CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3615, 26 June 1923, Page 52

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By

OBSERVER

•Riccarton- stables .are fa<(.(ly well represented in the list of nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s Winter meeting. Tatau Tatau, Fabrinade, Urgency, Bon Spec, Distant Shot and Geranial figure in flat races; Cerberus, Gamecock, Red Gown, Herevveare, Frenchman, and Bon Spec in hurdle races and Red Cent in steeplechases. These horses have been getting through useful tasks during the past week, but the proceedings have not been very exciting. Rain commenced to fall on Thursday night and continued with only slight spells throughout Friday. As a result, the Riccarton tracks are very soft again and training operations will be interfered with for a few days. The Southland owner, Mr W. Stone, was in Christchurch last week. He paid a visit to Riccarton in search of stable accommodation, and it is probable that F. W. Ellis will remove here shortly with some of his team. Mr Stone contemplates having Silver Peak prepared for the New Zealand Cup, and realises that the Southland tracks are not quite suitable in the winter to get a horse ready for such a strenuous engagement early in the season. 'a, E. S. Lattrell has purchased from Mr K. D. Duncan, of Wellington, the yearling brother to King of Hearts, by Boniform from Dearest. The youngster, who has .been named Bonito, will go into W. G. Hobbs’s stable at Riccarton. Hobbs should play a prominent part in two-year-old events next season, as he has fix yearlings under his care. On looks and breeding they should be a good lot. S. Trilford will have three hunters in his team this winter. Trevella and Message Bov have been qualified, while Agnola has just made a start. Grim Joke has been shaping well over the schooling hurdles. He should take high honours in hunters’ races this winter. Paul Pry had done a bit of schooling lately, in preparation for hunters’ hurdle races. He. is a very smart jumper. Bon Spec, who is expected to make his first appearance in a hurdle race at Trentham next month, gave a good exhibition over the schooling hurdles last Thursday. He looks like proving useful among the jumpers. His stable mate, Cerberus, who is also booked for Trentham, is in good fettle. Distant Shot will be Sir George Clifford’s only representative at Trentham next month. She is a speedy galloper, though her public form is moderate. Some of her admirers are waiting until she strikes a heavy course. W. M’DonaJd has Tatau Tatau going along nicely, and she should be at her best at Trentham. J. M‘Combe is spelling Sunny Loch, but he may take Geranial and The Cheat to Trentham next month. Manawapango has resumed work, after being off the scene for several weeks. R. W. King has re-commissioned Many Kittle and Pilliewinkie. but Deucalion will not be taken in hand for some time yet. A five-year-old gelding by Sunny Hake, from Lady Query, a sister to Mowbray, by Menschikoff from Lady Melton, is a recent addition to F. D. Jones’s team. He had his first sprint a few days ago and shaped very creditably. Sir George Clifford’s imported horse, The Ace, has got through a lot of useful work at Riccarton lately and ho is now- being sent along fast over short courses. He is a fine galloper, who will win races if he remains sound. A pleasant function was held by the committee of the New Brighton Trotting Club one evening last week. The president. Mr E. H. James, presented to Mr W. J. Tomkinson a piece of plate, suitably inscribed, to commemorate the performance of Happy Voyage in establishing an Australasian mile record at the club's Autumn meeting. A presentation of a travelling bag and a case of pines was also made to Mr H. Reynolds in recognition of honorary services rendered to the club. A. Hendricksen has not done much with his team since the Canterbury Dark Trotting Club’s meeting, but he will have some of them going again soon, in preparation for the August meeting. It will be some time before Hendricksen moves to Santa Rosa Farm, which he recently purchased from the trustees of the late Mr R. M’Millan. D. Withers mav take, a small team north for the Poverty Ray Trotting Club’s meeting. which will be held next month. The Auckland ov/ned trotter Gineta, showed ’ a lot of speed when raced in the north but was very bad mannered. Since she joined A. Cox’s stable she has become more docile and her trainer will now get to work to develop her speed. Nelson Bell is trotting really well in his work and this promising young horse should race prominently in unhoppled events next season.

A two-year-old filly by Nelson Bingen fro n Country Belle is ueing worked at Addington. ihe youngster snows a lot of quality and although not long in wort, lie paces in good style. A. Cox nas purchased Rt d Heather, 'ihe trotter was always a great favourite with his trainer, and if ho can be kept sound he should earn money, though he does not stay well. The following is the annual report of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trolling Cluu. covering the club's operations during the past year:—Your committee has much pleasure in placing before members the balance sheet for the year 1922-23, and can congratulate you upon the very satisfactory state of the club’s financial position. It is pleasing for your committee to report that the figures standing against the respective headings are in excess of those of last year; that the response from owners has been in every way highly gratifying, and the racing has been of an interesting character. Taking everything into consideration the past year has been a complete success from every point of view. The taxes paid to the Government amounted to £45,965 12s 9d, but of that amount the tax on dividends, stakes and amusements (amounting to £23,903) was imposed as a war measure. The taxes, it is und-arslufod, will be withdrawn very shortly, when we will revert to the old lax of 2g per cent, on the lotalisator turnover, etc. The expansion of stake money is in keeping with the revenue derived during the totalisator. The amount distributed six years ago totalled £19,500; while last year £39,500 was given. Theprogress thus shown should satisfy the most fastidious owner. Owing to the extension of the club's business your committee has commenced the building of new offices at the corner of Armagh Street and Oxford T erraee. Ample provision has been made for holding, the club’s annual meetings there in the future. Your committee has to report the sale of the club’s interest in the Addington course to the Oontcrbury Dark Trotting Club at a satisfactory figure. The sale was made in anticipation of your club moving to their new course at Riccarton; and, pending the construction of the course and the erection of the necessary buildings, complete arrangements have been made so that the club can carry on operations at Addington until such time as the grounds are ready for occupation. During the season the club sustained a loss through the death of Messrs W. M. Joynt, G. King and M. Scott. Mr Joynt acted as a committeeman for some years, and did yeoman service in assisting in the advancement of the club. Mr King was a life member, and was elected to that position for valuable services rendered in the early days of the Canterbury Trotting Club. The nominations received for the offices of president, vice-president, treasurer, committee and stewards, not being in excess of the number required, thex-e will be no election. The balance sheet shows that the receipts included nominations and acceptances £6166 10s, subscriptions £lOl3 ss, totalisator £48,925 12s 3d, stands and gates £10,792 7s, privileges £4785 9s 6d, rent £1044 8s 2d, war bonds matured £IO9O, on account sale of interest in Addington course £IO,IOO. The expenditure included stakes £39,500, Government taxes £45.965 12s 9d, less recovered from dividends and owners and collected for Government (£27,810 9s) £18,155 3s 9d, salaries £1633 ss, wages £1212 2s, expenses of race meetings £2667 17s 2d, Trotting Conference levies £7OO, improvements £682 14s 2d, rent of course £539 13s 7d. land purchase £2765. A sum of £15,000 was placed on fixed deposit during the year, which opened with a credit of £1926 18s lOd and closed with a credit of £1947 9s 9d. The assets consist of cash in bank and on deposit £16,947 9s 9d, accrued interest £213 12s 6d, investments (Government bonds and inscribed stock) £7885, mortgage Canterbury Park Trotting Club and interest accrued £5003 7s sd, land at cost and dwellings thereon £33.441 17s 4d. plant £IOOO. furniture £650, mailing a total of £65,116 7s, the only liability being £124 in connection with future events.