CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3842, 1 November 1927, Page 58

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By

r Observer.

Next Saturday will see the opening of the Spring Carnival in Christchurch, made ■up of four days’ galloping at Riccarton. provided by the Canterbury Jockey Club, and three days’ trotting at Addington, with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club promoting the sport. All the indications at present are that Carnival Week will be very successful this year. Already there is a big batch of North Island visiting horses at Riccarton, and the next day or two will bring more performers from the same quarter. Final payments and acceptances are not available yet, but it seems certain that fields will be large. There was a time when the track work,

after the arrival of the visiting horses,

■was of great interest, especially so far as it concerned the Cup’s candidates, but ' that wag when trainers got their horses ready on the training tracks. Now tnings have undergone a great change. itace meetings are available in all parts of the Dominion, and the public form of the horses is ,oi much greater importance than track work as a guide to the future. Further' than that, having been welleeasoned with a few races, most of the horses have completed their preparation before reaching Riccarton, and all i. ley will require during the next few days will be useful tasks sufficient to keep them up to the mark. Riccarton stables have four representatives in the New Zealand Cup. So far as Count Cavour, Footfhll, and Rapier are concerned, the final word may be left over pending their running in the Akaroa Handicap, which may go a long way towards solving the problem. As far as the fourth local candidate is concerned local track watchers know very little, for Battlement has done his preparation in Australia. He returned home recently looking in the pink of condition. If he was a genuine racehorse he could be given a great chance, but unfortunately he has built up an unsavoury reputation as a horse who is seldom in a galloping mood on race

Turning to the Stewards’ Handicap, local stables can claim a strong team, nine in number. Eulalie is a brilliant filly, -who only has to remain as she is at present to pay her part well. There will not be many in the field who will go faster. Booster raced well at Trentham, and he must have a chance, while Money Order ■will be worth remembering if only he comes through his Motukarara engage- _ ment with credit. Paperchase may not * be quite ready, but Solferite is in the best of condition, and he will be more at home at six furlongs than in mile and * a-half races. Of those lower down the list Silver Coot appeals most. He showed up prominently at Trentham. and he • should be greatly benefited by the racing ... he had on the northern trip. Eulalie appeals most, however, of the Riccarton contingent. It would occasion no surprise if the "Welcome Stakes field was greatly reduced race day. There is a long list of horses still engaged, but on form the prospects of many of them are negligible. In the M'Lean Stakes Childsplay made the remainder of the southern juveniles look very moderate, ho easily did she beat them. A week later she was at Trentham, and though there was a strong disposition to fancy some of the North Island youngsters the Riccarton filly again won in impressive fashion, leaving no room for doubt that she is the best of the season seen out so far. One result of Childsplay’s two brilliant performances is that many owners will be satisfied to admit his superiority without demanding further proof. Mr G. Gerard has decided not to start Noteworthy in the Welcome Stakes. He is a smart galloper, who may pick up a handicap during the meeting. Agrion is a regular worker on the •’.racks but he has not been sent along in verystrenuous tasks. He is on the big side, and he was sweating very freely after sprinting from the barrier on Friday. Limerick looks the picture of health, and though not set any severe work since he ! returned home, he has been bowling along j. very freely at a useful pace. A couple of short sprints and then one good gallop should fit him for the Canterbury Cun and the Stead Cup. _■ The North Canterbury Racing Club ex- ' "T perienegd wretched weather on Labour Day, fain, hail and snow alternating throughout the day. As a result the meeting was spoiled from a financial point of . view, the attendance being only moderate, while the totalisator investments were about half of last year’s figures. • Front Rank, the winner of the Rangiora Cup, came at the business end to b=>at bolferite, who just failed to stay. Front Rank is very well, and she is going to win big races this season if she has average luck. Asurance was favourite for the RangiQra Cup, but he could not act in the heavy ground, his performance bein" very poor. Sudden Storm was responsible for a very attractive performance in winning the Oxford Handicap at Rangiora, as she was badly left at the start owing to her traetiousness. She just got up to win on the post. It will take a useful hack to beat her. Moorland was in his best mood at Rangiora, where he came awav at the end of the sprint race in resolute style. He £s very well at present.

Sagittarius ran a good race at Rangiora, but Sir Roy was never dangerous. This was not surprising, as he had only recently resumed work.. He will soon do better.

The Dunedin-owned three-year-old Rotor ran a sound race when he beat some smart maidens at Rangiora. He has a lot of speed, and he will do still better before the season is far advanced. The filly Lmninant showed her first glimpse «'£ form in winning the opening event at Rangiora. She is by Thurnham from Boni form’s- sister Sunglow, the dam of Afterglow and Many Kittle. She has not done much racing, and slie will improve a lot. Paperchase ran a fair race at Rangiora, and she will be greatly benefited by it, as it was her first since February. Thorndale, a winner at Rangiora, is in fine fettle just now, and his list of successes is not nearly completed. The local trotting tracks have been very quiet during the past week. Most of the trainers have been away racing members of their teams, but the next few days will see the tracks very brisk. • The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting will be held next week, and it will arouse great interest among followers of the light harness sport. The New Zealand Trotting Cup, the chief event of the year, is likely to attract a big field, but many of the close observers have fined the list down. Cardinal Logan has been favourite all along, and be lost none of his admirers at Greymouth. Talero is also being freely discussed, and this in spite of his Auckland failures. Kohara and Great Hope are pleasing J. Bryce, but he has not such a good word for Acron, who is a worry t his trainer. Great Bingen is exceptionally well, while his brother, Peter Bingen, may also pace a sound race. The Nelson crack, Imprint, is fancied in some quarters, but he does appeal to me. Cardinal Logan and lalarp may have most to say at the finish. Mr J. S. Barrett, who has been a member of the committee of the CanterburyJockey Club for a number of years, has been elected a steward to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr J. F. Buchanan Mr H. A. Knight has experienced a lot of bad luck at iris stud this season. The gem of the stud, the Varco mare Medlev. dam of Ballymena, Limerick, and Rosmi? a ’ bas another colt to Limond. The youngster, who is a brother to Limerick, is a very fine foal, but the mare is in a bad way. Comely, by Gluten from Soult Rose, foaled a fill v to Limond. The mare will be matched with Shambles this year. Majestikoff. by Delaware from Lady Majestic, slipped twins to Diagnenod, to whom Zaragoza (Nassau—Madrid) fouled a colt which died. Windshield (Tractor—Kilbrceze) has a colt to Shambles.

'\ben M r G. Gerard retired Lucinette, by Martian from Lady Lucy, to the stud last year, he had her mated with Limond, to. whom she has produced a filly. She will be given a rest this season. Mr J. M'Combe’s Leading Lady, oy Royal Artillery from Sofia, has foaled a filly to the imported horse Shambles, by Phalaris.

Mr A. M’Aulay s Thea, by Demosthenes from 1.0 Hou Hou, by St. Ambrose from Kowhate, has foaled a filly to Arrowsmith, to whom she produced a colt last year. She will be mated with the Polvmelus horse Polazel, who is at the stud in South Canterbury. W, G. Hobbs has the two-year-old filly Merivale, by Paladin from Bonaria, moving along well in her work. She will not be racing at Riccarton next month, but she jnay make her appearance at the South Canterbury meeting early in December. Beau Geste and his two-year-old stable mate Caterpillar, by Paper Money irom lortrix are on the easy list, and they will be spelled for a few months before they resume training. The imported horse Honeycomb, a member of W. G. Hobbs's team, has made a good recovery from the lameness which troubled him recently, and he is going on nicely in his -work. It. was fortunate for the Banks Peninsula Racing Club that its meeting held a week before the opening of the Riccarton car= nival attracted several of the best class horses for local stables. Their presence attracted a good crowd to Motukarara. and made the meeting a great success. The field for the Akaroa Handicap had claims to very high rank, with Count Cavour, Footfall, Rapier, and Satrap among the starters. Margaret Birney made the running, but Satrap looked a winner when he drew clear at the home turn, as Rapier was \ being hard ridden at this stage to bridge a gap of several lengths, while the others were further back Once in the straight Rapier put in a brilliant run, and he was in front over a hundred yards from the post, with the race won. It .was an impressive performance, as he finished very strongly, and looked as if he could have gone on. Satrap hung on well, but was decisively beaten. Count Cavour and Footfall were a good way back at the finish, and they will need to improve to reverse the places in the -New Zealand Cup, in which Rapier will have a decided pull in the weights. Rapier, on the other hand, enhanced his Cup prospects. Money Order had an easy win at the finish of the Brackenfield Flying Handicap after being one of the leaders al) the way, but he was being shaken up to draw clear a furlong from the post. It -did not appear as a performance that would win the Stewards’ Handicap. Lmninant won the Okains Trial Stakes at Motukarara in attractive fashion. She Pfot home by a neck, but made a good impression, as she had to come from a long way back, having got out slowly, the Thurnham filly shapes like a stayer, and she will be running on at the end of the Oaks when speedier, rivals are stopping.

Spodc scored a surprise-win in the Halswell Hack Handicap, but it Was not a striking performance with the hurdler Projector chasing her hard to the winning post.

Hoylakc failed badly in- the Halswell Hack Handicap, never getting near the leaders at any stage. No excuses could be offered., and his performance was very disappointing after some good track gallops.

Moratorium was going away from the opposition at the finish of the Le Bons Handicap. He is a hardy customer, who is improving with racing. Sir Roy lost his chance through. beginning too" slowly. Rascal was prominent all the way, but failed at the business end, and'apparently he is not going to turn out a good one".

Master Clarence scored his first success of the season in the Kaituna Highweight Handicap, He made the opposition look cheap at the finish, and.he is going to win better races very soon. The throe-year-old filly Scrambler was a warm favourite for the Kaituna Highweight Handicap, and on hoc track form she looked a likely winner. She got off badly, but showed a lot of speed only to collapse very suddenly when Master Clarence challenged her. There is no doubt about her galloping ability, but aitei uus poor effort she must be dropped until she she has shown better racing qualities. WELLINGTON NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) October 27. When he came down from Auckland J. T. Jamieson brought Stormy, who will in future be trained by F. D. Jones at Riccarton. Stormy will do well in the south until the handicappers get his measure. Mr C. F. Vallance’s horses Grand National, Red Fuschia, and Kalos, after racing at Masterton, will go south to fulfil their engagements at Riccarton. Teri has been sold to Mr H. L. Hume, owner of Imitation. He remains in W. Donovan’s charge for the- present, and accompanied that trainer’s team to Riccarton. When Kniglitlike won the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui he was heralded as the best two-year-old of the season. He has since failed at Auckland and Trentham, and is not to fulfil his Welcome Stakes engagement. Star God was also sent home after Trentham, and Star Stranger and Joy King will be the only members of Jelferd’s team to race at Riccarton. Gannymede and Raasay did not run as well as expected at Trentham, and they were returned home to Hastings instead of going south for the C.J.C. meeting. The Auckland winner Chit was paid up for in the Welcome Stakes, but she will not make the trip south. Trentham form points to Childsplay as the best of those in the Welcome Stakes and Laughing Prince, second to Limerick in the Champion Plate, as the best of those in the Derby. Doree stands out as the best of the North Island fillies in the Oaks Stakes. Royal Game and Yoma were N.Z. Cup winners seen out at Trentham. They may find the distance of the Riccarton race too far. Benzora and Booster are Stewards’ Handicap winners that mayhave to be reckoned with. Staghunter, winner of the Roseneath Handicap at Trentham, cost Mr Eric Riddiford 300gns at the last Sydney sales. He is by Quantock, who has another representative in the Dominion in Laughing Prince. Royal Game, who raced consistently' at Wingatui, but without any luck, scored his most important win to date in the Pearce Handicap. For the N.Z. Cup his poundage has been increased from 7.0 to 7.2. Yoma, who ran a good race each day at Trentham, has had his weight increased from 7.2 to 7.8. He is by the Carbine horse Campfire, who sired an Auckland Cup winner in Depredation. Shirley stripped well when she went out to contest the Nainai Handicap on the second day at Trentham. She. however, failed to concede Booster 61b. The latter was not meeting the horses that finished in front of him in the sprint event on the opeing day. . Beacon Light is apparently not as good as he was 12 months ago, when he won the Champion Plate.