RACING AND TROTTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1308, 23 April 1918, Page 8

RACING AND TROTTING.

RACING FIXTURES. April 20 and 27—Hawke's Bay J.C. Autumn. May 9—Ashburton County B.C. Autumn. May 14 and 15—Marlborough R.C. Autumn. May 2.1 and 2a—Wanganui J. C. Winter. June 1 and S—Dunedin J.C. Winter. June 1 and 3—Auckland B.C. Winter. | June 3 and 4—Otaki-Maorl R.C. Winter. NOMINATIONS. April 20—Marlborough R.C. Autumn. April 20—Wanganui J.C. Winter. April 20—Auckland R.C. Winter. May 3—Dunedin J.C. Winter. May 6—Otaki-Maorl R.C. Winter. May 10—Auckland B.C. Winter. TROTTING FIXTURES. May 4—New Brighton T.C. Autumn. May 11—Forbury Park T.C. Winter. June 3—Canterbury Park T.C. Winter. June 3—South Wairarapa T.C. Annual. NOMINATIONS. May 9—South Wairarapa T.C. Annual. May 9—South Wairarapa T.C. Annual. May 15—Canterbury Park T.C. Winter. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "J.W.T.," Chrlstclmrch.—No good purpose would be served by publishing your letter at the present time. TURF TOPICS. A good number nf horses were given fast work at Rlccarton this morning, all of which was accomplished on the plough. The. tracks were in nice order. Charley and Comely were on terms at the end of Ave furlongs run in fair time. Battle live wound up his task well in getting to the end of a niile. Kimboltou and General Pctain joined in over the last six furlongs, and the trio finished together. Gay Lad was given a useful gallop over seven furlongs, finishing in bold style and in fair time. Adjutant cantered once round, and then sprinted six furlongs, finishing up his task in good style. His stable companion, Gamecock, was given useful work. Daytime was finishing better than Matty in a spurt over three furlongs, which he left behind in good time. Biplane was ou> doing trotting and cantering exercise round the centre of the course. Kilhoy Is still being given useful tasks, and the son of Kilbroney has improved a lot since returning to Rlccarton. There was not much between Tremena and Braid at the end of four furlongs run in smart time. R. Lougley's jumpers will be given a trial over the fences to-morrow morning, in the presence of their owners. It is not yet decided whether they will negotiate the hurdles or steeplechase fences. Art is going to have a race on the flat before starting his jumping campaign, and will probably be seen out at the Ashburton Meeting. Heathercole is to be turned out for the winter months. Bore gave his usual brilliant display of jumping when covering two rounds over the steeplechase fences this morning. Weather permitting, the grass track at New Brighton will be opened for fast work on Saturday and Tuesday next. The only meeting to engage the attention of racegoers this week will be that of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club on Friday and Saturday next. Its chief attractions will be the Hawke's Bay Cup on Friday, and the Hawke's Bay Stakes on Saturday. The American-bred Mohawk, in W. McDonald's stable, is at present on the easy ; list. He will be taken up again in time to contest some of the big sprint events j next spring, and is already being mention- ; ed in connection with the C.J.C. Stewards' ; Handicap. Though there has been a substantial ' weeding-out in the lists for the Hawke's j Bay Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, the | fields are of sufficient dimensions to ensure high class racing. Twenty stand their ' ground in the Hawke's Bay Cup, with Client | in the position of top-weight. The Yald-hurst-tralned Wishful remains in, but he will have to show vast improvement on his Manawutu form to have much chance. There are several promising sorts amongst the light-weights, including Bagdad, whose Biccarton form entitles him to every respect. The Southland trainer, G. McLean, is persevering with Glensponse and Gunrest, i who are being trained with a view to racj ing at the Dunedin Jockey Club's Winter i Meeting in June. A cable message from Sydney states that I Mr Adrian Knox, chairman of the Au.stralj inn Jockey Club, has temporarily retired ! from racing. His withdrawal is for the j period of the war. Margerine has finished her racing for this season, and is turned out till next spring. It is stated that Mr T. H. Ixiwry purchased the stallion Finland in the hope that he would sire another horse equal to Bobrikofl". The Bill of Portland horse lias not ! done so yet, but he ha.s produced Estlaiui and Finmark, and there is no saying how i the latter will yet turn out. Finmark, who ' stands to-day as the best two-year-old in New Zealand, is a well-bred colt, as his , dam, Wurscare, was by Martian—Gossip,

by Wallace—Caroline. Gossip is a halfsister to Bobrikoff.

At the recent Royal Agricultural Show in Sydney, Emu Plains cleared 7ft lin in the high jumping competition, making a record for the Sydney Show Ground, the previous best being Landlock's 7ft. A feature of the leaping competitions at the show was the performances of the 13.2 pony Black Jack, the property of Colleano's Circus. In two competitions he cleared 6ft fiin, and in two others Oft 3in, also Oft lin twice. The little fellow has even better performances to his credit at New South Wales country shows, viz.. Oft Giin, Oft 9in, and Git 9Jln. Black Jack must rank close to a world's pony champion. Harold Dillon was decidedly sore as the result of his Auckland exertions, and is to be given a lengthy spell. Of all the horses seen out at the recent Auckland trotting meetings, none raced more consistently than Harold Junior. At Alexandra Park lie finished third in the Campbell Handicap, and third in the Cornwall Handicap, while a week later he acted as runner-up to Sympathy in the Otahuhu Cup. Other members of trainer A. Brown's team, Shanghai and Quadroon, also earned place-money, but, like Harold Junior, failed to catch the judge's eye. Brown intends bringing his trio south for the Forbury Park Trotting Club's Meeting next month. Alter a lengthy absence from the tracks the veteran pacer Bell Metal ha.s been recommissioned. He will probably he seen out in one of the short distance events ut the New Brighton Meeting. There are four well-assorted trotting events on the programme of the Marlborough Baelng Club's Autumn Meeting that should appeal to Canterbury owners. Each of them is endowed to the extent of half a century, and the limits are well suited to second-rate pacers and trotters. Entries fall due on April 20. Handicaps for the Forbury Park Trotting Club's Meeting will be declared to-morrow morning. Quite a number of Uie horses engaged at the southern fixture will be seen out at New Brighton, so there are likely to be some readjustments. The New Brighton trained Mykot showed a rare turn of speed In the early stages of the April Handicap at Otahuhu on Saturday. At one stage of the journey he and Ruar.ui were half a furlong clear of their field, but in the run home the two-year-old tired so badly that Buanui easily had his measure.

Most of the Canterbury trainers who took teams to the Auckland and Otahuhu Meetings arc due back tomorrow. Mr ('.. L. Stead returned home after the Manawatu Meeting, but intends leaving for the north again on Thursday, to see his horses race at Hastings. On the conclusion of the Manawatu Meeting, trainer F. Davis took Mr dowry's horses back to Napier from Woodville. Some of them will be seen out at the Hawkc's Bay Meeting on Friday and Saturday. The meeting of Flnmark and Hymcstra in the Hawke's Bay Stakes on Saturday next is being looked forward to with n lot of interest. That the former Is a really first-class two-year-old admits of no doubt, but in measuring strides with the brilliant Hymestra over six furlongs he will be thoroughly tried out. Both colts will have to put up the maximum penalty of 111b. At Masterton last week the Hymettus— Drcadable Ally got into a wire fence and cut herself badly. She will be on the easy list for some time to come.

On her return home after the Manawatu Meeting, Desert Gold went iiiTTT winter retirement at her trainer's establishment, Parapipl. The mare will have an easy time of it for n while, ami will then be. prepared for another Australian trip, it being Mr I>owry's intention, provided everything is satisfactory, to scud a team across the water in the spring. M. I). O'Shea, the Auckland lightweight apprentice, who broke his'leg before the Manawatu Meeting, is making satisfactory progress towards recovery in the Palmerston North Hospital. The break is a clean one, just above the ankle. The imported horse Cynic is evidently to be given a chance to earn distinction as a jumper. According to a Gisbome writer, he was tried over a couple of obstacles recently with Fagot as a schoolmaster, when he jumped like a veteran at the game. The jumper St. Elmn has been in G. Jones's stable in Hawke's Bay for some time. He was to have gone to Australia after the Grand National Meeting last August, but the strike in the Commonwealth caused the trip to be cancelled. It is probable, however, that the St. Ambrose gelding will be sent across this winter or early in the spring.

Commenting on the scratching of Biplane, a writer in the Feilding "Star" satirically remarks—"it was Palmerston that got the news. At first it was not believed. The people simply refused to believe it. Then, when it was beyond doubt true, frozen consternation seized the people. Only the most hardy constitutions were able to recover under the blow. These expressed themselves so deeply that the soutid of their voices seemed to come through their boots. The 'Times' thundered. Something must be done. The news spread like wildlire. From all parts of the Dominion came reports of the staggering effect of the blow. Premier Massey was prostrated. Sir Joseph Ward was so completely overcome that he had not strength sufficient to close the loan, liven overseas the effect was felt. Premier Hughes is reported to have bounced right over to America. Charlie Chaplin, who

was In New York being measured for u , pair of boots, was so affected that lie linnie- ' diately enlisted. On being informed at. Washington, President Wilson undertook to' once more speed up the American prepara- i tions for war." DEATH OFT TRAINER. Pre it AiixociaHon. DUNKDIN. April 23. j George I.i'.timore, a well-known horse , trainer, received Injuries at Balclutha yes- [ terdoy afternoon, which proved fatal. The accident was not witnessed, but l-attimore | was exercising two horses, and It is believ-l ed that he was pulled out or the saddle by the horse he was leading.