RACING AND TROTTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 174, 28 August 1914, Page 6

RACING AND TROTTING.

: RACING FIXTURES. August 29—Amberley Steeplechase Annual. September 2—Marton .T.C. Spring. '.September 9—Dunnevirke R.C. Steeplechase. September 10 and 11 —Ashburton County R.C. Spring. September 24 and 25—Geraldine R.C. Springy ' September 24 and 26 —Wanganui J.C. Spring. ACCEPTANCES. September I—Dannnvirkc R.C. Steeplechase. ; September 4—New Zealand Cup. September 4 —Ashburton County R.C. Spring. September 17—Geraldine R C. Spring. September 21—Wanganui J.C. Spring. TROTTING FIXTURES. , September 9—Horowliomia T.C. Spring. , October 26 and 29—Greymouth li,C. Spring. I ACCEPTANCES. August 31—Horowhenun T.C. Spring. ' October 20 —Greymouth T.C. Spring. TURF TOPICS. Bon Revo .is one of the most fancied candidates for the A..1.C. Epsom Handicap, for which he is weighted at Bst 71b. After aii enjoyable holiday in Australia Mr M 'Mahon, the chief stipendiary steward, has returned to New Zealand, and will be present at the Marton ; meeting next Aveek. i As the result of an accident he sustained a few days ago, Andrea will not IfulJil His engagements at the Amberley ! meeting to-morrow. ! Fabrikoff and a two-year-old colt by j Menschikotf —Strange Device, both own- | ed by Mr Harvey Patterson, are booked | to leave for Sydney next week in charge. |of G. Scobie. The first-named claims aii ! engagement in the A..1.C. Derby, while litis younger companion figures in the ■Gimcrack Stakes and Breeders' Plate. I Julian is still running out at Riccar- | ton, as tlie result of the mishap he sus-'< i tained before the National meeting. ;T1 is injured leg has improved a lot, and ; when the opportunity offers he will be" ; shipped back to the North Island. Mr E. E. Clarke, the well-known Mel-. : bourne sportsman, has a trio of three-. I vear-olds by.The Welkin, which he has I named One, Two/and Three respeetive- ! ly. The ])opulai'ity of meetings held un:.der the auspices of the Amberley i Steeplechase Club is so well established: las to leave little doubt concerning the' j success of to-morrow's fixture. Good--'.sized fields of more than average merit? ;are engaged iq each of the eight events,- : including many horses that figure I prominently at "the./; recent National; ! meeting. •The convenience of visitors; ' has .been studied by the .erection of ai • new stand which will seat, close on a , thousand spectators and several other i improvements have been effected since | last the course was in use. Should rej ports concerning' The Pole?* jumping i ability be correct he is bound to play !a. prominent part in whichever of the j cross country events lie is started, and : his "stable companion, Tim Doo.lali, has | much better credentials than.the modjerate lot likely to. oppose him in the ! Hack Hurdles, Hops and 'Culross ire sure to have plenty of supporters for the Ko.wai Hack Handicap, as will : Mumura in the "Welter Handicap. I Purseform and Snowraker are not overweighted'in the Waipara Hack Handicap, in which Andrea, the top weight, will be ah absentee. For the convenience of city sportsmen a special train | will be dispatched at 9.5 a.m., picking up passengers at wayside stations. At the Addington course yesterday afternoon a large number of trotting enthusiasts gathered to witness a trial of Mr D. M'Kewen's new starting clock. The contrivance is worked by electricity to provide which a small motor is attached to the machine. Its main feature is a large clock-face, similar to that in general use at trotting tracks, the starting times being indicated by the usual system of numbers, to each of which an electric wire is attached. As the clock hand comes to each number it releases a corresponding number along the side of the track. The competitors |on each mark are expected to keep in line 'with their number as it runs along two parallel wires, till it takes them to the post when their starting bell sounds, j Theoretically the idea is a splendid one, for with the moving number to guide i them there should be no excuse either for boating the starter or losing time. Yesterday's demonstration, however, was quite unconvincing, for the horses engaged in the trial did not behave at all well, apparently getting out of control just the same as they sometimes do in a race. Nor did the machine do its part of the business satisfactorily, which may have been the result of want of experience on the part of the oper- ! ator.

Most.of the Hawke's Bay horses that competed at the National Meeting, and had to remain at Jin-carton for want of steamer accommodation, got away for the north 011 Wednesday. ,

According to a North Tsland authority there is a probability of TI. J. Mason returning to New Zealand in the near future and Mr Greenwood's team with him. The reason for his early return is said to be dissatisfaction with the treatment his horses have received from the Australian handicappers. It is also stated that Valhalla has not Veen showing very brilliant form, and would have been shipped home before now if space could have be m seen rod. If the team returns during the coming week, there would «eer-i to be every ] roitiibility of Blinder (Aialst.er — Comely) being a runner in the Wanganui Guineas. Though Peary was unable to start at the .National' Meeting, the injuries that kept him in idleness were, not of a serious nature. On Ins return homo he is to be turned out for a lengthy spoil, and then prepared for the next 'chasing season. Riccarton trainers are complaining of the hard . nature oi~ the tracks-:, due to the -''ge amoiii't of work done on ilicm, a..d the '-onti h;o;h tine weather. After a lengthy spell Lady Clare, the New Zealand' Trotting Cup winner of 1911, is to be put into work again for next November's race. Reports to hand from Am kland speak highly of the progress made by the Galindo-Thelma colt now being traiiuid by T. Richards at Kpson. lie has furnished into a splendid three-year-old, and will make his racing debut, at the Spring meetings. When the Auckland horseman, A. Julian, was injured at the New Zealand .Metropolitan Trotting Club's Meeting, he was given to understand that l;is back was only bruised, but a re-exam-iuatio'n in Auckland dis:-!t-sed the fact that the muscles were l.adly strained. I'nder the present treatment he is making a good progress towards .recovery, and expects to be in the saddle again shortly. A i'ull sister to Bell Car, recently foaled a (illy to the Australian trotting stallion .Abbey. After consultation with his trainer. Mr F. Hall has decided not to send I Merry Roe, Bleriot. and Castnlia across to Sydney for the A..1.e. Spring Meeting, and .1. Rae cabled on Monday canceTl'ing the arrangements made for their accommodation in Sydne\. Meii) Roe

was slightly sore the other morning, while doing light exercise, but her trainer does not consider her ailment is anyway serioxis. An English-bred horse in training at Randwick that is being ticked off to run well during the coming spring is Feramorz, a son of St. Frusquin and Musa. Feramorz figures in the Epsom Handicap with 7st 101b and in the. Metropolitan Handicap witli 7st 71b. The first meeting of the newly-elected Trotting Association will be held on Wednesday next. A tempting oiler was recently refused by Mr K. S. Mac-leod for his colt Woorak, who promises to start one of the favoured candidates for the A.J.C. blue ribbon." The son of Traquair is doing well at Randwick under the care of 1. Foulsham. Since the publication of handicaps for the New Zealand Cup, there has been little doing by early speculators on that event. So far Bon Reve, Expect, and Sea Pink figure as the favourite selections. While exercising at Randwick one morning last week, the Maltster colt, Vat, trained by F. Mayo, fell and broke one of his shoulders. . The ex-Melbourne jockey, F. Bullock, continues to do well in England. He won three good races in the week before the last mail left —the LingfieH Park Stakes, on the Duke of Portland's Count William; the Liiigfield Park Great Foal Stakes, on Sir A. Bailey's China Blue; and the Newmarket Dullingliain Plate on Sir A. Bailey's Son-in-Law. Bullock had up to date ridden 27 winners this season, 8. DonOghwe being en the head of the list of winning jockeys with 61 wins. TEMPLAR.