CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 58

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

' By

Observer.

_ A great tangfe has developed over rival schemes for holding race meetings during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of .Yoyk io Christchurch in March. The first prfkwo was for a meeting at Riccarton, but the Government refused a permit. Then the New Brighton Trotting Club arranged a change of dates, its autumn mooting to be held on March 12 and 15. Following this, the C.J.C. decided to transfer the summer meeting from February to March 15. To this latter proposal the Government refused to given its-sanction. The New Brighton Club wishes to hold its meeting at Addington, and this has been agreed to by the Minister, irrespective of whether the Duke attends the meeting or not, this being a matter which must be left to the Duke to decide after his arrival. Whether the trotting meeting will be included in the official entertainment is not yet known. Riccarton stables will be well represented at Trentham, where the summer meeting opens on Thursday. Sixteen horses from here are engaged on the opening day, while there are several others who are to race later. Sir George Clifford’s team for Trentham looks a useful one. It is headed by ’ Centrepiece, who is very well, while Front Rank also looks like paying her way. Dark spot may improve on his Wingatui form, and the two-year-old Sudden Storm may prove useful. G. Murray-Aynsley has taken Footfall and Paperchase to Trentham. They are in the best of health, and they are a Jikely pair to earn some money. T. H. Gillett will have Count Cavour £t Trentham. He is at his top form, and he is liable to get some more money. Rapier has not got over the cold he contracted on his northern trip, and he . may not be at his best at Trentham. Fresco may do well at Trentham. He has tome on nicely of late, and he should soon show improved form. Oriflamb will be his mate on the trip, and he is likely to get some money in high-weight events. / Booster is booked for a trip to Tren- . tham, where he may show up in sprint events. The best has not been seen of him. A. M'Aulay will take Sagittarius to Trentham for the second and third days. This is a good hack. R. Emerson is booked for a trip to Trentham with Assurance. He is .in good fettle, but that is all that can be said rrv. ■ deceiver. Frivolous is going to Trentham, but her recent form has not Been impressive. Gold Mint and Bright-

ling are. among the acceptors for Trentham, but they will need to do better than at Ashburton to win races.

Local trotting trainers aro giving some of their horses a short let up after their holiday racing, but with Forbury Park to claim attention next week, they will soon be busy again. \ Two American-bred fillies w T ere landed here last week for Mr J. R. M'Kenzie. Nelson Derby appears to have done well on his northern trip. Although he did not race up to expectations, he seems quite sound, and is racing freely in his work. W. _J. Tomkinson’s new arrival (Conclift) is a quality-looking pacer who seems to possess plenty of speed. He appears to be well mannered, and a free goer. In a workout during the week, with Napland and Nelson Derby he paced resolutely all the way. ■ Becky Logan does not seem to be quite so bright as formerly, and she is hardly working as brilliantly as she. did a few months ago. She now appears to be quite sound, however. Bertha Bingen is being kept steadily at it in training, but so far she has not raced up to expectations. She has got to make a lot of improvement to reach the point attained by .her brothers, Great Bingen and Peter Bingen. Bertha Bingen may develop more speed with age. The trotter Young Blake has never looked better. He has improved in his manners on the track this season, and also now gets into his gait quicker after going to a break. Young Blake has great speed, and once he thoroughly controls it, will win in any company. P. Riddle deserves a lot of credit for the way he has persevered with the fast but erratic trotter.

Napland did not race up to expectations at the recent Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting. This fine trotter, although doing his work solidly at present, seems to lack some of his old-time brilliancy. 1 lapland is. working well, and appears to be liking his work. He should not be long before winning a race.

St. Maura continues to please the critics by the manner in which she gets through her training work. St. Maura has improved a great deal since coming to Addington. Happy Rosa is trotting with" all her usual, freedom and dash. Although she has improved in racing manners, she has not yet shown her best in a race. It is stated that R. E. Mills, the New Brighton trainer, will in future train for Mr Johnstone, of Auckland. The New Brighton mentor will probably take up his residence in the North Island, as his patron intends securing stables in the Waikato district.

H. Gaskell, who had a fair amount of success with the trotter Randolph, has tired of the erratic trotter, and is now working him at the pacing gait. Judged by his few efforts on the training track Randolph should be a good proposition as a pacer.

The pacer Sheik is at present having a short spell. In his last few. efforts Sheik has not been very near tho winners, and many imagine that he has lost form. Such is not the case, however,, but so much improvement is now being made by those on the limit of the handicaps, that back markers have very little chance. P. Riddle hopes, that the short respite will prove beneficial to the fine pacer. E. Berry is now training the speedy miler Ben Ohau. Ben Ohau is equally fast in saddle or harness, and, although he is on a somewhat tight mark, should have a chance of success in a fast class event. The trotter Proud Ata continues to do good training work, and he is very well at present.

The Australian pacer Margalong looks none the worse for his racing at Greymouth, where he was a winner. Margalong, however, did not seem to be as much at home on the small half-mile track as he does at Addington. He looks like being a useful member of P. Riddle’s team this season.

Repute, the three-year-old filly by Great Audubon from that good trotter Renowp, is improving fast. In her work at Addington for. some time, she showed a decided inclination to go unsteadily, and frequently went to a break, but age is improving her.. D. Bennett is exercising a lot of care with the filly, who will be racing in the classic event at the Forbury Park Club’s meeting at the end of the month.

Au do Bell looks somewhat on the light side,- but he is trotting in good style in his work at Addington. The racing that the trotter Escapade did at the recent Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting seems to have improved her, as she has never looked better. In conversation with R. B. Berry he stated that the mare had a lucky escape from serious injury when contesting the Rowe Cup. Just as the straight -was reached the last time Pete Peter broke and swerved out, causing Escapade, who was travelling fast, to get tangled up in the sulky wheel. It was a most fortunate escape. That it did not upset the trotter very much, however, is proved by the fact that she won a race on the second and third days of the Northern Club’s meeting. Prince Pointer, Festive Morn, and Kotuku Jack have returned from the north after racing at the Auckland and Northland Club’s meetings. Prince Pointer looks as. though he has lightened up on the trip, but the other pair seem none the worse for their racing. Sea Pearl paced unluckily at the Auckland Trotting. Club’s meeting last month. She has furnished into a very fine mare, and nromises to race in. improved form next season. Since going into R. B. Berry’s stable she has been a good stake earner, and. is a very much better mare at the barrier than formerly. The racing in the north does not seem to have done her any harm, and she may be raced at Forbury Park at the end of the month. That fine trotter Judge Hancock, who went sore prior to the New Zealand Cup meeting, is sound again and is in slow work.

Having held only one day’s racing in the spring, the Ashburton County Racing Club had a spare day, and this was utilised for a meeting on Saturday. Tho weather was perfect, and there was a very largo attendance, while good fields provided some keen racing. Proceedings opened with - tho Highweight Handicap. The scratching of Gay Queen and Waterlow left a field of nine, Shandre being a pronouncod favourite, with Prophet's Mark easily second choice. Corn Rigs was smartest out, followed by Prophet’s Mark, Goldtown, Master John, and Shandre. After going two furlongs, Corn Rigs was two lengths in front of Master John and Prophet’s Mark, with Goldtown

three lengths further back, while Shandre HSU. drifted back to nearly last. They raced without much change to the home turn, where Shandre commenced to move up on the outside. He was in second place a furlong from home, but Corn Rigs only had to be shaken tip to beat him by a neck. Goldtown was four lengths away, with Master John close up. Prophet’s Mark faded out badly in the straight. Corn Rigs is now raced by a West Coast sportsman, for whom he should turn out a good investment.. In this race, however, he seemed lucky to beat Shandre, who lost a lot of ground in the middle of the journey.

Gay Sonnet, Prophet’s Mark, and Sir Roy were scratched for the Winchmore Hack Handicap, leaving a field of nine. Thorndale was a little better backed than Gold Mint, with Brightling a good third. Fancy backers were sadly astray, not one of . this trio getting into the money. Gold Mint and Coch-y-Bondhu were first to show out, and at the end of a furlong they had opened out a'-gap of three lengths from. Brightling and Moratorium, with Calcite and Princess Mafalda a few lengths further back. There was no change till they reached the home turn, when Calcite commenced to move up. When well into the straight Gold Mint commenced to tire, while Brightling was well beaten at this stage. A good finish saw Moratorium stay on to beat the fast finishing Calcite by a neck. Coch-y-Bondhu was half a length away, a neck in front of Gold Mint. Then after a gap came Brightling and Grey Lass at. the head of the others. Gold Mint and Brightling faded out disappointingly, while Thorndale was 'never prominent at any stage. The 13 acceptors lined up for the Melrose Trot Handicap. Patsy Phegan was a warm favourite, carrying more than twice as much money as Amazon, who ■was a little better backed than Ayr and Miss Dorothy. The favourite broke up at the start, losing more than a dozen lengths before he settled down. Amazon was soon out in front, leading past the stand from Miss Dorothy and Silvertown, with Princess Thorpe handy. At the end of three furlongs Silvertown had dropped out, the other three going on together. Passing the mile post Patsy Phegan had run into fourth place half a dozen lengths behind the three leaders, while Ayr was moving up fast. Six furlongs from home Amazon and Miss Dorothy were three lengths in front of Princess Thorpe and Patsy Phegan, with Ayr four lengths further back. Then Princess Thorpe dropped out, and Bonnie Prince, who had begun slowly, made a move forward. Amazon was still just in front of Miss Dorothy when well in the straight, with Ayr, Patsy Phegan. and Bonnie Prince handy. A great finish saw Amazon win by a neck from Bonnie Prince, 'who finished strongly, and beat Ayr by a head, with Miss Dorothy another head away. Then after an interval of a few lengths came Patsy Phegan, who was not driven- out. Patsy Phegan lost his .chance when he failed to go off right. The winner is a useful pacer, but never likely ■to reach high 'rank.

The eteht acceptors turned out for the Tinwald Handicap. The John BradburyCourtly Rose bracket was backed to a very short price, Margaret Birney being second choice, with several others nearly as well supported. Courtly Rose was slow to begin, losing half a dozen lengths. Beau Geste was smartest out, but at the end of a furlong Margaret Birney was in charge, with Beau Geste and Gay Queen handy, while a furlong further on Fairy Herald and John Bradbury were also prominent. Margaret Birney was three lengths clear at the six-furlong post, where Ophir was moving up. Half a mile from home Margaret Birney still had a good lead, Ophir being in second place, with Gay Queen handy and Beau Geste dropping back. Then John Bradburymade a move, and at the entrance to the straight he was just behind Margaret Birney and Ophir. A furlong from the post. Ophir was beaten, while Gay Queen put in a strong claim, getting a clear run on the rails. Gay Queen finished fast, and beat Margaret Birney by a neck. John Bradbury was half a length away-, with Courtly Rose fourth, followed by Ophir, who tired badly. The winner owed her success to her stamina, as she outstayed the opposition. Courtly Rose might have been .dangerous with a good jumpout.

Scratchings were numerous for the Lagmhor Plate. In a field of 11 Royal Tractor was a hot favourite. Queen’s Bounty was smartest out, but Money Mart soon joined her, with Ma Mie heading the others. At the end of a furlong, the two leaders were well clear, while Happy Queen and Ma Mie were next. Racing round the homo turn, Royal Tractor appeared on the scene, while Tripaway also made a move. After a slow start,- once in the straight, Royal Tractor ran up to the leaders, and went on to win easily by three lengths. Queen’s Bounty beat Money Mart by a neck for second place, with Princess Mafalda, Happy Queen, and Tripaway close up. Love in the Mist failed to jump out with the field, and toiled along in the rear all the way. Tripaway was slow to begin, but was running on at the en<J> Royal _ Tractor, however, won in very impressive fashion. Thorndale, Brightling, All Colours, Grey Lass, and Tam Glen were scratched for the Moreton Hack Handicap. Gay Sonnet was a little better backed than Sir Roy in a field of seven. En Route was first to show out, but Violet II soon joined him in the lead. Gay Sonnet, after giving trouble at the barrier, was slow to get going, but at the end of two furlongs she had run through; and she raced round the turn beside Violet 11, with En Route and Coch-y-Bondhu three lengths away, while Sir Roy was moving up. Upon reaching the straight, Violet II retired. En Route then took , charge, and went on to win easily by two lengths from Sir Roy, who beat tne tiring Gay Sonnet by three lennths, with Cocb-y-Bondhu close up. En Route has not done any racing for some time, and this performance augurs well for his prospects later in the season? The Selma Trot drew a. field of 14. After Princess Thorpe, Sadie Huon, and Bertha Bingen had been withdrawn, Yen was a little better backed than Locanda’s General and Lyonwood, with the penalised Amazon fourth Choice. Locanda Maid led Miss Dorothy along the back, with Lyonwood, Drake, and Locanda’s General at the head of the others. Miss Dorothy dropped out at the end of three furlongs, where Locanda Maid was showing the way to Drake, with Locanda’s General. Winter Audubon,, and Lyonwood not far away. On reaching the straight Lyonwood shot to the

front, and he won very easily by three lengths from Drake, who. beat Locanda Maid by a neck, with Winter Audubon close up fourth. Locanda’s G^eral. fell in the straight, bringing dowfi Amazon, Surfboard, and Ashley Dillon. The horses and their drivers escaped without injury. . The favourite, Yen, went'off badly, but showed speed when he kot going. It would have taken a good one to have beaten the winner. Economist was withdraw from the Wakanui Handicap. Finora was a good favourite in a field of five, and she never left the issue iu doubt. She jumped out in front, and though Goldtown tried to go with her, Finora quickly drew clear, and headed a procession all the way, winning by four lengths. Goldtown beat Corn Rigs by a length for second. Red Wink was last, and he appearsto have lost his dash. \