C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 55, 11 April 1914, Page 12

C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING.

EASTER HANDICAP DAY. Were it dependent entirely on outside support, t ne prospects of a successful meeting at Eicc'arton next week would look decidedly remote. • Each year the North Island, support seems to diminish, and as the northern fixtures grow in importance so will owners be less inclined to go from their own districts in search of stake money. Fortunately the Riccarton stables tare in particularly strong force just at presstrong enoiigh, indeed, to run a good meeting entirely on their own account. Stfll there is nothing like outside competition to give zest to the racing, though it must be admitted that the visitors from across Cook Strait are a redoubtable contingent. That the racing will be well worth seeing admits of no doubt. Never have the two principal handicaps looked so open, while the two "class" races give promise of exceptional contests. ' Visitors to the course next Monday will find it looking as trim as ever, and they will find that their convenience has been studied in several details, notably that of a more commodious totalisator. Up to last week the course was so hard that trainers were anxiously looking for rain. Now that it has fallen, the grass track will be in nearly perfect order, aiid everything promises well for a most successful meeting.

Naturally the most discussed event of Monday's card is the Easter Handicap, for which a serviceable field of at least fourteen should face the barrier. Past history of the race goes to prove that weight will not stop th,e good ones so much as it does in longer events, as witness the deeds of Boreas under 9.12, Cruciform 9.9 as a tliree : year-old, Machine Gun 10.4, and Penates 9.3. Though this year's field may not include anything of the same calibre as Machine Gun, it can at least boast of three brilliant sprinters in Autumnus, Emperador, and Expect, and the writer would not be surprised to see the top weight trio fighting out the finish. In all his training gallops Autumnus has pleased the track watchers immensely. True, he has done nothing sensational in the way of record-breaking, but there can be no doubt as to his fitness and brilliancy. Emperador is another that' has been galloping with the greatest, freedom. He has quite thrown off the soreness that troubled him a fortnight ago, and though not especially prepared for the Qreat Easter, I fancy that is the race he is likely to show to, most advantage in. The party behind Expect will not hear of the Advance colt's defeat. On actual form, both Autumnus and Emperador have better credentials, and until I saw him gallop on-Thursday morning I was inclined to 'discount his chance. He-is a bold mover,''and' can muster up a great burst of speed. Nor can there be any doubt as to his staying out seven furlongs, no matter how solid the pace may; be.made. Had Warstep been specially prepared for the race, her chance would: have been second to none. As it is, she has done more of a Great Autumn than Great Easter preparation, besides which she has a habit of taking matters into her own hands at the start.

There is no question as to Rinaldo's, j speed, ]}ut his respiratory qrgans still] trouble him somewhat. This is sure to prejudice his chance, especially during such a trying journey as that over which the Easter Handicap is run with pace on all the way. Neither Specialform nor Masterpiece are quite brilliant enough to have much chance, and I fancy the latter may be reserved for some subsequent event. The two southerners, Obsono and Gapon, have outside chances, but both should be held safe by First Glance. The Irish bred mare will be meeting a much better lot than in any of her previous essays, and the probabilities are that the pace will be so solid from the start as to find her wanting at the finish. On the strength of his win in the Middle Park Plate, Sauci has many friends, and is sure to start in strong demand. He was given a gallop at Riecarfcon on Saturday morning, arid through striking himself did not finish any too well, but I am sure he will do much better with the colours up. Peg's work has been more fitting for a longer journey, probably the Handicap, while of the four bottom weights Silver Shield lias shown to most advantage in his track "work. Altogether it is a very open race, but should the track be dry the three top weights must be held in the highest respect.

THE TWO-YEAR-OLD CLASSIC. There will be a distinct flavour of 'North versus-South in the contest for the Champagne Stakes, and going on earlier form the former seems to hold the strongest band. Its representatives —Downham, Ringform, Hyettus, and Purseform, are a speedy quartet, of whom the first-named seems to have the best credentials. The best has not yet been seen of Pariform or Ringform in public, but they will have to show a vast improvement to finish in front of the other pair. Of the locally-owned contingent those that have shown to most advantage in their work are Angelina, Bold Stroke, Honesty, Rencontre, and Marsa, but on past displays the}hardly compare with the best of the northerners.

' The Yaldhurst - representative, Moulu, has only sported silk once, when lie was not nearly ready to race. He is a promising juvenile, and showed last Saturday morning that he has improved out, of all knowledge since the February meeting. It would come as no surprise to see him and Bold Stroke put up a very good fight on behalf of the southern division. Of the wretched lot in the. Hurdle Race, Cornelian should prove the most reliable, for he has had more experience at the business than any of the local candidates.

Quite a number of smart two-year-olds figure in the Russley Plate, including several from across Cook Straits. Of the locally-trained lot those that have shown up in the most favourable light are Canvulus, the half-brother to Einperador and Wisebird, while La Favourita has also shown galloping abilitv of no mean order.

The brilliant nature of his track work in conjunction with his meritorious display at Motukarara last month is sure to find Valhalla much favour for the Autumn Plate, which does not look like attracting a large field. The fact of several Great Autumn Handicap candidates being engaged in the Sockburn Handicap will lend additional interest to its decision. A pair of these, in Kooya and Peg, are sure to have plenty of supporters on the day. The biggest field of the afternoon is likely to be sean out ia the Gimcrack

Handicap, the competitors for which include several with fair credentials in their favour. Moddite and Madama have both pleased the track watchers in their early morning tasks. Proceedings will terminate on Monday with the Courtenay Welter, in which Canute and Glenowl are both likely to be well supported. The day's card is. as follows:—MONDAY'S PROGRAMME.

12 noon. KILI>ARE HURDLE HANDICAP, of 250 sovs. Two miles, st. lb. st. lb. Daylight Bill 11 5 Galdseeker 9 5 Kilmeny .. 11 5 Opaku ... 9 0 Cornelian . . 11 4 12.40 p.m. CHAMPAGNE STAKES, of 1000 sovs. For two-year-olds. Six furlongs. Cortes .. 810 Rencontre .. 8 8 Ringform ... 810 Marsa .. 88 Downham . . 810 Charmilla .. 8 8 Moulu . . 810 Angelina .. '8 8 Pariform , . 810 Bold Stroke. . 8 8 Hyettus .. 810 Court Martial 8 8 Honesty ..88 1.30 .p.m. AUTUMN PLATE, of 300 sovs. One mile. Chrysotis . . 8 4 . Sir Hamilton 8 4 Free ..84 Sveaborg .. 84 Moddite .. 8 4 Trireme .. 8 4 Scotch Melody 8 4 Valhalla ..84 2.15 p.m-. GREAT EASTER HANDICAP, of 1300 sovs. Seven furlongs. st lb Autumnus (B. Deeley) .. .. >v 813 Emperador (W. Young) .. .. .. 813 Expect (A. Oliver) .. .... .. 8 12 Warstep (W. Bell) .. ..; .. .. 8 6 Rinaldo (P. E. Jones) s .. .. .. 8 5 Masterpiece .. .... .. .. .. 713 Specialform .-'. .... .. :.. > ■»: 7IS Obsono (A.H.Wilson) .. .. .. 712 Gapon (E. M'ColI) .. .. .. .* 7'lG First Glance. ... .. >'. ..: ..; 7 i Sauci (C. Em.erson) .. .. .. ;.. 7 £ Peg (R. Berry) .. '.. .. ....• ... 7 £ !. .. ...7 o Reval . . .;. .... .... .. 7 2 Respond (E. Ludlow) . . tv .. ... 6 7 Silver Shield (C. Carmont)-••.... ~. 6 7

2.55 p.m. RUSSLEY PLATE HANDICAP, of 300 sovs. Five furiongs. : st. lb. st. 11 Bee . . . . 8 3 Skene Dhu 7 1 Cortes .. ! 8 3 Findhorn .. 7 I.' La Favourita' 8 3" Merry Guest 7 1 Camulus .. 8 0 Fastradl .. 7 Wharfinger 8 0 Signovile . . 7 ; Ringform .. 7 13. Marceline .. 7 >. Purseform .. 7 13 Athejdana ~ 7 1 Wiseßitd.. 7 12 St. Helen .. 7 .( Firegod . . 711 3.35 p.m. SOCKBURN HANDICAP, of 300 sovs. One mile and a-quarter. Thrax .. 9 5 The Cornet i. "7 ( Vice Admiral 8 9 Flower of the Gapon ■ • „ 8 ■* West .. • 7 f Kooya .. * 8 2 Lady Marcia 7 c Peg . . .. 711 Joan .. .. 6 7 Glenfinnan ..76 4.20 p.m. GIMCRACK HANDICAP, of 140 sovs. Six furlongs. Historiette . . 9 3 Trireme .. 7 8 Forest Belle 8 9 Judith . ..7 8 Madams . . 8 3 Bonne Bouche 7 7 Gregory . . 8 1 Andrea .. 7 0 Miss Kolmar 7 13 Mezzo ..70 Hops . . . . 713 Raymont .. 7 0 Vanquish .. 712 Lady Query. * 7 0 Moddite , . . 7 11 Miss Terry .. 7 0 Owhetoro .._ 7 9 Pukerau t .« 7 0 Vanna ..7.8 ,• •■-■■/ 5 p.m. COURTENAY WELTER HANDICAP, ©' 300 sovs. One mile. ' Bertrada. , ' '.'., 9 13 Con the ShaugGnome .. 9 12 hraun . . 8 1 Taskmaster . . 912 Glenowl .. 8 1 Glenfinnan 9 9 Teviotdalo .. 8 IV Canute .. 9 5 Sunbeam .. 8 0 Troon . . ..90

SECOND DAY PROSPECTS.

GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP DAY. Should either Emperador, Expect, Warstep, Specialform, Gapon, or Peg succeed in landing the Great Easter Handicap, it will practically put the fortunate one out of count for the Great Autumn Handicap. All Empera--ior 's past displays show him in the light of a sprinter rather than a stayer, and consequently his prospects in the shorter race seem more attractive than : n the Great Autumn Handicap. I iave never seen Bronze looking better Mian at present, and she will surely prove more dependable than her stable companion Expect. Since his arrival at Sea Pink has gone out of favour somewhat, on account of Ms indifferent track work. With the colours up, however, he is quite a different horse, and as 4 one of the few proved stayers in the race is entitled to every respect. Thrax is another who does not gain admirers by his training essays. No horse in the race will strip in better fettle, and I look to him to be one of the hardest to beat. Flora Macdonald showed, by her Dunedin Cup victory, that she races well on a light preparation, and she has done more work now than prior to her southern victory. Nothing has been going so well as Warstep in the early morning work, and there is no getting away from the fact that the Martian filly is in great heart just at present. Should she suffer no ill effects from her race in the Easter Handicap she will keep the best of them busy in Tuesday's race; indeed, it will take a really good one to lower her colours. Ladoga has a big North Island following, and if he is the horse many of his admirers claim such a handy racing weight as 7st 91b should not - trouble him. Specialform has done her preparation in private at Leeston, and is reported to be very fit. Still there are others with better credentials, including two of her own age and sex. Gapon will probably find the journey a little beyond his best capabilities, but Kooya and Peg both have reasonable prospects of success.

THE CHALLENGE STAKES. Another very interesting event on the second day's card is the Twentysecond Challenge Stakes, in which the best of the two, three, and four-year-olds, will measure strides on special weight conditions. Despite his 101b penalty, Cherubim is likely to go out favourite, and he can be relied on to acquit himself creditably. Amongst the older division Autumnus has the best credentials, and as he has no penalty the weights will be all in his favour. Quite a lot of smart two-year-olds figure in the list, most of whom will be seen out in the Champagne Stakes on Monday. The result of this latter event should help to solve the two-year-old problem, and it is from this division that the Derby winner will probably meet the strongest opposition. TEMPLAR.