CHRISTCHURCH GRAND STEEPLECHASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3556, 3 September 1879, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH GRAND STEEPLECHASE.

As boing tho most important, both for tho prize and the quality of tho principal animals entered. The first to show upon the training ground for this event was the well-known public performer Ten Hours, who took a gentle breather over the Oddfellows' ground in Liohfield streefc. Ten Hours, though gonerally understood to bo tho property of the N.Z.8., is, however, entered under another name. He is a good-looking upstanding animal, who has run vory successfully in paßt years, hut Beems to carry too muoh fiesh for tho presont big event. He is by that exceedingly, popular sire Liberal Professions out of Shufller-rßig Contracts— Lyttelton. Ho wbb brought up in the samo stable and is closely related lo tho well-known stallion Oostermonger. On his trial spin he went along very quiotly at first, but soon brought up puffing heavily. When put to a railor ho shied off, and did hia fencing in a most unsatisfactory stjle. Afc present ho 6oeinß very shaky on his pins, but by bandaging and careful coddling his trainers are aanguino that ho can be made fit by tho day. The Agent is a fine upstanding colt, and ifc is understood, will run under tho colours of Messrs Cashei, Lyre and Co. The pedigree of this animnl is by no means good, being by Absentee; out of Land Shark— Mortgagor — Giidiron. Nevertheless he camo in first for tbo great spin in '75, and his owners are very cocky that ho can, bo got to refloat tho performance this time. At his trial over tha Gaiety course, however, he did not shape very well, and absolutely refused to eloar protection fence, whicli is generally considered a very easy jump. The ownors of this nog are generally condemned for shocking bad form, and their stablo is t.ho revorso of popular. A horso that cannot be run on tho straight ia not likely to find much favour with the sporting public, who are quite ablo to judge for themselves of a horso's qualificafcioDS. The old tricks and stale falsehoods thiß stable havo indulged in will, I think, seriously affect The Agent in fche betting on tho day. Velveteen, by Nonsense out of Vanity— Fiuance— Fiddlededce, has all the appearance of a good goer, but he libb nevor yot won an advoriised raco. He seems a quiok movor on his pins, bufc is very dofeefcivo aboufc the head. Ho appeared for a spin over tho Gaiety course, and greatly pleased his admirers with his style, takit-g all his jumps liko a flyer. My opinion is that this moke does not posßees the requisite stamina for Such a raco as this. However, as he goes forward with his training, ho may be moro fit when the event comes off, and a good many backerß of other horses will, no doubt, bo found putting their Bpare notes on Velveteen's chanco. So he may be nearer tho finish than iB now generally expected. Le Plasteheue, a wiry, rakish-looking nag, with lots of go in him, camo out for a spin over the Gtiety ground laßt Saturday, and wont along at a rate thafc asfc wished and delighted all his friends. This animal has a long sweeping btride nnd covers the ground in a Btcidy, easy-going style— quito taking. After his Saturday trial his price shortened at once, and ho is now very firm for a placo. I would advise my friends to put a pot on him. Ho is by the well-known sire Working-man out of Cemontina — Arivaucoment— Probity. He is out of tho Grey stable, aud is safe to run a good horse. Gkoegie, by Loyal Liboral out of Never Say Die— Proconsul— Wo'll Run 'Em In, is a very old horse, and has won ovory event in a canter for which he has boen cntored of lato years. Ho is i grand specimen of a thoroughbred—splendid head piece and well ribbed up. Tho backers of The Agent cay spiteful things about this animal having always run crooked, but as their stable has a bad name these stories do nofc go for muoh with the publio. A horso that always runs under the same colours and manages to score a win for evory event, cannot be very unreliable in his running, and pa9fc performances speak for Georgie. Aboufc a ye^r ago Georgia took a canter over tho O.ldfellows' Ground, and opened the oyes of the yokels of theßO parte afc the way in which he tore through space. At his preliminary spin for tho steeplechase over the eamo courso a fow nights ago, the ground was rushod by the backors of The Agent and Ten Hours, and for a moment it was thought the favourito had pulled up dead lame. It was quite a mistake, however. The old horse came again in the most plucky manner, taking all his fences splendidly. It was thought that the Kow wow fence would Btop his gallop, but he went over it with an immense bound landing amongst tho deer and goats on tho othor side to the intense amusemont of the bystanders. Whon tho cheering had subsided, it was found that Georgia had got homo in very fast timo, and had pulled up souud as a bell. Sinco bis preliminary, ho has been taking his breathers down South, but at present he haa boen running in the North. Yeßterday bo hud a walk ovor for the Thames Plate. Since his appoaranco on tho Oddfellows' Ground, the old horse has declined somowhat, the public not being ablo to judgo for themselves of his condition. Ho will bo run by the C.L.A. Btablo. Mv present lip is as follows : — Le Plasteueuk 1 Tnß Agbnt 2 Gkoboih 9 Ten Houbs 0 Velveteen 0 Will write again and let you know how thiugs are getting on. Yours trulr, MILES' BOY.