abandoned, and the name therefore changed to the G.G. Stead Memorial Stakes. There is altogether an increase of £6OO in the total stakes for the three days by readjustment of the races."

The most, pleasing feature of th© programme is that, with one exception, room has been found for all the set weight events, which have in the past been the means of attracting the best horses in the Dominion to the November carnival'at Riccarton. In dropping the Juvenile Plate the committee got rid of a race which has rarely been a success, the one point in its favour, compared with the Electric Plate, being that the distance was five furlongs instead of four. It is a matter for regret that it was found necessary to reduce the prize money for the Canterbury Cup and Stead Memorial Stakes; but they are still rich enough to attract the good horses; while in the case of the Stead Memorial the actual cash prize is only £SO less than in previous years, the remaining £2OO being represented by the trophy, which has been dispensed with. What I like least about the programme is the policy of cutting down the distances of some of the races by a furlong or more. It is scarcely what one might have expected, as the club has in the past set a laudable example in this respect. I have ho doubt, however, that the arrangement will be well received by owners, and it was probably a desire to cater for the greatest number of horses that prompted the committee's action. But, while it has claims to favourable notice from this point of view, it should be remembered that there has never been any necessity for building up the size of fields in the minor events at the spring meeting. I was particularly sorry to see the distance of tho Fendalton Handicap reduced to a mile, as there is now no handicap of a mile and a-quarter on tho programme. Taken all round, however, it is a capital programme, catering well for all classes of horses. The stakes on tho first day total £7300, compared with £6IOO last year; on the second day to £4450, compared with £5050; and on the third day £4OOO, similar figures to thoso of last year; the total for the meeting being £15,750, compared with £15,150 distributed on the first three days last year. There are seven events with pri'.e money totalling £5500 under weight-for-age and set-weight conditions; while the 17 handicaps are worth £10,250. Nominations for the New Zealand Cup will close on September 21, the handicaps are due on September 28, and acceptances are due on October 5, when nominations will close for the Stewards' Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Jockey Club Handicap, Canterbury Cup, and G. G. Stead Memorial Stakes.

The track work at Riccarton is growing in interest now. After the Grand National meeting some of the horses had an easy spell, but they are all in commission again, and whenever a grass track is open there is plenty of strong galloping. Fiery Cross is getting; through a lot of solid work, and is doing it in first-class stylo. On Saturday he reeled off. a mile very attractively, and looked as if_ ho could have gone on. He looks a promising candidate for the New Zealand Cup; but he will be unlucky if he fails to pick up a stake before then. He is very forward, and his condition will servo him well for early engagements, where many of hia rivals will not bo thoroughly wound up. Snub has resumed work, and seems to be

in good heart, though he has not been aet many severe tasks. Wardancer has also made his reappearance, but so far he has been confined to the lightest of work. Adjutant is moving along nicely in his ■work, and he should be in good order when be is wanted for serious business in November. He certainly looks well. Gamecock is striding along freely, and though ho may not be entitled to rank as a first-class three-year-old, he should be very useful. Wrestler has made a good recovery from his burst foot, and be is again in steady ■work, though he has not been sent along fast. Good Hope is coming on well. He is fairly forward, and should soon bo in racing conditions. At his best he is a useful customer, but he is not the sort one can enthuse over. Lovesick, the three-year-old sister to Nones, has been galloping well, but her stable companion, Thames, does not impress. F. D. Jones has Comely and Euripos in fine fettle, and they look like early winners. Kilrea, in the same stable, seems a difficult filly to manage. She can go fast, but in the meantime she does not shape like a stayer. Some of her recent efforts have not been impressive. The three-year-old filly War Star (by Stepniak—Lady Lucy) has joined F. Chr.'stmas's team. "She has no form to recommend her, but she shapes fairly well on the tracks. Naupata has been shaping well lately, and he can be booked for a good race over hurdles before long. Jeannot gave a first-class exhibition of jumping over a circuit of the schooling hurdles during the week, showing to better advantage th,an Steperina, who went with him. Don Francisco, Sir Hamilton, Sir Tarka, and Paremata have also jumped during the week, the last-named shaping well. The imported mares Winter Cherry and Love Token are going along nicely, and they should both win races before long. Marc Antony seems to be sound again; but he is not "doing much work, and I do not fancy his prospects at present. Achilledea, an aged gelding by AchillesDexterity, has joined T. H. Gillett's team. Ho was a useful performer up to a mile on Auckland courses last season. It is evidently intended to try him over hurdles, as he had a turn in the jumping ring on Saturday. The two-year-old filly by Martian—Edna May has been broken in, and ie being put through slow-pace work daily. She is a shapely youngster, who should make a good three-year-old. A. M'Aulay is breaking in a five-year-old mare by All Red/ her dam being a Finland mare. P. Mason is bustling the Australian-bred two-year-old, Gloaming, along. He shapes well in his sprinting. Encouraged by the success of his venturo with Dionysius and Euripos, F. D. Jones has purchased two more geldings from the Hon J. D. Ormond. They are both four-year-olds, one being a brother to Birkhne by Birkenhead —Agony, and the other by Hymettus—Parula. One of the geldings will bo trained for Mr H. A. Knight, while Jones will race the other himself; but the allocation will not be made until they arrive here ~ Cutts brothers are having a lot of trouble with their two-year-olds. They broke in 11 youngsters in the autumn, and several of them showed some promise. Then colds caused - a stoppage of work, while some have since had to be spelled on account of unsoundness. The two-year-old sister to Kilrea has grown into an attractive filly. She is moving along well on the tracks, and she may > be seen to advantage in early races, as she is a smart galloper. There are not so many two-year-olds m work just now as are usually to be found in local teams at this stage. It is probable, however, that several owners will be represented at Wingatui next month. Sir George Clifford has six engaged, and he is pretty certain to send something south, while some of Mr G. D. Greenwood's quartet mav make the trip. Mr C "W. Reid. Mr C. G. Dalgety, and Mr J. S. Barrett are also represented in the M'Lean Stakes, and their colours may be sported in the race. The imported mare First Glance has foaled a fine filly to Calibre, with whom she will be mated again this season. Mr H. A. Knight had an unfortunate experience about a week ago, when Tikitere, by Finland—Flame, died in foaling to Kilbroney, the foal also succumbing. Tikitere was the dam of Bomb, who was foaled shortly after an _ accident, which necessitated the mare being kept in slings for some timeSir George Clifford has sent Adjutant's dam. Discipline, by TreadmJll—Madowla. to the Elderslie Stud to be mated with Kilbroney, while Lady Wayward, by Bill of Portland —Elue ; vo. -will visit the young imported horse Clarenceux, by King's Messongei —Squint 11. Mr 0. G. Dalgety is patronising three different sires with the mares in his stud this season. Warstep and her sister, Stardancer, by, Martian —Stepdancer, are in foal to the imported horse Solferino, and they have gone to North Otago to be mated with him again. Stepdancer, by Stepniak— Pibroch, is not in foal, and she will visit Martian, to whom she produced Warstep, Stardanccr, and Wardancer. She will bo accompan : ed to the Kinloeh Stud by Lady Disdain (The Officer—Ovifhmmo), dam of Bee and Snub, by Martian and Disdainful, by Bonny Glen. Nantes, by Stepniak —Husrucnot. "and her daughter, Prim, by Pilgrim's Progress, will this season be mated with the imported horse Nassau, by William the Third. Neither mare is in foal at present. Nantes being given a free season to rear her Sanquhar foal, while Prim missed. The latest ballot contained the names of several Canterbury men closely identified with racing, among them being F. D. Jones and E. Redmond, trainers; D. Marks, head lad to Cut 4 :.? Bros.; and J. Olson. R. M'Soveney, H. Ware, and K Woods. Jockeys: while trotting contributed J. Brankin. R. Dunn, J. Cockcrill, J. M'Lonnan. and W. C. Willetts, all well-known trainers. J. Olson has passed, and will go into camD next week; but R. Dunn has been rejected, while I have not heard how the others got on in the medical examination. ~ , Mr W. Kerr, the well-known trotting studmaster. had another unfortunate experience last week, when Marie Corelli. a sister to Admiral Wood, slipped her foal by the defunct American sire, Oopn de Oro. Most of the local trainers gavo their trottoTs and pacers a rest after the August meting at Aldington; but work i~ now in full swing again, with a view to the November fixture. J. Bryce has three New Zealand Trotting

Cup candidates in his stable. Winsoon and Cathedral Chimes are previous winners of th-j race, the third being Soda, who is reported to be in great fettle. The programmo for the November meet ing of tho Metropolitan Trotting Club will be fixed up this week. It is reported that the committee has recently give some thought to tho question of starting, and there may bo .a chance of seeing the yards system of handicapping and starting tried again at Addington. If so, it is to be hoped it will bo tried under more favourable conditions than existed on a previous occasion.