RACING AND TROTTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 61, 18 April 1914, Page 12

RACING AND TROTTING.

RACING FIXTURES. April 22—Reefton J.C. Autumn. April 22 and 25—Avondale J.C. Autumn. .April 23 and 25 —Wellington R.C. Autumn. TROTTING FIXTURES. April 29 and May 2—Forbury Park T.C. W Winter. May 14 and 16 —New Brighton T.C. Autumn. TURF "TOPICS. At Riccarton the custodian, D. "Mitchell, and his staff, have been busily •engaged in the work of cleaning up about the stands and grounds. When this was completed "the tracks received due attention, the course proper, after being well rolled and brush harrowed, was top-dressed with a mixture of earth -ar.d sand, filling up the holes. The working tracks have also been attended to, and the plough is at present in firstclass condition, so that trainers with horses competing at the forthcoming meetings will have little to complain ■Of. ;

G. Scobie, with Silver Shield, will leave for the north by to-night's boat, to fulfil engagements at the Wellington autumn meeting. The Menschikoff gelding strode over six furlongs this morning, bowling along in good style, and he should keep his opponents busy at the .northern fixture. E. O'Donnell also goes north to-night . with Sauci, who will be Mr G. L. Stead's only representative at the Wellington meeting. He should earn a winning bracket before returning. W. Christie left for the south on ."Friday with Gapon and Obsono. It is quite likely that the Charlemagne 11. filly Joan may not race again, a result of the accident she met with v through colliding with a tree on Tuesday last. Investigation proves that she .has injured the nasal bone of the right nostril, and it is feared that it may" effect her wind. W. Clarke has the Golden Knight—- : Firefly filly colt broken in, the youngster taking quietly to his task. He is rather well-grown, and should turn out useful. The chased by Mr Casey, of New Zealand, at the Randwick sales, is almost a full.sister in blood to the speedy Gigandra. "Mr HighdenV lease of Bronze expires at the end of the present racing season, and it was his original intention to return the Great Autumn winner to her owner, Mr G. M. Currie, of Wanganui. Now it is said a further lease ~will be applied for. It is quite likely that F. Lind, who won the New Zealand Grand Hurdles on Creusot in 1905, will accept ihe position of private trainer to Mr G. 3'. Donnelly. A couple of Auckland sportsmen were lucky enough to draw the first prize of £OOOO in Tattersall's sweep on the Eosehill Cup.

According to northern advices, l>oramlo is stiJl suffering from the injury he-received to his fetlock some time back, and in consequence has been missing from the Wanganui track. lie is getting through some useful swimming exercise, and hopes' are entertained of getting a good race out of him • jjuring the winter mouths. In a private letter received in Wellington recently, .Jockey 11. Gray, •writing under date March'. '51, says that "YVallalo was to be a runner in the eventful race which resulted in the disqualification of the horse and its connections, but he did not like him as the distance was too short, and he further remarked that he was no sprinter, but a rare stayer. lie gave him a good chance in" the Autumn Slakes, one mile and a-haJf, but even Ihat, he thought, might be a trifle short for him. lie concludes as follows: ''But let them look out for -him in the Sydney Cup, fur over that last halfmile he is a man el." li. ./. Mason's team, for the Wellington R.(!. meeling, consisting of Valhalla, Ciierubini, Kmperador, ('nmulus, and Ilistoriette, leave for the north to-night. The most notable defections from the Thompson Handicap are Ventura. Autinu.v.is, BirHino, rosfiium, «ml B<ttrr.ilu. Warstep went right off after racing , in the (.4 rent Auii:;:in Handicap, and is to be -indulged in a well-earned spell. Tinax and Tannhnt:.-.er are both lo fulfil enga.";eiii!.-n(s at iiie Wellington Pacing <;k.o's meeting, and they will lake Iheir ..e;ia"(ui'e from iiiecn rton on Ivionday nr Tuesday. J-i il !i /i ini-. iosia ami .Beragoon were amiss before the start of the A..).<.'. luoeung, and after racing on the iir&t

day they were not asked to sport silk again at the Randwiek fixture. Amongst the horses remaining in the Hawke 'a Bay Stakes are Historiette, Sauci, Ringform, Hymettius, Daytime, Brocade, and Tete-a-tete. The presence of Cherubini in the W.R.C. St. Leger Stakes has been instrumental in reducing the acceptors for that event down to a quartet. M. Edwards intends bringing a team of horses to New Zealand in June for the winter trotting meetings. The star performer of the visitors will be Denver Huon, who is an almost certain starter for the next New Zealand Trotting Cup. Mr Greenwood has paid up for both Emperador and Valhalla in the Thompson Handicap, and it is safe to predict that they will have a strong following on the day. Following the example of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, the stewards of the New Brighton Trotting Club have decided to refuse the nominations of the following horses:— Glendalough, Schoolgirl, Persuader, Lord Heathcote, Medallion, Wallace Jr., Jessie Hamlin, Bribery, Waterlog, and Walnut.

The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club has every prospect of a bumper meeting next month, "nearly every event on the programme having filled remarkably well. No fewer than 31 figure in the Hawke's Bay Cap, of whom the best known are Thrax, Tannhauser, Masterpiece, Sea Pink, Emperador, Valhalla, Cherubini, Expect, and Ladoga.