CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 54

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By

Observer.

The track work at Riccarton last week provided plenty of interest, but in the main it concerned the horses who raced at Motukarara on Saturday, so that it does not call for much notice now. There will be plenty of stir during the next few weeks. To commence with, Waimate and Trentham will claim a large number of horses next week. Oamaru has not drawn much support from this end, but a week later the Hororata meeting will attract attention, leading up to the Easter fixture at Riccarton.

F. D. Jones left for Sydney last Thursday with Limerick and Zaragoza, the special mission of the latter being to act as a working mate for the champion. This will be Limerick’s fourth Australian campaign, and each of his earlier visits was highly successful. He has beaten practically every good horse who has raced in the Commonwealth lately, and he ranks very highly in the eyes of Australian sportsmen. He has had one race since he resumed work, following on a spell after the Riccarton spring carnival. This was in the Hazlett Memorial Stakes, which he won easily. During the fortnight preceding his departure he showed great brilliancy in a few sprints, and he should be at his best on the Sydney trip. He will race at Rosehill on March 24 and at Warwick Farm a week later, these two events leading up to more valuable engagements at Randwick. As usual, Riccarton stables are strongly represented in the list of nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting. Rapier, Lancer, Money Order, Satrap, Amor, The Viscount, Corsetiere, Amouretti, Don Jose, Fair Exchange, Crossbow, Silver Coot, Prickles, Wild Work, Quarterdeck, Sudden Storm, Swoopalong, Philippic, Eulalie, Shalimar, Court Jester, Amorist, Scoff, Great Star, Singlespear, and Nincompoop are engaged. and they look a likely team to get some money.

Rapier has done very well in his recent track work, and he should be at bis best fcr Trentham engagements next week.

Scoff has made a good recovery from a minor mishap which laid him up for a few days. He is working freely. Sliver Coot is going alohg in his best form on the tracks, and he may show up ln his engagements at Trentham. Money Order has never looked better than he does at present. He is showing great brilliancy in training, and he may win another good stake before the end o'f the season.

Eulalie showed first-class sprinting form when she won the Stewards’ Handicap. She has been a failure since then, but her recent track work makes her look a good prospect for a race in the autumn. Sir George Clifford has a couple of promising two-year-olds in preparation for a trip to Trentham. Prickles showed useful form at Riccarton last month, while Swoopalong has not started yet. They are two good gallopers. Agrion is sound again, but it is considered doubtful if he will stand up to another severe preparation. This report, if correct, will cause much regret, as he represented good form. R. Adamson has purchased the three-year-old filly Skyquest (by Autuninus from Telescope) from Sir George Clifford, and she is once more a stablemate of Scrambler, who was secured a few months ago. Both of these fillies will be taken to the W’est Coast for autumn racing. Skyquest is a smart galloper, who should get back her purchase money very soon. Bon Bord and her Solferino colt foal (a brother to Count Cavour) have been purchased by Mr J. R. M'Kenzie. Although several of the events at the Banks Peninsula meeting attracted only small fields, the day’s racing was full of interest.

Ophir broke his near fore fetlock while taking part in the Peninsula Cup, and he had to be destroyed. Ophir- was a six-year-old gelding by Solferino from Adour, the dam of Shalimar. He was raced as a young horse by his breeder, Mr G. D. Greenwood, but was subsequently sold to Mr H. Dampier Crossley. He was a fair performer up to a mile and aquarter, but for some time past his form had been disappointing. Scoff was responsible for a very attractive performance in winning the Motukarara Handicap. He wa? in a handy position without being bustled till the straight was reached, but once he put in his claim he always looked a winner. He beat Amor by onl.v a neck, but he did it very easily. Scoff lacks stamina, as was demonstrated when he collapsed in a seven-furlong race at Riccarton a fortnight ago, but he is a very useful hack up to six furlongs. This was his first success since he was purchased by Miss M. C. Wilson, a patron of A. E. Wormaid's stable, but he is likely to add to his record before the end of the season. Amor ran his best race when he finished second to Scoff in the Motukarara Handicap. He was responsible for the pace from the start, and hung on to beat all but the winner very comfortably. He had another race later in the day over six furlongs, but he was fading out at the end. Up to date Amor has been a disappointment, but he is improving, and he may pick up a sprint in moderate company before long. The two-year-old Great Star, who paid a big dividend when he won at Riccarton last month, was strongly fancied for the Motukarara Handicap. He followed Amor most of the way, but he was not ridden to the best advantage and was beaten out of third place in the last stride. He will do a lot better later on. Synonym was fancied for the Motukarara Handicap, and after showing up prominently all the way he finished in the bunch just behind the placed horses. He is not likely to reach good class, but he should win races, and he may make a start before the end of this season.

Mr J. S. Barrett was represented in the Motukarara Handicap by his Solferino two-year-old The Viscount and Corsetiere. Neither of the pair had started previously, and after failing to jump out smartly they were never- prominent. When they have had some raco experience they will develop into useful performers, and they should win their share of stakes as three-year-olds. Lancer had a very easy task to defeat the two moderates who opposed him in the Terawera High Weight Handicap. He may gain further successes when the company is not select, as he stays fairly well. <

Thorndale was responsible for another attractive performance when he won the Peninsula Cup. He was not prominent early, but be moved up gradually. On reaching the straight he joined Satrap, and the pair soon settled Magna Charta. The other pair went on together, but Thorndale always had Satrap’s measure, and he beat the three-year-old very decisively. Thorndale has been a wonderfully consistent performer this season. He is better now than he was at any previous stage of his career, and he must always be given a chance up to a mile and aquarter. His trainer, F. P. Claridge, must be given great credit for the manner "in which he has kept the gelding at his best ever since the early spring.

Satrap was well placed all through the Peninsula Cup. He finished on well, but over the last furlong he never quite looked like beating Thorndale, who was going away in the last few strides. Satrap had the best staying credentials of all the Cup field, and he might have done better with a stronger pace in the early stages. Magna Charta ran a fair race in the Peninsula Cup. He was in front most of the way, but the pace was slow, and possibly this helped him to hold his place for nine furlongs. He may win before the end of the season, but a mile will suit him better than a longer journey when the company is at all select. Philippic showed up prominently for a mile in the Peninsula Cup, and then faded out. He proved a bit of a handful for his small rider, who found a difficulty in getting the three-year-old round the turns. The extra ground he covered helped to settle his chances, and he may do better before long. Shalimar won the Ahuriri Hack Handicap in very attractive style. She is a useful hack, who will be seen to further advantage in her autumn engagements. Saturday’s race was only six furlongs, but she can run on over a longer journey. The imported gelding Honeycomb was very slow out from the barrier in tho Ahuriri Hack Handicap, and for most of the way he was a long way in the rear. He came with a great rattle over ths last two furlongs, and he only requires some experience to be a winner.

Don Jose, the winner of the Kinloch Handicap, is a three-year-old by Archery from' Michaela, who was a good sprinter in her day, though not always reliable. Don Jose won his race very easily after being a long way back three furlongs from home. His rider, C. Eastwood, had to run the gauntlet of an inquiry for interfering with Moratorium and Moorland at the entrance to the straight. Eastwood stated that, when Don Jose took the lead he pulled his way across to the rails. The explanation was accepted. It was such an easy w’in that the incident had no effect on the result.

Singlespear, who has winning form in Australia to commend him, was backed very confidently in the Forsyth Flying Handicap, and for most of the way he looked a certainty. He was one of the leaders from the start, and he appeared to have the race in safe keeping up to about a furlong from home. Then Finora tackled him, and Singlespear stopped very quickly under pressure, Spode getting up in the last stride to cut’ him out of second place. Judged on this form, Singlespear is not a good racehorse. Finora, who won the Forsyth Flying Handicap, was a smart sprinter earlier in her career, but for some time past she has been on the down grade. She looks particularly well at present, and in this race she showed a welcome return to gooff form. It may be followed by more successes during the autumn, but she is not up to the best company, even under a light weight. The Tin.aru Trotting Club’s meeting will be held on Thursday and Saturday of this week, and it should excite a good deal of interest. Daphne de Oro should race ■well in the chief events.

Next week the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting will be the attraction. The fields are likely to be very large. Mr A. I. Rattray, who is widely known as secretary of the Metropolitan, Canterbury Park, and New Brighton Trotting Clubs, left on Thursday for a trip to Great Britain. He expects to be absent for a year, during which Mr H. E. Goggin, his assistant, will'be in charge of the office arrangements.

Some important work is in progress at the Addington course. The corner going out of the straight is being altered to provide a better turn. The track will then be a few yards shorter, necessitating, all the starting posts being shifted. The work should be completed by the end of this month.

The three-year-old pacer Great Triumnh. who created a favourable impression when he raced at Cheviot last month, uas been sold for a substantial figure to an Auckland sportsman, and he has gone into R. B. Berry’s stable. Golden Devon is in capital order at present, and is putting plenty of dash into his training work. He should win a sprint race very soon. Curfew Boy, who has been suffering from a severe cold, is nearly well again, and he has resumed training at Addington.

Locanda Boy. the winner of the chief event at the Inangahua Trotting Chib’s meeting, has joined D. Bennett’s team at Addington. The Australian pacer Kyana, who had to be witndrawn from a race at the Inangahua meeting after going on the track, has quite recovered. Kennerley has not been able to discover what is actually’ wrong with Kyana, who occasionally goes sore in training, but recovers in a few days. Jack Potts has had an easy time since the summer meeting at Auckland, where he performed well. C. Donald has just put the American stallion to work again with a view to contesting sprint events at Addington at Easter, after which he may go north for the Auckland Trotting Club’s June meeting.

WELLINGTON NOTES. (From Our Own Correspost'"'' March 1. Cimabue was recently purchased by Mr 11. Murphy, and has gone into H. B. Lorigan’s stable at Trentham. His, name appears among the entries for the Thompson Handicap. The two members of Mr Eric Riddiford’s team that competed unsuccessfully at the C J.C. midsummer meeting will probably compete at the Marlborough meeting next week. The class across thq strait will not be so good as at Riccarton. The three yearlings purchased by the South Australian owner Mr E. E. Jolly (at present in England) at the Trentham summer sales have gone into R. S. Bagby’s

stable at Opaki. The owner named has several two-j*ear-olds in J. W. Lowe’s stable at Trentham, but so far this season they have not shown any form. The Awapuni trainer G. New led in five winners at Woodville, and now has a substantial lead in the list of trainers for the season. He has a useful lot of horses in his charge, and should score further wins at the autumn meetings this month and next.

The Wairarapa owner Mr C. E. Elgar has ' been a good buyer of Australianbred horses, but has not done much good with them since Black Ronald won the Derby at Riccarton. David Garrick narrowly missed the Wairarapa Gold Cup at New Year time, and made amends by taking the principal handicap evefit at Woodville. The race carried a gold cup, presented by Mr W. H. Gaisford. Mr Elgar intended to be present, but owing to a mishap to his car he did not reach the course until after the presentation A had taken place. The owner named also won his first race with Talisker (Lord Quex —Fair Rosamond), who had been a disappointment since he was purchased by his present owner over a. year ago. It was his only appearance at the meeting. They were not a good lot of hurdlers at the meeting, and Panorama (Panmure —Overall), who had scored in a similar class of event on the concluding day of the Otaki Maori Racing Club’s spring meeting, had no difficulty in winning on both days.' The Egmont double winner Blimp failed in open company, but his stable companion, Mooregas. another—of the Gasbag tribe, scored in the race for juveniles on both days. He is a half-brother to Crown Area, in the same stable. The latter was produced on the second day, but was beaten by Miss Pat, who is only a pony, but goes well under a light weight. G. New also took the open sprint event on

the opening day with Broad Acre, and the President’s Handicap with Duke Abbey, a winner at the Wellington Cup meeting. The imported horse Aston, who has not done a great deal of racing in the Dominion, took a race each day. On his showing on the concluding day, when he came home with 10.2, he may be good enough for open company. The useful Huikai, who raced at Gisborne and Wanganui, and has done a good deal of travelling, took the principal handicap event on the second day. The Swell, owned in New Plymouth, runnerup to Duke Abbey on the first day, scored in his turn on the concluding day. He is a fine cut of a welter horse, and shows a good deal of resemblance to his dam Tangimoana, who was a first-class performer. The entries for the handicap events at the Wellington meeting are satisfactory. There are six horses in the Gold Cup. Rapier, Star Stranger, and Hynanna. represent the best class. There are no less than 22 in the Challenge Stakes, and it would appear that about half the number have been left in through oversight of their owners to pay forfeit. Laughing Prince is not in the St. Leger, but he is in the Challenge and Thompson. Satrap is the one with best credentials as a stayer. Aro de Vai, who has been shipped to Western Australia, was evidently left in by mistake.

The* Trentham light-weight C. Goldsboro has joined E. George’s stable at New Plymouth. He rode two winners on the concluding day at Te Arolia. Reremoana, the best miler in the country, is again engaged in the Thompson Handicap. He has won that event twice, also the Auckland Easter Handicap.