SPORTING

Southland Times, Issue 17484, 27 July 1915, Page 3

SPORTING

1/OTES BY SIK MOORED. The Birchwood Hunt Steeplechase meeting -will be held at Riverton tomorrow, when tlie totalisator will accommodate backers in connection with some excellent fields in jumping races. Racing between the flags on the Riverton R.C.’s property is always interesting and there is no reason why this fact should not be again borne out tomorrow. Special fares and train arrangements will lie available from Inyercargill and other districts. It is noticeable that the names of the two crack three-year-old pacing colts of the current season. Our Thorpe and Admiral Wood, arc missing from the entry lists in connection with the N.Z. M. August fixture. As both are in work, it is evident that they are being held in reserve for the New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting in November. It is stated that The Role has earned A very unenviable reputation since lie has been in Australia. A Melbourne writer mentions that in a few weeks lie has fallen five times —three times in public and twice in schooling—while he has only finished in one steeplechase in Victoria, that being on the occasion of bis win at Aspcndale. In the nine Jumping events at the Victorian Grand National meeting there were one hundred starters. of whom seventy-nine finished. The Grand National Steeplechase came badly out of the comparison, as only eight of the thirteen starters completed the course. Handicaps for the first day of the N. Metropolitan T.C.’s August meeting are due on Monday of next week. It is reported from the north that the hurdler Sir Donald, who has not raced since the Manawatu Autumn meeting, is looking really well at present and is doing a good preparation. Trainer J. Bryce races the trotters tinder his care far and wide and in the course of this policy is expected to turn up at the Waimea Plains T.C. meeting, at Hawera, to-morrow. The Scottish mentor has' Jimmy Woodsir. Woodvere, Prinz. and Whispering Willie engaged. The latter lias done some travelling since lie raced at retone in January. He won at Takaka. Nelson. Ashburton, and Waikato, and competed unsuccessfully at Poverty Bay, Trainer Hogan states that Tttrco may Hot he started at the Birchwood Hunt fixture, as lie does not wish to be too severe on him in the meantime in view of a Grand National campaign in the near future.

Expedition, winner of the principal event at the Manawatu Hunt Club’s meeting, is an aged gelding by Singlestick 11, one of the horses brought out from England at the same time as Lupin and Glenapn. and was formerly known as Sir Single.

G. Price says that when he saw Bullawarra run at Aintree in March, the Australian horse appeared to be lame behind, and gave one the impression that he had hurt himself. It was the ’chaser’s style of walking which gave the New Zealand trainer the idea that Bullawarra was not fit to do himself justice over the big country. Price formed a very high opinion of the English horses and English riders. but states that the horses are not all highclass animals. There are. in fact, a

great many moderate performers competing against the good ones, most of whom have an easy time because of the fact that their owners can afford lo reserve them for one or two races during the season. The New Zealander noted that it was a rare thing to find a horse started on more than one occasion at a three-day meeting. Price motored to most of the race meetings with the English horseman. J. Clark, who has been showing capital form this season. Among old friends whom Mr "Highden’s” trainer encountered in London were the late Mr G. G. Stead's jockey. U. H. Hewitt, the Australian horsemen, TV. and E. Huxley, and the New Zealand actor, Mr Robert Noble, then appearing with Mr Fred Terry’s company at the Btrand Theatre. an abstract an importation INJURED. HE G. L. STEAD’S STABLE UNFORTUNATE. (Special to the Times). CHRISTCHURCH. July thi. Mr Gerald Stead’s Australasian purchase Plymouth ran in to a barbed-wire fence at his owner's place at Amherley and will not be a starter at the Grand ■National meeting. TT7RT NEWS PROM RICCARXON. cseunx ot;i oj« [tnoads;) CHRISTCHURCH, July JC. Further accommodation has been engaged at Riccarton for the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s team which will now consist of five, instead of three or four as originally intended. A. Julian arrived from the North on Saturday, and rode work at Ricvarton this morning. J. Thorpe, the Ellerslie trainer, is due o arrive shortly at Ricvarton with 'uestone, an,l another Aucklander will • - on the way at tin- same time, in c, ' leman, with the Smilt gelding. Admiral • ul t. 1,. Traill was to have ridden J. George's horses at the fort hcotning f'.J.C. Grand National meeting, but bis license hawing been suspended !.v the Hawke's Bay J.c. tin- services of another rider will have to be secured. ft is reported that F. McCabe is on the way back from Australia, and will ride Multiply in Winter Cun. A statement is abroad that J. O'Shea will ride the Maniapolo gelding. Encore, ghould he start in the Winter Cup, FOOTBALL. THE GALBRAITH SHIELD FINAL. The ownership of the Galbraith Sliie’d for the current season is expected to be decided at Rugby Park to-morrow afternoon. when teams representing th>and Invercargill Football Clubs will try conclusions. The 10 in Rugby season will close down next week tvh.cn the Southland team will meet Otago at Dunedin in the second of a bome-and-home series of games, the prie-eeds of which are to be devoted to the Wounded goldiers' Fund.