CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 48

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Observes. The Canterbury Jockey Club's summer meeting, which will be held on Saturday of next week, promises to be more than usually successful. As a rule the fields are small, and drawn almost entirely from local stables, but the prospects are exceptionally bright for this year's fixture. Riccartontraincd horses will, of course, provide the majority of the competitors, but they have been more numerously nominated' than usual, and quality is also well represented. In addition, there is a good sprinkling of visiting horses in the list. The Wellington sportsman, Mr H. Whitney, is a well-known figure at Riccarton, and this time ho has Rose Pink engaged in the Midsummer Handicap. The Wairarapa owner, Mr A. M'Donald, has nominated Hydrus, Murihiku, and Rose Wreath, a useful trio. _ Mr H. Friedknders, whoso horses are trained at has a good team, including Royal Star, Linden, Caverock, and Marjery, while Take Down and Marianne are two other southern horses with engagements. Sixteen horses still figure in the Middle Park Plate, but eight of them can be written out. The other eight, however, provide material from which a good field can be drawn. Surveyor stands out as the star performer, and, despite his penalty, he is certain to be a warm favourite. His owner, Mr G. L. Stead, has already won this race- twice, but he is ambitious to score with a horse carrying full penalties. As a second string he has Sundance, who appears to be a smart galloper. Sir George Clifford claims three representatives —Onslaught, Maoduff, and Miss Mimio, —of whom two may be starters. Macduff's form at Ellerslie makes him read like a useful customer, while Miss Mimio, who has not been raced yet, has shown on the tracks that«sho possesses the gift of galloping. Mr G. D. Greenwood's Valenola is a promising sort, though with no pretensions

to top class at present. Mr J. B. Reid's Kilroy is a smart galloper, liable to develop into something above the average, and Mr A. M'Donald's Rose Wreath has raced well more than once. There is every prospect, therefore, that the field will be good enough to provide a fair contest, though Surveyor looks a winner at present. Reverting to the other events, it is safe to say that they represent better class than usual.- There are 13 horses in the Midsummer Handicap, and it is a long time since this event attracted such a good lot of horses. Gloaming and Afterglow are two notable absentees from the list of horses engaged at the Canterbury Jockey Club's summer meeting. It is understood that after fulfilling engagements at Trentham this week they will do the circuit on the west coast of the North Island, racing at the Egmonfc, Taranaki, and Wanganui meetings before they return home. Shipping troubles have interfered with the arrangements of some of our trainers. M. Hobbs, with Punka, Winter Cherry. Tortrix, and Favorita, and R. Longley, with Koesian, expected to leave for Wellington on Friday night, but the Mararoa did not get away, owing to shortage of firemen, and the horses had to be taken back to Riccarton, where they got through useful work on Saturday morning. They made another start on Saturday, and this time with better success, being able to journey to Wellington by the Maori. Another Riccarton trainer, R. Emerson, intended to race Morrabbe and .Fabisco at Trentham, making arrangements to go north on Monday, but at latest there are sjrave doubts about any boat going to Wellington then, so that Emerson may have to cancel the trip, which will be a matter for regret, as his two representatives look like paying their way. As far as Hobbs's team is concerned, Punka is the ruling favourite for the Wellington Cup, and her recent traok work marks her oft as pretty good. Winter Cherry and Favorita,. have done nothing of late to make them appear likely winners. The two-year-old filly Tortrix ha 3 not been out for some time with the niorning workers, but I understand she has been worked regularly in the afternoons. She has been galloping well, too, and some of the soundest judges at Riccarton have picked her out as a certainty for an early win—probably at Trentham. has given Koesian plenty of solid work during the last few weeks. He may race prominently at Trentham, but I expect him to be an improved horse after he has had a couple of races. Almoner, then ranking as the best two-year-old in the Dominion, won the Middle Park Plate in decisive fashion a year ago. He has not captured a race since then, but after a spell he is evidently showing some form at Yaldhurst, as he claims an engagement in the Midsummer Handicap at the Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting next week. The two-year-old Mustard Pot has been left in the Middle Park Plate through an oversight. The half-brother tol Varnish has been running out for some time past, and he will not be taken in hand again till the autumn, when F. D. Jones will start to get him ready for spring engagements. Post Haste and Eufipos, who have not been long in work, have come on well during the last week or two. and they can be kept in mind as likely winners very soon. Euripos appears- to have benefited by the operation for throat troubles, judging from the manner in which he gets through his tasks. The failure of Margerine in the chief event at the South Canterbury meeting did not occasion any surprise to those who had followed her in her track work. The popular opinion at Riccarton was that she was not ready for a hard race, but a few weeks should make a lot of improvement. Indus, a Danube three-year-old in Mason's stable, has been galloping well lately, and he should pick up a race for Mr G. D. Greenwood very soon. Gamecock continues to move pleasingly in his work, and he looks like paying his way during the autumn. A return to his best two-year-old form would leave him with a great chance in any company. After competing earlier in the season in the leading long distance races, Kilrush has been relegated once more to hack company, the only engagement he claims at the Canterbury Jockey Club's summer meeting being in the Trial Stakes. Judged on his best form this season, he will be hard to beat, though there are some useful gallopers among the 21 others nominated for this event. I do not think that Kilrush is just right at present, _ however. He appeared to be walking as if he was sore before he was galloped on Saturday, and he did not hit out as freely as usual in his work. Braid disappointed her connections at the South Canterbury meeting, as she faded out very baolv at the finish, after being well placed at "the turn for home. This goodlooking filly gave promise early in the season of developing into smart performer, but she has <jone back instead of coming on. Fiery Cross has got through a lot of work of a useful character lately, and F. Christmas has now made a start to sprint him. The Glenapp gelding seems to have retained his brilliancy, and if he remains sound he will win more good races. He requires a lot of galloping to get him really well, however, so he is not likely to he at his best for a few months. G. Murray Aynsley has his two Nassau two-year-olds moving along nicely. Primum (from Prim) shows more brilliancy than Starland (from Stardaneer), a very lazy worko-, who may, however, bo very useful next season. Among the Riccarton two-yoar-olds who have not been seen in public yet is Rossini, by Martian —Grand Opera. This brother to Tannhauser, Soldier's Chorus, and Cherubini was the highest priced yearlins: sold in New Zealand last season, and R. J. Mason is giving him plenty of time to mature. Unlike many of Martian's progeny, he is rather mean-looking, but he has the (jift of galloping. Unfortunately, he has devoloped a temper, and causes a good deal of trouble before he can be got to take on his morning tasks. Subterfuge and Pyjama are having a short spell, but they will soon be in commission again, along with Bon Spec and Mickv Free. J. M'Combe has done exceptionally well this season with his small team, and I would not like to say that his winning turn is nearly over yet. Micky Free is to be tried over hurdles. Mr G. L. Stead informed me last week that he was very sanguine about Surveyor's chance in the Wellington Stakes. After running at Trentham the colt will come home for the Middle Park Plate, and ho will then have a rest prior to tackling the

.Canterbury Champagne Stakes and Challenge Stakes at Easter. £. D. Jones had made up his mind to get rid of Bondage, but after her win at tho South Canterbury meeting he will probably keep her going a little longer for Mr J. S. Barrett. The field the Boniform filly beat at Washdyke was very moderate, and I do not think there is much chance of her ever- getting into tho best class. W. M-'Donald has • rccommissioned Immense, by San- Francisco— Hilarity. He is a speedy customer,-who may turn out useful next- season. Canterbury stables are strongly represented among the acceptances for the Wellington - Trotting Club s meeting, > but in view of'the interrupted ferry sorvice it is by no means certain that the horses from this quarter will be "racing on the Hutt course this week. With the Canterbury contingent on the scene, the meeting should be the best ever held by the Wellington Trotting Club, but without the southern lot some of the fields will be very thin. The annual meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Horse-owners and Breeders' Association was held on Friday night. The report stated that the chief activity of the association during the year had been the holding of a patriotic trotting carnival, resulting in £393 6s 4d being "raised for the Lady Liverpool Copper Trail Fund. The balance sheet showed receipts at £B2 4s 9d, and expenditure to £ll 14s 6d less. The question of owners applying to clubs for explanations regarding handicapping of horses was referred to the incoming committee. Mr W. Hayward mentioned that no grass tracks were available for local horses who were entered for races in other parts where only grass tracks were available. It was decided to write to the Canterbury Park and . New Brighton Clubs and endeavour to obtain permission to train horses on those tracks. It was resolved to write to tho Railway Department requesting. that now the war was over there should bo a return to. pre-war rates for racehorses. It was. also resoLved to ask the local clubs. to forward lists of handicaps and acceptances to North Island owners who had entered horses at their meetirgs. The question of reduction in nomination and acceptance fees was referred to the incoming committee. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr R J Munro; vice-presidents—Messrs C. Knight, W. Hayward, G. lies, W. H. Young, E. L. Barnes, J. G. S. Holmes, M. O'Brien, G. S. James, W. J. Moir, E. G. M'Culloch, W. Trist, W. Kerr, and R, M'Millan; committee —Messrs R. Allan, A. Fleming, H. Jarden, N. L. Price, G. Duncan, G. Exton, W. J. Alpe, R, W. Franks, J. Brvce, and F. Holmes; secretary, Mr G. S.'Simpson; treasurer, Mr W. S. Mit-, chell. -