CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 41

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Observer. Nominations for the two lending handicaps at the autumn meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club closed on Friday, and the response on the part of owners- must bo considered highly satisfactory. The Great East-er has attracted 43 horses compared with 46 last year, while there are 35 in the Great Autumn, against 24 a year ago. It is not only in numbers that the lists are good, as n.uality is strongly represented in both events —Fiery Cross Sasanof, Menelaus, Wishful. Croesus, Adjutant, and Margerind among the odler division, and Biplane, Hyluestra, and Nanna among the three-year-olds, represent the best form in the Dominion at present. Chortle, Form Up, and Estland are, in fact, the only notable omission.'?, and t?iieL<» seems a prospect that' the two raefes vvfll this vear attract to Riccarton fields above the average strength as far as quality is concerned. A notable feature about tho nominations this year ia the support which has been received from North .Island owners. The Auckland B-»o«

ing Club provides strong opposition to the Canterbury Jockey Club at Easter, and many owners make a practice of nominating at both fixtures, making their choice after a study of the weights. There is, however, less dual nomination than usual this year, Gazique, Red Ribbon, Parisian Diamond, Hymestra, Nanna, Vagabond beadown, Killjoy, Beltane, KiU'em, and Good Day comprising the lot nominated both at Ellorslio and Riccarton. Of the horses named only seven hail from North Island stables. On the other hand there is an exoellent contingent of northern competitors eligible for Riccarton, with no engagements at Ellerslie, the. list being made ;up of Nystad, Menelaus, Mascot, Johnny Walker, Hyttue, Sasanof, (Sweet Corn, Square Deal, Rose Pink, Lady Black, Sweet Tipperary, Croesus, Miss do. Val, Muiticipal, Lacfogeuf, Almo, Bagdad, and Glorify. Some of them figure in only one event, and some in both. Altogether the North Island claims 19 nominationsvin the Great Easter Handicap and 16 in the Great Autumn, and the presence of a fair proportion of them will help to make the Easter fixture at Riccarton more than usually successful.

The Groat Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps have not often been won by tho same horse, but Lady Zetland and her daughter, Lady Lillian, demonstrated that tho double was by no means an impossible feat. It is interesting to note that 24 horses figuro in both events this year. They are:— Comely, Adjutant, Brambletve, Menelaus, Parisain Diamond, Koeeian, Wishful, Vagabond, Sasanof, Beltane, Kill'em, Killard, Margerine, Rose Pink, Rorke's Drift, Wardaneor, Ascalaphus, Hymestra, Nanna, Crcesus, Biplane, Red Ribbon, Fiery Cross, and Miss de Val.

There' aro a few. surprises among the nominations for the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps, though, perhaps, not so. many as usual. One of them is the inclusion of Croesus among those engaged in .the Great Autumn, as he has nothing to recommend him for a mile and a-half journey, his form showing that a seven-furlong race is quite the limit of his powers. Spangle has no special credentials as a stayer, yet she is in the Great Autumn, though missing from the Great Easter. The appearance or Don Francisco in the Great Autumn was also unexpected, as when racing on the flat he was only a moderate. In his case there _ seems little chance of the engagement being continued very long. It is interesting to note that of the horses who took part in the Great Easter Handicap last year nine have again been nominated. They aro Nystad (winner), Sasanof (second),. Fiery Cross (third), _ in addition to Crceous, Gazique, Margerinej Red Ribbon, Beltane, and Comely, who were amOng the unplaced lot. Of last year's Groat Autumn field Fiery Cross (second). Adjutant (third), and Red Ribbon are the only ones engaged again this year. It seems pretty certain that Mr T. H. Lowry will ■ not be represented at the autumn meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club. It has, however, been generally recognised 6hat Ellerslie will suit his team bettor. To commenoe with, the Great Northern St. Leger looks a certainty for Estland, while the opposition to Finmark in the- Champagne Stakes appears to be moderate.

Biplane is home again from Wan'ganui, looking none the worse for the trip. R. if. Mason has lost no time since his return, and evidently-he intends to have his charge q,uito ready for his next engagement.' On Thursday he was given strong work over five furlongs, while on Saturday, though not out on a record breaking mission, no got over six furlongs in time which was hot anproaohed by any other horse. During the next few weeks I expect to see jorao great galloping on the tracks, as there is little doubt the Comedy King colt will bo sent along at his best pacel Wrestler has had a quiet time for ' a few weeks, his track work being confined to nothing better than half-pace. He had his first sprint on Saturday, when he reeled off five . furlongs in-> brilliant style. The Antagonist colt looks in good health, and ho may be hard to beat in his autumn engagements. In the meantime he is keeping sound. " J'iory Cross continues to get through of solid tasks, and there is no question that they agree with him, as I doubt if ho has ever been so well as he is just now. It is intended to nominate him for the Awapuni Gold Cup, in which he ma;/ bo given a chance of meeting Biplane and Estland over a mile and a-quarter at woight-for-ago. Heathercote has gone on the right way ftince his return from Wingatui. I expect to find him the best of thij. Riccarton two-year-olds in the_ Champagne Stakes; ~ but though he has improved with racing, his chanco against Almoner does not look bright. Scornful is another of the local two-year-olds who is going on well. He is a b3ld (galloper, who may pick up a ,race before the season closes,., though X do not expect to see the best of him till he is at least a three-year-old. Disdainful has thrown off a lot of heir soreness,, and she now moves fairly well in her work, while she has put up some good performances on the tracks. It is only a question of keeping right for her to win a race very soon. Comely is in' great fettle at present, and I do not think she was ever galloping hotter. She is a't her best in 'heavy ground, and may bo equal to winning in good! company with the conditions favourable. Battle Eve has been on the improve for some time past, and on his recent track iWork he looks like an early winner. The only thing against him is that ho cannot always be relied on to race generously, and &r that reason those who know him best ve little fancy for him. Ascalaphus has done a lot of smart galloping lately; but he is not altogether Bound, so that his programme may have to bo reviewed.

All Pink has been hitting out fairly well In her recent work. I am afraid she is not likely to win when the company is at all select; but it would be no surprise to see her to ■ the fore in a maiden hack race before long. The three-year-old filly Blockade, by Treadmill —Fairhaven, is being sent along. fast. She has not raced yet, but shouli bo useful if ehe remains sound.

Jeannot was given a dose of physic nt the end of last, week, and he is now having A quiet time. His track work has not been good for some time, but H. Ellis hopes to have. Kim all right again very soon. Ellis has just taken in hand a vparlin.tr fillv bv Birkenhead from Secret Link, dam of tbs Bmart Auckland two-year-old Shining Link. T. Rheonan has recommissioned Nautical, ■while F. D. Jones has made another start on Euripos and Charley. Winter Cherry was sent home last week for a long spell. brought back at the same time, and will be got ready for

hurdle engagements in the winter. Longley has also taken in hand a useful-looking two-year-old by Martian —Everlasting. A little later he expects to receive from Mr G. Pulton a three-year-old lilly by Bonny Glen —Boutade ,and a two-year-old geiddng by Martian —Boutado. ' Tho steeplechase fences are now ready, and they were used for the first time on Saturday, Wellwood and Vascular giving a high-class exhibition. Bore started after them for his first jump over country. He got too high in tho air at the first brush, and did likewise at the second, P. Ellis being bumped off. Later, Wellwood gave him a lead, and he jumped two fences well. I expect Vascular and Bora will both win stoeplechases in the winter.

The well-known,- trotting trainer B. Jarden was operated on last week for appendicitis, and he is now making satisfactory progress. A payment was due last week for the New Zealand Trotting Derby, to be decided at New Brighton in May. Eleven horses have had their engagements, continued, including all the jpest three-year-old performers of the season, while there are a few well-bred ones who may develop form during the next few weeks. \ The annual meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Horse Owners and Breeder' Association was held last week, and passed off quietly. The election of office-bearers resulted as follows: —President, Mr W. J. Moir (re-elected); vice-presidents—Messrs H. F. Nicoll, W. 'Prist, G-. lies, J. C. Whiteman, R. J. Munro, A. Fleming, W". Kerr, and W,, Hayward; committee —Messrs J. Smith, G. S. Simpeon, F. Holmes, W. J. Alpe, N. L. Price, F. Hickinbottom, R. W. Franks, J. Bryce, M. Edwards, and G. Exton. The association now has about 150 members.

From what I can learn, there will be plenty of Christchurch horses racing at the Timaru Trotting Club's meeting on Thursday; but the unsuitable nature of the train arrangements will curtail the attendance of sporting enthusiasts from this end.