CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 62

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By

Observer.

Following on their exertions at the summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, many of the inmates of local stables have had a comparatively easy time. As a result the track doings at Riccarton during the past week have not provided a great deal of excitement. Things will liven up a bit this week, however, as the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting is scheduled for Saturday at Motukarara. A good list of acceptances has been received, giving promise of some interesting sport on this popular country course. Sir Charles Campbell’s two steeplechasers, Tiger land and Whipcord, have arrived at Riccarton, and have been placed under the care of F. P. Claridge, who will train them for next winter’s jumping engagements. En Route, who carries the same colours, will remain with R. Longley, who has done well with the Advance gelding since he has been at Riccarton. T. H. Gillett is keeping Count Cavour and Glentruin on the move, without setting them any serious tasks. In the meantime they are both in good health, and they can soon be ready to show good form again. Count Cavour is still a possibility for a trip to Sydney at Easter, but as there is not much to suit Glentruin she can be marked off as pretty certain to do her autumn racing nearer home. The young English mare, Celerity 11, who carries the same colours as Glentruin, had to forfeit her engagement at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting owing to a jarred joint. T. H. Gillett has deemed it advisable to spell her, and as the season is well advanced it is probable that she will not be raced again until the spring. This policy of' patience should be well rewarded. Charlatan continues to get through a lot of useful work. He is booked for a flat race at the Banks Peninsula meeting on Saturday, and he should be in good fettle for steepleehasing early in the winter. The lameness which troubled Paper Rose recently has been located in the knee. She has been blistered, and will have a good spell. F. P. Claridge has Gay Queen in work again, and she should soon be ready to show her best form. Kilris, in the same stable, has also been recommissioned, but Coupon and Royal Despatch are on the easy list. F. Christmas expects to have Jubilant back again from the West Coast, where sha has been spelling for a couple of months, and he will get her ready to race late in the season. The three-year-old Centrepiece is working along steadily. He is quite sound, and he may be in racing condition for some of the late autumn meetings. Viewpoint, who raced disappointingly at Wingatui and Riccarton, has been sent home to the West Coast. His stable mate, Goosestep, is still here, and he will probably race at the Banks Peninsula, Waimate, and Oamaru meetings before going home. J. M'Combe has Forgery and Power doing useful work, and he has nominated them for the Oamaru meeting. Later in the season they may make a trip to Sydney. Power is a Tractor two-year-old, his dam being a half-sister to Sunny Loch. The three-year-old gelding Gay Bird, by Gay Lad from Sporting Lady, is to be spelled for a few months. So far he has not been a success as a racing proposition. Assurance continues to do good track work, but he does not reproduce it in his races. He will win the first time he shows his best form in public. R. Ellis has recommissioned Finora, who looks in good health, and she may be among the winners again during the autumn. R. Longley intends to make another start shortly with Ophir and Bonomel with a view to having them ready for winter racing. Malaga has been sold to a patron of F. Shaw's stable, and he has been sent to Wingatui. Tarleton ran a decent, race in the Midsummer Handicap, and a win may soon come his way. It is worth bearing in mind that each season he has shown his best form in the autumn. The yearling gelding by Kilbroney— Mazurka, purchased by Dr M. G. Louisson in Dunedin, is being broken in by R. Emerson, who will get him ready for early two-year-old races. Several Riccarton trainers are represented in the nominations for the Waimate and Oamaru meetings. Rivalry or Retrospect may carry Sir George Clifford’s colours in the Waimate Cup, but they are not engaged at Oamaru. Among the other Riccarton horses likely to make the trip-some of them nominated for both fixtures—are Murihaupo, Zaragoza,

Calcite, Economist, Reonui, Fresco, Frivolous, Tarleton, Sun Up, His Majesty, Naughty Peter, The Harp, Forgery, and Power. Training operations at Addington and New Brighton are on the quiet side at present, owing to the absence of a number of trainers at Auckland and Blenheim. Nelson Derby, Bell Harold, Young Blake, and Sheik have returned from Auckland, but some of the other horses who raced at the Otahuhu Trotting Club's meeting are likely to remain in the north for the Waikato fixtu j. The trotter Escapade continues to please the track watchers at Addington by the manner in which she gets through her work. The Nelson Bingen—Country Belle mare is still improving. Her stable mate, Epigram, has not done much fast work lately, but he is now moving along a bit. He should be a really good pacer next season. The Toff looks well, but lie is not reliable in his races, and a two-mile journey is beyond him, though he might win over that distance if he would settle down early in his races. Event bears a well-trained appearance, and is doing his w r ork much more kindly than formerly. He has furnished into a quality-looking pacer. J. Deyell is keeping his trotter Nelson Ata in steady work, though lie has not been set any severe tasks. This horse should race well next season. The trotter Peter M'Kinney is now an inmate of P. Riddle's stable. He is doing only siow work, but it is to be hoped he will stand a preparation, as he is a highclass trotter. Away is still in the paddock, and E. C. MT)ermott is not hopeful for a speedy recovery. Minton Derby appears to be quite sound again, and as he has done a fair amount of work this fine pacer may soon be a winner. The trotter Audalie has joined E. C. M'Dermott's stable, and is a regular worker at Addington. E. Berry is getting a useful team together at Addington, one of the latest additions being the trotter Lady Fair. The Australian - bred trottei Fancy Pronto has a good turn of speed, and if she settles down to her work properly she will soon reward W. J. Tor.kinson with a win. The American stallion Early Harvester, a member of B. Jarden's team, will be put into work shortly after a long spell. Jack Potts has recovered from the trouble that interfered with his racing at the Auckland Trotting Club’s Summer meeting. and he is again in commission, looking at his best. B. Jarden has a number of young horses by Author Dillon in work at Yaldhurst, and several of them show promise of developing into useful pacers. Author Dillon himself is in the pink of health. The Australian-bred pacer, Prince Derby was shipped last week ou his way to Perth, where his owner resides. He was accompanied by a two-year-old by Author Dillon from Sea Spray, who is expected to turn out very smart.

Digger.