CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3889, 25 September 1928, Page 58

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By

Observer.

Now that the Ashburton meeting has been disposed of, attention will be turned to the Geraldine Racing Club’s meeting, ■which will be held on Thursday and Friday. In the absence of the acceptances one cannot be certain about the fields, but it looks as if they would be large. The fact is that there appears to be more horses in training than is usually the case at this period of the year, and their owners seem anxious to race them. A few New Zealand Cup candidates were seen at Ashburton, where Hoylake and Beau Geste were winners, Hoylake being responsible for an impressive performance. Neither of this pair will be racing this week, but Rapier, Set Sail, Pink Note, Taboo, Town Bank, Lucy Locket, First Rank, and Vaward make up a fine list of cup horses, who will make the Geraldine meeting particularly interesting. Some of them, however, will not be quite ready to run out a mile and a-quarter. First Raid and First Sight are Ashburton winners who should race well this week, •while Silver Coot has only to repeat Saturday’s form to score among the sprinters. Mr P. D. M'Nab has decided to retire from the position of starter, and the announcement will be received with general regret. From the time he first took up starting, he was an immediate success, the standard of his work being uniformly high, while he has commanded the confidence of owners, riders, and public. It is no secret, however, that he never liked his job, and he would have dropped it long ago, but for the requests of his friends. Now his decision is final, and when everything is fixed up Mr M'Nab ■will confine his attention to his real business, as caretaker of the Riccarton racecourse. He will continue as starter to • the Canterbury Jockey Club until ’the end of this, season, but so far as his other appointments are concerned, and he acts-as starter for nearly every club in Canterbury, the Geraldine meeting this week will be his last. This will give the Canterbury Jockey Club officials an opportunity of seeing new men at work before it becomes necessary to choose a starter for Riccarton. Footfall gave himself a knock on Friday, and it was found necessary to cancel his Ashburton engagement. It is hoped that in a few days he will be striding along again in his cup preparation. Rapier has not done much fast work lately, but H. Nurse has started to sprint him. It is probable he will commence his spring racing at Geraldine this week. He will not be quite ready for a severe but he is in nice order to finish "off his preparation. Martarma has made his reappearance on the tracks, and is being set useful tasks. He appears to have got rid of the trouble' that causeci his temporary retirement, and F. Christmas is confident there will be no recurrence. If he remains sound he will win some good races this season, and he may make his presence felt at the Riccarton carnival in November. Money Order has been sprinting brilliantly, and from present indications he will have to be reckoned with very soon. Battle Colours is going on well in his cup preparation. He has not been further that a mile and. a-quarter in a race, but there is no reason why he _ should not see out a longer journey. It is not intended to give him much racing prior, to the Riccarton carnival. Rotor is doing well on his.useful tasks, and he should be in his best form by November. In the meantime he may have a couple of races, but his programme has' not been settled definitely. Fronk Rank is in capital order, and she may make an early start as a winner for her new owner. Mime is booked to race among the hurdles at Geraldine. He gave a very fine exhibition of jumping in a school last week. With Childsplay and Prickles both available, Sir George Clifford will have a pair of smart three-year-old fillies to represent him this season. Until she developed trouble in one of her knees. Childsplay was the outstanding two-year-old of last season, while in the autumn Prickles proved the best of her age in the South Island. Now they are doing well in their work, and they are likely to keep their owner’s colours prominent. In the case of Childsplay there is a fear, of course, that she will not remain sound. In the meantime, however, she shows no sign of leg troubles. She is galloping brilliantly in her work, and her effort on Thursday made it clear that she would find, no difficulty in running out a mile. Prickles is a filly of different type. She lacks the brilliancy of Childsplay, but she shows evidence of staying and she may take high rank among' the three-year-olds when it comes to racing over a distance. It is a matter for regret that she is not in the Derby, but she has an .Oaks engagement, and there is nothing in sight with such good prospects for the fillies’ race. Childsplay andPrickles will start off their second season’s racing at the Dunedin meeting, the former being due to run in the sprint event, while the latter takes on the cup horses over a mile and a-quarter. They both figure in the Dunedin Guineas, on the second day, and they will make a very strong bracket for the mile classic event. Sir George Clifford has several others engaged in this race, but it is unlikely that they will survive the first forfeit. Full Feather had a couple of races at Wanganui, and he may not run again until November. He should win races later on, even if he is not up to classic standard. Hurly Burly, Impertinence, and Rockdrill are three others of the- same age, but tfe the meantime their effort*

will be confined to minor races, in which each of them may do all right as the season progresses. They show speed in their work, and Hurly Burly may run out a mile later on. Goblin Market is training on nicely, and he shapes like doing well in three-year-old engagements. Like others of Absurd’s progeny, he seems to thrive on a light preparation, but he created a good impression when he was sent along fast for six furlongs recently. He did not quite realise expectations in the autumn, but his best form, in ’January and February, was good, and he will help to make the Dunedin Guineas an interesting race. G. Murray-Aynsley’s stable shelters a trio of three-year-olds who should earn some ’ money this • season. They are maidens at present, but they show considerable promise. Starshooter was not fully wound up when he ran second in the Cashmere Plate last month, and since then he has done well in his work. He looks like staying, and he is'-a Guineas possibility, while he should go further than a mile later in the season. His stablemates, Chide and Quaecee, have only been tried for speed so far, and if they are never more than sprinters they may easily pay their way. Noteworthy has not been set many strenuous tasks lately, but he looks well, and a few sprints will see him at his best. He created a favourable impression when he won the Cashmere Plate, and he will win in more pretentious company later on. He is a Dunedin Guineas candidate, and he will not lack admirers. The opposition, of course, will be stronger than he met in his winning effort last month, but he will be a better horse the the next time he starts. It is doubtful if Noteworthy will make a stayer, but he should run out a mile all right. Sarnia is training on steadily, and she will be in good order when next she is required to race. She showed smart form at. Riccarton last month, and she will do still better, as racing should improve her. It is unlikely that she is intended seriously for the New Zealand Cup, but there will be plenty of opportunities for her in -easier company. She is bred on staying lines, and she should find no difficulty in getting a mile this season. The Southland three-year-old Silver 1 aper has arrived at Riccarton, and his presence will add to the interest in local training operations during the next few weeks. Silver Paper showed smart form last spring. He was second in the handicap at the Dunedin meeting, after bein<* unplaced in the M‘Lean Stakes, while at Riccarton he was second to Childsplay in the Welcome Stakes and won the Spring Nursery Handicap. That was his last race as a two-year-old, as in January it was found necessary to give him a spell, ne made his reappearance as a winner at the Otago Hunt meeting early this month, and though it was only a hack field that he beat, the performance was impressive. He has always looked like staying, and a mile at least should be no trouble to him. Judged on two-year-old form, he is in the first flight,- which means that he is liable to be a serious contender for the Dunedin Guineas. Riccarton stables shelter a large number of two-year-olds this season, and in due couise it is probable that several of them will develop into useful winners. Mr G D. Greenwood has several in work, but Honour is the outstanding member of the team. This is the Limond—Homage colt, who was the high priced yearling of last season, 2300gns being paid for him. He may prove to be well worth the money, as already he has demonstrated that he has the gift of galloping. Mr C. G. Dalgety has a couple of fillies, one of whom, Stately, shows promise of being a smart galloper. She is by Paladin from Limelight, and she is the first foal of this Solferino mare, who was a good performer, with stamina as well as speed.' Sir George Clifford has his usual big string of two-year-olds, but in the meantime the only one who is being hurried along is Moorbird, a filly by The Ace from the speedy Moorfowl. Dr Louisson’s Desert Song (Hunting Song—Trebelli) is smart, and likely to win races. W. G. Hobbs has three in his team who should be useful. They are Sir Roland (Paladin—Bonaria), Dutch Money (Paper Money—Dutch Clock), and Juniper (Kilbroney—Judith), and one of the trio may be an early winner. Mr G. Gerard’s Pixie Gold, a brother to Noteworthy, is another youngster of promise. In the meantime, however, Honour and Stately are the most likely pair to earn early distinction. The first payment for the New Zealand Trotting Cup resulted in Aeron, Logan Chief, and Jewel Pointer dropping out. So far as the first named pair are concerned the race will not suffer, but Jewel Pointer is one of the best horses in the Dominion, and he is a loss. The unfortunate feature in his case is that his connections intended to leave him in, but they missed the acceptance day. In the list published immediately after the payment was due Terence Dillon was included among the defections, but this was due to an oversight at the club’s office, where a telegram, delivered the previous night, was overlooked. Terence Dillon is one of the candidates who is much talked about. Nineteen horses remain in the big race, and the list could be materially reduced with great benefit. Padlock, Ahuriri, Great Bingen, Jack Potts, and Cardinal Logan‘are other candidates whose prospects are being freely discussed. The caretaker at Addington is busy deep-harrowing the race track on the inside. He did the outside half some time ago, and now he is completing the job. In the meantime, all the work is being done on the outside of the track. With the aid of the tractor, the work will be completed very soon. The eree + ’'m of the new outside stand is progressing at a fast rate, a large number of men imw being employed. The work will be finished before, the November meeting. The new stand will be..a great boon to outside natrons for the spring meeting, when the attendance is very large. J. Bryce, junior, left for Sydney last week with the pacer Bankhead, who is to race in the Sydney Thousand. He expects to be back in three weeks. Mr H. F. Nicoll started a couple of his Wrack three-year-olds in the trotting events at Ashburton on.. Saturday. Wrackeen finished third in the Selma Handicap, registering 3.27 4-5 for a mile and a-half, while Wrackler won the Rakaia Handicap, doing the mile and aquartpr in 2.52 2-5. These performances, working out about 2.18 to the mile, were brilliant efforts for young three-year-olds.

Already it is evident that Mr Nicoll secured a prize when he purchased Wrack in America. His first crop of youngsters all show great speed, and the horses of this breed are destined to make history. Wrackler will He sent to Auckland to contest the Great Northern Trotting Derby next month. Probably Wrackeen will accompany him, and Royal Wrack is also a possibility, though an accident that happened to him recently has interfered with his preparation. ihe. New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club has received 27 applications for the position of handicapper, it is expected that an appointment will be made early this week. W. J. Tomkinson returned from his trip to Australia last week. He brought back two horses which he has leased. The trotter Tonic is a useful sort, and the pacer Glideaway has some smart perlormances to her credit on Melbourne tracks. Loganwood seems to be keeping quite sound. He does not appeal in the New Zealand Cup, but he is not at the end of his career in shorter races. William the Great has thrown off some of his lameness, as he showed little signs of soreness alter being -worked fast last week. The trouble seems to be in the shoulder.

Baron Bingen has furnished a good deal lately, and is still growing. He should make a high grade pacer later 'in his career. F. G. Holmes has tired of the troublesome trotter Swiftbine. He advised the owner that he was returning the horse home, but Mr Ritchie decided to give him to R. Townley to train, and Swiftbine was sent to Winchester last week. Holmes got the trotter to go steadily in his races, and also improved him in other respects, but he would not begin right. Merry Bingen, who has been in F. G. Holmes’s stables for some time, has been returned to his owner. He has speed, but lacks stamina, and he is not improving. Lacanda Boy, who was going well in his work before the August meeting but was not started, is again showing decent form in training. Matagouri was not injured when he foil in a race at New Brighton, and he is in steady work at Addington. Kreisler looks big and well, and he has benefited by his spell. Provided he settles down at the barrier, he should be a good winner this season. Rose Marie and her half-brother. Hinkler, are in steady work. Rose Marie does not look as forward as the three-year-old. Dalmeny, who raced so well at the end of last season, continues to please in his work. He is worth keeping in mind for November. Logan Park is now being sent along a good deal faster in his training work. He has had a good spell, and he looks better for it. The three-year-old. Guy Denver, who claims an engagement in the Great Northern Trotting Derby, is going on well in his work. He may not be so forward as some of his rivals, but he is coming on. J. N. Clarke has a useful looking filly in work. She is three years old, and is by Guy Parrish from Roseshield. She is engaged in -the New Zealand Trotting Stakes. Talent has done a good deal of solid work lately, and he looks in good order for a short race. Epigram seems to be quite sound, and he is working along quietly, though he is not doing much at top speed. Young Blake looks well, and is trotting in his best form. Tomkinson has done well with this horse, who may improve still further. The southern-bred pacer, Nelson M‘El- - is still going along steadily in his training Since he came to Addington he has not been in the best of health, and this will account for his slowness in striking form. ' Fight Ever looks none the worse for his recent racing, and he seems to be quite sound. The trouble was in his feet, but Kennerly has had some special shoes made. ' Wastewood, is now being trained at Addington by his owner. The pacer is well forward, and is working smartly. White Sun and Lingfield were associated in a useful work-out last week. They are going on the right way. Lingfield looks very bright, and is much better than when previously "in work.