THE STAR'S TRAINING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5733, 28 November 1896, Page 4

THE STAR'S TRAINING NOTES.

- — -»■ . THE CHEISTCHUECH STAKES. THE HOESES AND THEIR WOEK. Operations have been unusually busy oil the Christchurch and suburban training 1 tracks. The number oi* spectators.of the various gallops has been increasing, and the hangers-on and touts belonging to the Nash Null and Koldwarter establishments liave been more than usually persistent in denouncing the chances o£ candidates other than their own. Scientist has been going like a cup winner throughout, and is in fine fettle. He inherits all the lasting qualities of the Honesty strain, combined with the brilliance derived from the speedy Orator stock. By good judges he is thought. to be a certainty. The Skipper is also going very well, and his chance begins to look extremely rosy. The puppies, who, it will be remembered, caused bo much annoyance to the onlookers during his first gallop, have evidently been soundly rated, and warned off the course. With the freedom of action that always marks the Seafoam breed, The Skipper gives undoubted evidence of his Pluck blood. The confidence of the public has been freely and openly extended to both, these horses. Halswell Charlie, His Worship and Jeshurun havo been working together, greatly to the detriment of the former. The pace set by His Worship and Jeshurun. has been so uncommonly slow that Halswell Charlie has never been able to warm his somewhat sluggish Heritage blood. All the Heritage breed, though stayers, are extremely lazy, and only the worst of judgment could have put three such ill-matched animals together. The Obstinacy strain is strongly marked in His Worship, while the too common Impudence breed cannot be mistaken in Jeshurun. Though Halswell Charlie will run well forward, the Nash Null stable is losing support every day through tho venomous letters of its touts. Tommy looks very unwell,, and no ;*■>• could just now pick out the Conceit bio -«-;. in his style of going, which has become very dead. Possibly a visit or two iron his old rider, who is at present in tow;; will put move spirit into him. The Backbiter qualities inherited from the old Traducer breed have been strikingly dormant in Tommy lately, but with less wcvk and an extra peck of oata he will doubles : again exhibit some* of his well-kiKv-v qualities. Text-book is looking very bright in 7 coat, doubtless owing to the nourish;-** ::• stout-gruel he received on his recent jvicV to Wellington. Though a known performer aiid a handsome horse, the Shuffler blood is too much in evidence to please the cognoscenti, and the Canvasser strain h^s been so overdone in Christchurch of late years that only his trainers and owners will trust Textbook to carry their bit of stuff. It is true that good horses run in all styles, but Text-book haa too many-varieties of form for his present company. The ripple of interest taken inJJumpty on his first appearance has now entirely subsided, and the old horse wiH.ruu his last race without support from any stable. Gwyllym is improving his form rapidly, and training on into condition all the time. The Ability stock always improve with, work, and Gwyllym is no exception. He is a fine straight-goer, and may always be depended upon to answer a question when asked. "L " shapes like a goer, but shows too much of the shifty Prohibition blood to be depended on in a serious struggle. If he were sent away to some other stable, where the discipline is severe, but fair,, he would probably turn out a good horse. Gauiebird's chance can only be compared to that of the historical " Buckley," whose misfortune it was to go through life without a chance. He is a useful little horse enough, but can neither carry the weight, nor go the pace in his present company. Still the Maori-hen strain is not a bad one, and he may yet win something as a Selling-Plater at some remote country meeting. Rumour lias it that th© use of ths Koldwarter track at Sydenham has been refused to Scientist and The Skipper. However, they have both proved themselves stayers, and their open, air gallops at Sydenham will, doubtless, prove an eyeopener to their churlish detractors. Of course no betting will be allowed on the course, but the latest outside -quotations are as under : — Scientist, 2 tol on (no takers) The Skipper, even money (token andoff) Halswell Charlie, even money (taken -and off) Gwyllyin, 3 tol against (tokenand off) Tommy, 4to 1 against (taken and oil) Text Book, 5 to 1 against (taken.i_ad.o-_) "L.," 12 tol against (taken andoff). SO to 1 can be got against His Worship, 75 to 1 Jeshurun, 500 to 1 Buinpty.And 600 to 1 Gamebird, but there are no investors.