SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11504, 28 September 1915, Page 5

SPORTING.

RACING AND TROTTING.

NOTES BY "ARGUS."

1 FIXTURES.

iiaiunwi September 80—Kurovr Jockey Club. Septambtr SO—Horowh«aua Racing Clul». The result of the Wanganui Guineas waw pretty generally anticipated hero, where Nones and Battle Eve, who Idled the leading positions, are best known. They were both smart gallopers as two-year-olds. Thoy met first in the Dunedin Stakes, which Nones ■won, Battle Eve lveing unplaced, but in the "Welodme Stakes Nones was out of h place, Battle Eve winniug from Desert Gold and Spangle. Nones did not run again till January, when sho was second in two races at the Wellington pup meeting. Returning to Riccarton, she was second to Adjutant in the Middle Park Plate, while later in the season she was second to Flying Start in the Canterbury Champagne Stakes, and second to Desert Gold iu the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes. Battle Eve was also in the Champagne Stakes, in winch he finished a length behind Nones, after being one of the early pacemakers. Nones thus_ showed herself to be a good and consistent fiUy, the only race in which she was unplaced being the Welcome Stakefi, Prior to leaving for Wanganui, she was responsible for some brilliant sprinting performance® on tho training tracks at Riccarton, where she has a great reputation as a galloper. Whether she will stay out a mile and a half well remains to be seen. The popular impression is that speed is her best card, but at present it is difficult to pick out any three-year-old with better Derby credentials. Battle Eve, whose form reads as well as that of anything else in the threo-year-old division, has also to he taken on trust, so far as staying is concerned, all he has done c»o far pointing to brilliancy rather than stamina. Each of them, however, is bred on staying lines. They were both sired by Martian, a proved stayer, bred on staying lines. Lovelorn, the dam of Nones, is by Melton—Hebrew Maid (dam of Thraac), by Orion—Jewish Maiden, by-Sheen—Maid ot" Lorn, by Barcaldine, while To-morrow, the dam of Battle Eve, is by Bill of Portland— Elusive, by Trenton—Eleusis, by Barcaldine. So far as breeding is concerned, there is no reason wdiy Nones and Battle Evo should not both stay. Of the lot they beat in the Wanganui Guineas, Marco Bello may turn out best. I expect the Riccarton pair will meet again in the Dunedin Guineas .next week, when the presence of Wishful, Snub aoad Redshire should assist ■ further to a solution of the three-year-old problem. Mr Greenwood also has { Xanthos engaged, but on track form | lie can hare little chance with Nones. Sir George Clifford may also have a fresh oanaidate, as Adjutant and Fly- j ing Start figure in tha list, but with Flying Start gone in the wind, Battle j Eve looks the best of the Chokebore candidates. j Only the plough and tan tracks were i open at Riccarton this morning. The plough, which is gradually fining down, j had been watered over night, and it, was a trifle heavy, while the tan was pretty fast. After breakfast a shower of rain fell, but it did not last long, scarcely sufficing to lay the dust. Flying Start and Adjutant covered a mile an the plough this morning in lmin 51 2-ssec, Adjutant going rather better than usual. They were followed at a short interval by Wisebird, who ran a similar journey in lmin 48 4-5 sec Down, with Dan Cameron to assist him over the last six furlongs, ran a mile in lmin 4Ssec, going well all through. The two-year-old filly Disdainful was responsible for m attractive gallop this morning. She covered "half a mile on the tan in 49 1-osec, being under a strong pull at the finish. Her stable companion, Wardanoer, subsequently registered 52sec, without being hurried. Warstep and Snub ran six furlongs comfortably on the "plough in lmin 19sec, moving freely all the way and finishing well. Slogan galloped a mil© by himself in lmin 52 2-sseo, but he was tiring badly at tho finish. Countess Tolstoi, with an advantage in the weights., was too good for Gowanbrae at the end of seven furlongs, which occupied lmin 3osec. | Mr N. Grigg was a visitor to the track after breakfast this morning, when W. M'Donald sent First Glance for a strong gallop over a. mile, a Calibre gelding joiuing in over the i last six furlongs, which occupied lmin j 16 3-sss©c. j Glenyar is now an inmate of L. Hagerty's stable. B. J. Mason, with Nones. Xanthos' and Bimeter and H. Cutts, with Battle Eve, Harlequin and Snapdragon, arrived home from Wanganui this morning. j Mr H. Thompson has been appointed starter for the Wyndham Racing! Club's meeting on New Year's Day. In the list of nominations for the patriotic trotting carnival Frandocia was omitted from the King George Handicap and Prince Toronto from the Australian Handicap. Messrs Manning and Co. (through Mr B. P. Edwards) have given a donation of £lO 10s to the carnival, while Mr H. W. j C'andv has presented an <*osign, to be »old for the benefit of the funds. Three New Zealand Cup were among the starters for the Flying Handicap at Otaki yesterday. Goldstream gave the best showing by finishing second, while Pavlova -and Sinapis were unplaced. As the distance was only six furlongs, the result need not be taken seriously as a guide to the New Zealand Cup, but the fact that Medallist was in third place does not make the form look impressive. Tho winner. Chakwana, a f{vur-year-old by Hierarch—Peace, was a very useful sprinter last season, and she irtav have to be seriously reckoned with this season in important short distance events, as sho possesses a great turn of .speed for a few furlongs. Tho Teonc Makitonoro Memorial Stakes, the principal event at tlio. Otaki Maori meeting yesterday, attracted a field of ten, but they did not include any performers of good class. r lhc winner, Master Moutoa, is a five-vear-old by Sarto—Branta, by Apremont— Goosander, by NordrtjfeMt—Albatross. The Albatross family luts been very much in evidence during The last few fi&ys, two other member??. Expect and Depredation, being winners on the second day of the "Wanganui meeting. Gosling, the dam of Depredation, is n half-sister to Branta, the dam of Master Mout-on, Limpet, who won the Maiden Plate ; at the Otaki Maori meeting yesterday,' is a three-year-old filly by \ areo—Savanna., by Stepniak—Soashell, by Chainlet—Nautilus. was at one time owned bv Mr •>. B. Reid, but she was purchased by Mr 11. Acton-Adams for 150 gui neas, when carrying Limpet, at the clearing sale of the Elderslie Stud in January, 1912. Tango, who dislodged her rider be- j lore the start of the Maiden Plate at

Otaki yesterday and took no nart in the race, is a tlirce-year-old filly by Vasco—Stepka, by St Leper—Stepfeldt. Sho is thus a half-Bister to Pavlova, and she races in tho same interest. * Arlington, the winner of the Welter Hack Handicap at Otaki yesterday, was successful in tho same event la-sfc year. Bonny Helen's performance in winning tho Higgie Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday appears to have been something in tho nature of a surprise, but it was no more than might have boon expected from a raave with such good form to her credit in the past. As a three-year-old Bonny Helen won the Wanganui Guineas. Then .she came to Riccarton, where she beat Warstep by a neck in tho Oaks. It was considered a lucky win, and Warstep turned tho tables in tho Stead Memorial Gold Cup, in which Bonny Helen was third, the pair being divided by Merry Roe. In tho autumn Merry Roe again beat the Boniform filly iu the Groat Northern Oaks. Last Reason Bonny Helen only started five times, but there was a deal of merit about her win in tho Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton, She has been talked about in connection with the New Zealand Cup, but tho fact of her owner deliberately incurring a 51b penalty makes it looka as if Sunbird, who in tho same interest, was more likely to bo tho Cup candidate. Even with Bst> 101b, however, Bonny Helen would bo entitled to consideration if sent south for the twomile race, as she has shown that she can get to the end of a mile and a; half, which is as far as she has been tried.

The success scored by Expect in the Marangai Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday would be very acceptable to tho connections ot tho Highden stable. A vear ago Expect was at a short price for the New Zealand Cup and at that period he was considered by many p3ople to be one of tho best horses in training in the Dominion. Soon after reaching Riccarton, however, lie met with a mishap, and had to forfeit his engagements. It was not very serious, but his trainer, G. Price, thought too much of the Advance horse to take any risks, and ho was given a spell. When he resumed work his legs were all right, but trouble hod developed in another direction, as ho proved to bo touched in the wind. He makes a good deal of noise now, but when I saw him during a recent visit to Awapuni he was working' along well on tho tracks, and Price was sanguine that the horse would win races, possibly up to a mile. His performance at Wanganui on Saturday must be considered highly satisfactory, as he is not nearly at his best yet, and later in the season he should win lots ot good races.

The Wellington sportsman who hides his identity under the name of Mr Loring appears to have got hold of a very useful three-year-old in Seadown, by Downshire —Sequin. He won a race each day of the Wanganui meeting last week, and judging from what can bo heard of him he will be seen to advantage in more ambitious races before long. Sequin, the dam of Seadown, is by Cuirassier—-Radiant, au Australian mare bv Robinson Crusoe—Radiance, by Fireworks. Radiant only produced five foals in addition to Sequin, but they included Handsome Jack, a useful sire, also Dazzle, the dam of California and' Goldfmder, so that the line has been pretty successful. Sequin, who left another decent performer in the shape of Sea Queen, is now owned by the North Canterbury sportsman,. Mr G. B. Starky. She was mated last season with Danube.

The recently imported American stallion Logan Pointer is being well patronised *by breeders, and is certain to have a big season. Amongst recent bookings to the horse are Lady Derby, Verity, Gianella, Milda and Thelma, besides the dams of Wallace Junior and Edith A.

Ever since the patriotic carnival was first mooted, the members of the Canterbury Owners' and Breeders' Association have confidently expressed the unanimous opinion that the meeting would prove a brilliant success from every point of view. It is primarily designed, of course, with the object of raising money for patriotic purposes, but trotting horse owners and trainers are evidently determined to also make it a great success as a sporting fixture. Nominations closed on Saturday, and the list is. easily the best ever secured for a one-day meeting in New Zealand. Not alone are the numbers big, but the quality is exceptional, nearly every high-class performer in Canterbury being engaged. The chief event of the day, the New Zealand Cup Trial Handicap, has attracted fifteen horses, tho only notable absentee being last year's Cup winner, Win Soon. I am looking forward to this race, as T am prepared to find it turn out one of the finest contests evor provided by the champion performers. All tho other races are likely to be equally successful, the fields being made up of the best class horses in training. The absence of valuable monetary considerations will in no way limit the anxiety of owners and trainers to win. With many of the races decided over odd distances and no official times taken, there wiil be every inducement to maku everyone anxious for a share of the trophies to be won. The meeting will be a novelty in some respects, and the absence of betting facilities will in no way restrict the opportunities for enjoyment. ATHEXIC. By Tale<jta.pJi.—Pre?* Association. —Copyright SYDNEY, '27. Athenie lifts been scratched for tin ivpeom Handicap.