CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 57

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Observer. Sportsmen are all highly pleased that a settlement has been arrived at regarding the rival claims of the Canterbury Jockey Club and the New Brighton Trotting Club for holding a meeting during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Christchurch next month. No good purpose will be served by a discussion of the incidents which led up to both clubs receiving the necessary licenses to race on Tuesday, March 15. The' one thing on which there was general accord was that Christchurch was not large enough to run two successful race meetings on the same day. The trouble was settled at a conference last week, when the Canterbury Jockey Club withdrew its claim. As a result, the New Brighton Trotting Club will be left with a clear field for its meeting, which will be held at Addington on March 12 and 15. It is expected that the Royal visitors will be present during part of the afternoon. , That the meeting will be a Success may be taken as certain. There will be a large crowd of people looking for amusement and the prospect of peeing the best trotters and pacers in action at Addington will be an irresistible draw.

- Having dropped the idea of racing in March, the Canterbury Jockey Club will revert to its original date for the summer meeting, and it will be held on Saturday of next week. So far as the local trainers are concerned, it is probable that this arrangement will suit them much better than the suggested postponement until March, -when there will be plenty of racing for horses of all classes. Nominations for the summer meeting will close on Wednesday, and, judging from the number of horses in work locally, the club can look forward to a fixture of more than usual interest.

At a meeting of the Canterbury District Committee held last week, Lawrie Doyle was recommended for a trainer’s license. B. 8. Price and T. Jennings were recommended for jockey’s licenses, the latter conditionally for three months. The applications of A., J. Peart and A. G. Campbell for jockeys’ licenses were not recommended, and D. Hall’s application was held over until next meeting. An apprentice jockey’s license was recommended for J. E. Thaw.

Edward Roden, who died in the Christchurch Hospital last week, aged 71 years, was not known to the younger generation of racing men, as he dropped out of the game some years ago, but he was closely identified with the sport over a lengthy period, during which he was a trainer at .Riccarton. He leaves a widow, two sons, and five daughters. One of the sons resides in Auckland, and the other is in the postal service in Christchurch. Two of the daughters are married to men well known in racing circles, one of them being .the wife of the Taranaki trainer, W. Pine, and another the wife of the New Brighton trotting trainer A. G. Wilson. Mr W. Deans’s imported sire Clarenceux, by King’s Messenger from Squint II met with a mishap recently, and, acting on veterinary advice, he was destroyed. He was 19 years old, and during his stud career he sired a number of useful performers, among whom was the handsome mare Palestrina, whose successes included the Dunedin Champagne Stakes and the New Zealand Oaks. King’s Trumpeter won the Hawke’s Bay Guineas and the Ormond Memorial Cup, while others who brought him some distinction were Boadicea, Clareina, Urgency. Queen’s Choice, Scorn, Gay Life, The Cheat, Sayonara Jarretierre, Carnot, and Sir Roy. With limited opportunities at the stud, Clarenceux sired winners of over £25,000. There will be a strong contingent of Riccarton horses racing at Wingatui this week, and a fair share of the stakes at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting should come this way.

Count Cavour looks well after the hard racing he has had lately. He had a few days’ rest after returning from Trentham. but he is now bowling along again in good style. In spite of his Trentham failures, he can be marked off as likely to race well in the south, Wingatui being a course on which he usually races at his best. Footfall has had some severe races during the last few weeks, but they do not seem to have worried him, as he looks in great condition at present. He will be a hard horse to beat in the Dunedni Cup. Rapier looks a better horse now than before he went to Trentham. He lias completely shaken off the effects of the cold he contracted during the holidays, and he is improving steadily. The Grcvspear horse may reach much higher class during the next few months, and in the meantime his Dunedin Cup prospects look bright. Centrepiece, who is booked to run in the Dunedin Cup, has proved himself a good horse up to a mile, but he may not be quite up to a mile and a-half. Battlement is getting through a lot of useful work, and he may have to be reckoned with in important handicaps over a distance later oh. Glentruin looks in good order at present, and she has been galloping well. Judged on this season’s form, however, she has slipped back a lot as a racing proposition. Young Lochinvar has been bowling along in great style in sprinting tasks, and he should show up in his Wingatui engagements. Countersign is a popular fancy here for the Publicans’ Handicap at Wingatui. She is a speedy customer, and she looks at her best. Front Rank will not be racing on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting, but she may be a starter on Saturday.

Brightling’s recent track form suggests that he is likely to race prominently in his ( engagements at Wingatui. Crossbow is in good fettle. He was unlucky at Trentham, but he may make amends at Wingatui. J. Boyd has Nincompoop and Precious galloping in good style on the tracks, and they .may earn some more money very soon.

Master Clarence, a maiden in R. Emerson’s stable, is a very promising sort who may soon open his winning account. Fresco has been enjoying a rest since he returned from Trentham, where he raced disappointingly. He has freshened up nicely, and he may be seen out again in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton next week.

Paperchase has not done much work since she raced at Trentham. She looks in good health, ohwever, and she may be in the Middle Park Plate field next week. The seven-year-old gelding Scorn, by Clarenceux from Disdainful, has rejoined G. Murray Aynsley’s team. He was a promising three-year-old, but has been off the scene since then.

H. Nurse, has recommissioned the hurdler Projector. The Formby gelding is big in condition, but he is in good health to commence a preparation -for winter engagements.

The Polymnian is going on nicely in his preparation. He is quite sound at present, and G. J. Pine is hopeful that he will be able to race later on. Hyperon is another horse whom Pine is getting ready for engagements ahead. In his case winter hurdle events are the objective. Mr J. S. Barrett has purchased the yearling brother to Count Cavour, by Solferino from Bon Bord, and T. H. Gillett will start to break him in shortly. Another yearling in the same stable is Mr Barrett’s filly by Solferino, this one being the first foal of Dame Straitlace, the Kilbroney— Discipline mare who carried her owner’s colours into, second place in Rouen’s New Zealand Cup. The youngster, a sturdilybuilt bay, has been well cared for. In view, .of the early departure of Mr W. Baxter for a trip to Great Britain,

Coupon is to be turned out for a long spell, while Kilris will probably be retired to the stud.

Limerick is coming on nicely in his preparation. His injured foot, which caused so much trouble during his spring campaign in Australia, is nearly all right again* and he is beginning to move along in useful sprinting tasks. The three-year-old looks well, and he should be in good order for autumn engagements. In conversation with F. D. Jones a few days ago, I learned that he has made no definite arrangements for the autumn. Much will depend on how Limerick shapes during the next few weeks, but if he goes on all right it is probable the Limond gelding will visit Sydney for the Easter meeting of the Australian Jockey Club. Mr H. A. Knight is strongly in favour of the trip, provided the horse is likely to be. at his best. In the event of Limerick going across he may be accompanied by Battlement, whose good form at Randwick in the spring makes another visit to Sydney look good business. Some bowling enthusiasts have been busy lately with a proposal for laying down a bowling green in a corner of the Riccarton racecourse for the benefit of the trainers and other interested residents of the district. The officials of the Canterbury Jockey Club are understood to be favourable to the project, provided there is a reasonable 'prospect of it being supported. Judging from the result of a preliminary canvass there seems no doubt on this score, and it is hoped that the laying out of the green will be put in hand in a few months.

With the return of the local trotting trainers from Forbury Park many of the horses have been enjoying a few days’ rest, but there /will be a bit of a stir on the tracks this week, as the summer meeting of the Metropolitan Trotting Club will be held on Saturday. Good fields are assured, and it should be a very interesting fixture. The Champion Stakes, to be decided at the Easter meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, promises to be a more than usually interesting event this season. Included in the horses still engaged are the Auckland-owned Great Peter (brother to Great Bingen and Peter Bingen), winner of the Great Northern Derby; also Shadowland (winner of the New Zealand Derby), Richore, and Haydock. These four represent the best three-year-old form of the season, whilst there are others in the field who may develop into good horses. Mr W. J. Morland has had the misfortune to lose the three-year-old brother to Lady Joan, by Logan Pointer from Belette. He had a leg broken as the result of a kick, and he had to be destroyed. The pacer Guy Fawkes is in work at Addington, but he does not appear to be sound, and F. Owen will have some difficulty in getting another race out of him. Epigram continues to train in the right way. He showed exceptional promise when first he was raced, but splints caused his retirement for a spell. lie appears to be all right now, and he has speed and stamina to recommend him.

The trotter Lelica has rejoined J. Spillane’s team after a spell. She is very much on the big side. A. Cox is persevering with the trotter Wild Hebe. He looks as if he has done a lot of work, but he will find it hard to win from his present mark. Reverie, a half brother, by Peter Moko, to Napland, is now beinv sent alone fast in his work, and he is showing a lot of improvement. B. Jarden is working a two-year-old filly by Author Dillon from Sea Spray. She is small, and so far she has not done much fast work.

Nimble Direct was given a useful workout at Addington last week without the hopples. The Australian pacer has not shown much form here yet. One of the most promising young trotters in work at Addington is Nellie Hugo, who is trained by A. Cox. She has a particularly good action, and she has demonstrated that she has racing qualities. With average luck she will take a high place among the trotters.

Whispering Willie is keeping fairly sound, and he looks in capital form. With so many improving young horses in commission, however, the veteran docs not look a good racing prospect. Prince Pointer is enjoying a spell, and it. is not intended to work him again for some time yet. H. Frost is keeping William the Great going. This fine young pacer looks well, and he should show a lot of improvement during the next few months. Sea Pearl is none the worse for her racing at Forbury Park. She will be raced at Addington this week in the sprint event, and then will go north for the Otahuhu meeting. A brother to the speedy three-year-old Rey Logan, but built on quite different lines, is a member of 'Nelson Price’s team at New Brighton. Patsy Phegan is a promising young pacer who looks like being a good racehorse next season. He is owned in Wellington, but is

trained by R, B. Berry at New Brighton. That fine trotter Rose Bingen is in steady work at New Brighton under R. E. Mills’s carb. She looks backward, but she is improving. Locan’da Mac is doing plenty of solid work at New Brighton, and he seems to be quite sound. The American stallion Guy Parrish, having finished his stud duties for the season, i? in work again at New Brighton. The trotter looks well, and he seems to be much sounder than formerly. J. N. Clarke expects to have him ready to race by Easter, and he predicts that the horse will show great improvement.