STABLE VISITS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 188, 14 September 1914, Page 5

STABLE VISITS.

G. SCOBIE'S ESTABLISHMENT. It is just on twelve months ago that G. Scobie, private trainer to Mr Harvey Patterson, arrived in New Zealand from Australia, with four of that good • sportsman 's horsesin his charge. For practically all his life - Scobie has been connected with the thoroughbred, in its various stages" of usefulness. As a . youth he served his apprenticeship with his uncle, the well-known Flemingtott trainer, James Scobie, in whose famous establishment he had every opportunity to : the . requisite knowledge of racehorses arid their peculiarities. Under such select tuition he made rapid progress, and for many years ranked as one of Australia's most expert hoAemen, both/on the flat and over obstSßes. Subsequently, to use His own Wdrds, he felt that he was getting too old to stand the knocking .about that always falls to the lot of ft steeplechase jockey, and he decided tip relinquish riding in favour of train/iog. That His / energies- in his new Sphere have been well directed admits of no doubt. Already he has met with - Avery fair measure of success j and iriS dicationst r pp^t" >; ''to"' > <'Ms past ments being excelled with the team of Worses now under his care. Scobie's training quarters are conveniently situated on" the Epsam Road, within a : stone's thr.ow of the racecourse. They comprise >; ten roomy, . wellrvpntilated "'I bpxes,' an^/all the general accessories that go to' make up a modern racing stable, including a small paddock close handy, wherein the Worses are_ given the opportunity of taking their leisure . after the morning's tasks are . completed. PROMISING TWO-YEAR-OLDS. • ; The first member of Scobie's team to _ be stripped oa the occasion of my recent , visit was the bay two-year-old ■ colt, Kimbolton", by Menschikoff, from the Light Artillery mare Chance Shot. This juvenile is well grown, standing on a gbod set of legs, with veryppowerr r . ; ful quarters; He is-a trifle short in the back rib, but otherwise is hard to fault. .-GUven time,' he should assuredly develop " into a racehorse of more than ■ average merit. The two-year-old brown colt Deltonio, by from Mowbray's dam Lady Melton, by Bill of Portland from Litigant, is also a promising sort. He is well put together, showing plenty of size and substance,combined with racing characteristics of no mean order. He is easily the most promising of all Scobie's juveniles, and; bred the way he is, it will, be passing strange if he ' cannot v gallop with the best;" : A DERBY CANDIDATE. ' "Now," exclaimed my guide.'as he threw open of' the next box, "I will show jp% a^racehorse!/The Bubject of - Scbbie V eulogy turned out to be the three-year-old eolt Fabrikoff, 'tiJ" Son of Mengchlkofl: and. the Light Artillery mare Fajbia, ,with ~whpm. it c was intended to throw dpwn the , gauge of Jb'atfle to the pick of . the ~ Australian threp-year-olds in the A.J.C. Derby. Viewed from any standpoint, Fabrikoff . is a really handsome colt, one,\that not be out! of place in any,. field, ' be it ever so select. lie measures just 'on sixteen hands, has a 'well /proportioned body, sensible head, and good length pf rein. True, he stands over slightly at the knees, but not enough weakness or incapacity for hard work. Like the other members of Scobie's. team, Fabrikoff is bearing a healthy appearance, he evidently having wintered well. He has already shown, both in private and in public, galloping ability of no mean order, as "' -out of six: starts, last season he won the ]®dsuirimer Handicap at Auckland .and the- Hopeful Stakes at Wellington, amongst, those he defeated in the latter event being .such well-tried ones as Rencontre, Charmilla, and Bold Stroke. Should Menschikoff's handsome son go on the right' way, there seenw every prospect of his holding his own with the best of the preserit season's three-year-olds. A SMART SPRINTER. Of altogether different appearance is .Silver Shield, the six-year-old son of Menschikoff and .-"Becky Sharp, the 'latter by Tostig from Dancing Girl. Low set, and with fine galloping quarters, he favours his sire in this ref epect, '-while his legs, (Respite , the racing he has done, show little sign of wear and tear. Silver ■ commenced his career in Australia, where his attention was ehiefly directed tor hurdle racing. At this braneh, of the business he proved to be no duffer, for out of six ; starts he was second thrice, and third on two other occasions. Since coming to New Zealand, a little over twelve months ago, he has credited Mr Pattereon. #with .three successes, besides finishing third to Chudic and Expect in the .Great Easter Handicap. Silver . Shield has come through , the wintex months all right, and is at ' present looking in splendid fettle to commenct the new season's campaign. Fabrikoff's full sister, Fabriquette next came under observation. This qua! ity looking young lady is built on en tirely different lines to her big brother being moulded on an altogether smallei scale. She is a sweet filly, well put to gether, with powerful frame and z splendid set of legs. Having beei only a short while-in work, she is car rying a lot of superfluous lumber, bul when got into racing trim she is bounc to fine down into a really handsom< filly. MENSCHIKOFF JUVENILES. - Atheldarra, the occupier of the ad joining box, is a three : year-old filly bj Menschikoff. from Themia by Corintl from Marowhera by Cobbity fron Black Pearl. She is a Menschikoff al over, being of the low, compact order with good hindquarters, and plenty o: width across the back. So far, she hai not met with a great amount of sue cess, as out of seven starts as a two year-old her nearest approach to earn ing winning brackets was when sh< chased Charlotte home in the Short! Handicap at Oamaru. Since beinj taken in hand again, after her winte: V respite, Atheldana has been shaping well* on the tracks. She is a rarely bred one, and gives every promise o: -developing into a useful three-year-old Sir Malt, the.black son of Malste: and the Grafton mare Graceton, wai jgfhe next to come under review. Thii colt was raced in Australi: prior to being brought across the Tas • man Sea. Evidently the chaage of cli mate did not agree with him, and afte: several disappointments last season • i was decided to turn him out for s . six months' spell. From this he ha; just been taken in hand again, an*