STABLE VISITS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 210, 9 October 1914, Page 5

STABLE VISITS.

NEWTON PRICE'S ESTABLISHMENT. THE HOME OF TWO CUP CANDIDATES. In the course of my ramblings I dropped in at Newton Price's trim little establishment, situated on the Epsom Road, one day last week, and found the proprietor just as busy as is his wont. There is no name more thoroughly identified with the sport of trotting in Canterbury than that of Price, as from the time of their boyhood days in Ashburton the three brothers Price—"Tom," Newton, and "Dave" —-have been .more or less in the public eye, as owners, trainers, and drivers. At the present time, Newton is the only one following his calling in this province, and right well he has sustained the family reputation. Apart from the fact of having two New Zealand Trotting Cup candidates, in Ravenschild and Lady Clare, under his charge, Newton Price has a stable full of useful horses, all of whom look like prospective winners. A DOUBLE GAITED ONE. The first to claim attention was Sweet Nut, the disappointing half-brother to those two great horses, King Cole and Betel Nut. This nuggety son of Galindo is built on entirely different lines to either of his illustrious relatives, being'of the low-set, compact order. Like both of them, he is double-gaited, and all his past efforts have been made with the straps on. Of his speed there never was the least question, but somehow he could never be induced to make the best use of it when asked to face the music. These repeated, and apparently causeless, disappointments so disgusted his mentor that Price at last decided to change Sweet Nut's gait, and in future he will figure as a straight-out trotter. With his undoubted speed and free action Galindo'sson should not fail to make good in his new sphere of usefulness. TWO SPEEDY MARES. Enjoying the afternoon sun in a wellfenced paddock were two well-known racecourse favourites, Muricata and Lady Clare. The former has evidently done a lot of work, and struck me as having lightened up on it. Even so, she looks as"hard as nails," while.her action is just as perfect as ever. Would that trotters of her calibre were more plentiful, for it is the like • of Muricata that the public dearly love to see on the race tracks. Though she has only been in work a little over a month, Lady Clare gives every promise ; of being nearly at her best by the time: the big event of the year comes round, \ Unfortunately, her understandings do not look like standing a. great deal of strain, and I am afraid her mentor will have an anxious time with her in the interim. Prince Imperial's daughter can muster up a great burst of speed, and as she lacks nothing in gameness it is only a matter of her keeping sound to go near placing a second New Zealand Trotting Cup to her credit. PROSPECTIVE WINNERS. "Here is a fellow fast enough to win races, if he could only be induced to do his best," remarked my mentor, as Frank Wilkes came under review. Evidently the strapping son of Frank Robbins is one of those that prefer companionship to distinction, for in most of his past essays he has shown any amount of pace, but has failed to go on 1 with the game at the business end. At present he looks in tip-top trim, and can hardly "hide his light under a bushel" much longer. Another of similar gait, Imperial Crown, was discovered, looking more robust than I have ever seen him in the past. In private he is capable of big things, but, being of a nervous disposition, he is easily upset when asked to do his best in a race. If, careful handling counts for anything, this is a defect that should not hamper his future efforts. " A CUP WINNER.

Running out in a small yard was Raveuschild, winner of the last New Zealand Trotting Cup, and right well the handsome son of Rothschild looked. Unfortunately, his preparation has not been of such an exhaustive nature as his mentor could have wished, for until recently Ravenschild has been troubled by a strain he contracted when racing last November. This prevented his doing much work during the autumn and winter months, and even when he raced at the National Meeting, he was far from fit. Since then he has come on wonderfully, having muscled up and improved to quite his former self. I undestand that Price will drive Ravenschild in preference to Lady Clare in next month's big contest, and it is safe to predict that last year's hero will "again be in the fighting line at the finish. A BRILLIANT FILLY. When she made her racing debut a little less than twelve months ago, very high expectations were formed of Nordiea's capabilities, for in her very first essay she took a mile and a half record of 3min 44 3-ssec. This early promise she failed to sustain, the result, no doubt, of growing so fast and being on such mark. At the time of my visit she was turned out in a small enclosure, and Price informed me that she is now to be given every opportunity to mature. When next asked to sport silk, the handsome daughter of King Cole should be quite capable of adding still further to her young sire's reputation as a speed producer. A yearling colt by Prince Imperial, from Kola Nut, gives every promise of keeping up his dam's prestige as a producer of good ones, for he is particularly well developed,- and already knows how to handle himself. Other members of Price's team that have yet to make their racing debut are a shapely filly by Hal Zoloek, from Bon-

nie Wood, and a six : year-old mare by Mambrino King, both of whom are well forward in condition. TEMPLAE.