ROUND THE STABLES

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1164, 3 November 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

ROUND THE STABLES

Though it is only some five years agr> since James Bryce arrived in j the Dominion "frae Clasgie," in that: snort space of time he has worked his way right into the forefront of light harness mentors. Truly, his career has been of the meteoric j order. Though he held a high place amongst reinsmen in the Old Coun : try, his fame had not preceded him to these shores. So it was that till sheer weight of ability told its tale! Bryce had an uphill fight to weari down the prejudice that first attend-! Ed his efforts. With commendable! enterprise, he brought two horses (Our Aggie and Jenny Lind) out with him to make a start on, and their j track deeds can be set down as the foundation of his subsequent success.! After several changes of quarters,' Bryce eventually settled down at j Oakhampton Lodge, and a better, appointed or more convenient pro-j perty for its purpose could not bei found in Australasia. Situated ' within easy distance of all the local | tracks, it yet has the desired amount j of privacy necessary to the well-j being of a successful training stable. On the property is a well graded sixj furlong dirt track, which for speed will compare favourably with any in j the Dominion, and a grass one for; wet weather work is now under con-j struction. That Oakhampton is up-to-date in every respect finds evi-j dence on all sides. The latest addition to its conveniences is a concrete swimming pool, in which the horses' are given a greatly-relished swim on the completion of their morning's tasks. The stables are roomy, and attached to several of the boxes are small exercise yards, in which the horses in their idle hours can enjoy the sunshine or wander round at leisure. The Cup Trio. There are two starters in the New Zealand Trotting Cup that, if extreme confidence on the part of their mentors counts for anything, are sure to be in the lighting line at the finish. One of these, in Author Dillon, 1 referred to la.sl week. The other is Cathedral Chimes, who was the first of the big Oakhamplon learn to come under inspection. Though not a big one in Hie mailer of inches, he is big in every other respect. His powerful shoulders, massive neck, and muscular quarters are almost too well developed to suggest extreme speed, and in this respect he presents a great contrast to the almost thoroughbred lines of Author Dillon. Yet Cathedral Chimes has already shown his ability both to speed-up and slay with the best in the Dominion. At present he is just a ball of muscle, chock full of vitality and

health. As the result ol a very solid 1 preparation, he is a better horse now \ j than was the case twelve months ago, j when he scored one of the easiest < j wins in the Trotting Cup ever wit- j i nessed in that event. The task in i I front of Bryce's representative is a i :inuch harder one this year, and with ' iso many speedy horses in front of l I him it may be made even harder by : I the luck of the race. Even so, | should he be within striking distance lof the front division when heads are i I turned for home, they will have to hurry to keep out of his way. A Former Winner. I Win Soon, like Cathedral Chimes, ! j already has a victory to her credit •' jin the big event of the year. Since : her easy win of three seasons ago, ' the Southland-owned mare has been ! ; to the stud, and that may have sap- ; ped some of her vitality. Just at ' ; present she is not looking quite at ' her best, though her trainer avers ' she is just as good as ever. That j' 'may prove to be the case, but if so, I j appearances are deceptive. The 1 sneedy daughter of King Child h;ts ] | the run of a small yard to herself, and is seldom stabled. This treat- ; jment appears to agree with her, for she is a rather delicately-constitu- ; ! lioned mare. She will he driven ' in Ihe big event by Free Holmes, I i who has hdd the reins over her in I : several of her work-outs, "Wee Sodie." There is no gainer or belter pacer | of her inches in all Australasia than ' •the next subject of inspection—"Wee Sotlic." Her only deficiency is in : the mailer of height, for, judged • from every other standard, she would measure just as well as most of her ■ Cup contemporaries. When tried out with Cathedral Chimes and Win i I Soon at Addington a little over a forl- , night ago, and again on Wednes- ' i day last, the diminutive daughter of Harold Dillon did not finish any • jtoo well. Thai this was not her ' i true form admits of no doubt, for iiher mentor avers that there are few ; more genuine slayers in his stable. ' | No doubt at the time she was short II of a few fast goes, and judging by

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her present appearance I should say that deficiency has been well seen to in the interim. Only last February Soda got to the end of two miles in a race at Addington so comfortably in 4min 3osec, as to suggest her having more than outside prospects in next week's race. That her mentor entertains a very-Jhigh opinion of her ability is no secret. In discussing her Cup prospects, he informed me that he would just as soon be driving the little mare as Cathedral Chimes, bul of that I "hae ma doots." Speed and Stamina. That greatly improved trotter Lord Hoanchild affords an excellent sample of Bryce's methods in getting supposed non-stayers to win twomile races. Till going into his present quarters the Hoanchild gelding generally threw up the sponge at the end of a mile and a-half, but in all his races last season he was going on at the right end. Though he has not done a great deal of work since last autumn, the chestnut trotter looks in very fair order for the campaign immediately in front of him. Sherwood was discovered looking in Ihe very best of health, and ready lo race when wanted. More than an average share of bad luck attended this gelding's efforts last season, bul those who witnessed his effort in the National Cup after getting left at the post are not likely to pass it over next time he sports silk. Let us hope also that better fortune will attend Sherwood's future efforts, for one of his owners, Mr W. I). Lemon, bul recently made the supreme sacrifice in France. A Daughter of Harold Dillon. Few horses in Bryce's stable made such vast improvement last season as did Cora Dillon. Twelve months ago she won her first race at the Oamaru Meeting, and shortly afterwards joined the Oakhampton team. Within a few months she had taken a record of 4min 3!) 2-fisec, and did even better time in some of her placed performances. During Ihe winter months Harold Dillon's speedy daughter has filled out a lot, and at present looks in better racing

trim than at any previous part of her career. > Childsdale was found to be in rare buckle, having just recently come out of the swimming pool. Unfortunately he is none too sound, and is always a source of more or less trouble to his trainer. It is only a question of his being thoroughly tuned up to win a big two mile event, for he has speed to burn, and plenty of stamina. An Australian Trio. Three Australian-bred geldings in Playboy, Karvvie, and Beckom have lately been taken in hand again after being off the tracks for some time. Playboy broke down when racing at Canterbury Park last January, and was subsequently fired. Whether he will ever stand much hard work is problematical, for his forelegs still bear a suspicious appearance. It is only a question of getting him right to score, for he has a torrent of pace. Karyvie is another who has occasioned his mentor a good deal of anxiety, and, like Beckom, has yet to make good the reputation he brought with him from Australia. Neither has done a great deal of work, and they can hardly be at their best for next week's engagements. The Lesser Lights.

Guy Wilkes, the speedy sou of Marvin Wilkes, has evidently been kept right up to the collar since last August, and will lack nothing on the score of condition when next asked to sport silk. A casual glance at Jolly Girl, Joan of Arc, Zara and Bluewood sufficed to show that they were all in the best of health. Chid had evidently been having a rather easy time since racing at the August meeting. There is not much of the Australian-bred colt, but he lias filled out considerably since accounting for the Great Northern Trotling Derby. One of the nicest sillies at present under Bryce's charge is Queen Chimes, the three-year-old daughter of Coldstream Bells. She shows a lot of quality, and. though unlucky in both her attempts this season, can hardly fail to make good before the season is much further advanced. Track Records. ("halting with Bryce on my way back to town, I was informed that twelve months ago, just prior to the Cup meeting, he had driven four horses —Admiral Wood, Cathedra! Chimes, Prince Berlin and Mintsou —miles on his track in better than 2min Klsec. He is not a great believe!' in lengthy work-outs, and none of his three Cup horses have so far been tried out at more than a mile and a-half. Altogether he lias eleven assistants, all of whom like himself, are kept going from daylight to dark.