SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12063, 18 July 1917, Page 6

SPORTING GOSSIP.

RAGING AND TROTTING. (By "ARGUS.") FIXTURES. August 15, 17—Metropolitan Trotting Club, August 16, 18—Canterbury Jockey Club. NOMINATIONS. July 18—Metropolitan Trotting Club. August 3—Canterbury Jockey Club. HANDICAPS. July 20—Canterbury Jockey Club. July 23—Metropolitan Trotting Club. August B—Canterbury Jockey Club. ACCEPTANCES. August 3—Canterbury Jockey Club. August B—Metropolitan Trotting Club. August 13—Canterbury Jockey Club.

Nominations for the August meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club will close to-night, ;it eight o'clock.

R. J. Munro's pacing mare Louie Drift, has recently been put into work again, and her owner is now trying her at the trotting gait. As a pacer Louie Drift showed <i good turn of speed over short, courses, but. she was a. palpable non-stayer. So far the mare is working well at the trot.

Since being again put in work Michael Galindo is getting through a. preparation in better style than formerly. He docs not pull up a.t all sore and looks as though he has now completely recovered from the accident that threatened to end his racing career.

The American pacing mare Queen Patch is in foal to Logan Painter, and the trotter Madam Shaw, who eame -to the Dominion at flip same time, has been thrown out of work. The frotter Mystic is still running in the paddock.

The pacer Pax is now an inmate of F. Holmes's stable. Tho big pn.ee r trained off a. good deal towards the end of the season, and did not race, as well as in some of his earlier efforts.

The pacer Law Chimes is not doing much track work at present, but, will probably be raced next month at Addington in the mile races.

The Southland stallion Four Chimes is due to arrive here r\\ the end of the month, to do stud duties. The horse will be located at Mr R. J. Munro's stable, adjoining the Addington saleyards.

Up till the present winter the New Brighton Trottintr Club's training track has always been the best one in the district for winter work. There are a good many horses now trained there, and the track this winter has been far from its best, there being several occasions recently when it lias been too wet for anything like fast work to be (lone on it. Some of the trainers who are regular attendants at the course state that the centre of the training track has, through constant use, become lower than the inside portion, and this allows tho water to lie on the track too long, in addition to which the soil that has been put on holds the moisture a good deal more than formerly. The track appears as though it would be greatly improved if it were rcgraded.

Mr IT. Ellaway has sold his pacer Chaos to a patron of B. Jarden's stable, and the horse will race in his newowner's interest at Addington next month. Chaos is a five-year-old gelding by Galindo—Lady Linton, and was bred by his late owner. Fie has done very little racing, as he only started three times as a four-year-old, finishing second to Captain Stanley in the mile and a half event at the Waimate Racing Club's meeting on March 16. This .season ho has started four times, winning the West-port Trotting Cup of two miles on Boxing Day, and finishing third to Theseus and Sceptre in the Greymouth Trotting Cup a week later. Last April he won the Adams Memorial Handicap, of a mile and a half, at the Auckland Trotting Club's autumn meeting, and finished out of a place in n mile and a half race at the Easter meeting at Addington.

Snub has made a good recovery from the slight mishap that befell him last week, and he was given easy pacing yesterday, without showing any signs of soreness.

The two-year-okl filly Carol Singer, by Bozonian —Sweet Angelus, has been taken in hand again by R. Kmerson. after enjoying a spf'H for a few months.

Glentnnner, the tbrec-ycar-old gelding by Bonny Glen—Martine, had the misfortune to get tangled in a wire fence this week, and sustained rather serious injuries to one of his forelegs. He has been running out for some time, but it was intended to put him into work again shortly.

Tho stallion Snrto, by St Simon— Miss Mildred, has boon purchased by a brooder who has a small stud in the North island. Sarto was lor some years quartered at the Warrington Stud, in Otago. whore, he sired a number of useful horses, many of whom have shown considerable aptitude for jumping.

The delegates to tho Racing Conference decided to empower the executive to purge the list of registered colours, by striking out those which have not been used during the past two years.

The Dates Committee of the Racing Conference has placed on record its high appreciation of tho able, impartial and attentive services rendered by Mr Hugo Friedlandor as chairman of the committee during the past fourteen years. Mr AV. K. Bidwill is now chairman of the committee. Mr Friedlandor being no longer a delegate io the conference.

It is pretty certain that V. If. Collolo will bring Braoburn to Rieearton for the Grand National Steeplechase next month. When the conditions suit, bo is in the front rank as a crosscountry performer, hut he is acquiring an unenviable reputation, his jumping being far from perfect at times.

The Auckland hurdler Marconi is booked to visit Rieearton for the Grand National meeting. -Last year, after winning at Trontham, Marconi raced moderately at Rieearton. and his prospects do not look bright at present, as be has shown poor form throughout this winter, save at Gisborne meeting Jast month.

The Trenthnm trainer, J. W. Lowe, will probably have Johnny "Walkpr and Coalition to represent him at Rieparton next, month. Johnny Walker is n mueh discussed candidate for ihe "Winter Cii)>, whilst Coalition is likely to be raced in hack steeplechase events.

J. H. Pressor may bring a team of half a dozen horses to Riecarton for the Grand National meeting next month.

Silver Monarch, who caliins an engagement in the Grand National Steeplechase, went amiss during the recent meeting at Trent-ham. and it is unlikely that he will make the trip to Riecarton.

Though Sir Fisher tailed at Trenfham, he is a fine cut of a jumper and lie is one of the most talked about candidates for the Grand National Hurdle Handicap.

The health of the Hon J. T). Ormond was not good enough last week to permit'his attendance at the Trentham meeting, where Marker and Centre carried his colours successfully.

The English-bred stallion Polydaniou arrived iu Auckland last week, looking

in excellent condition. The newcomer is bred on the most approved lines, being by the Cyllene horse Polymelus, who is'the champion sire of England and whose half-brother, Grafton, did so well at the. stud in Australia. Polydamon's dam. Dainia. is by Diamond Jubilee (son of St Simon) from Amphitheatre, by Amphion (son of Speculum or Roscbory) from Reservation, by Wisdom. Like his sire (Polymelus) and grandsiro (Cyllene), Polydamon is a rich chestnut, and is a horse of thoroughly masculine appearance, standing fullv .sixteen hands.

The Auckland jumper Te Onga is reported as pretty certain to visit Riccarton next mouth, provided the weights suit.

Tn view of the fact that the Auckland Pacing Club has cut out its spring meeting this year, under the scheme of reduced dates, the Avondale Jockey Club will hold its spring fixture on November 3 and 7, instead of in September, as in tiic past.

In 1110 report telegraphed from Wellington dealing with the business done by the facing Conference, it was stated that the minimum penalty for Into acceptances was reduced from £'lo to £'•*). The rule under discussion really had reference to joint interests, the delegates making a reduction from £lO to I'-) of the line to be imposed by the stewards for failure on the part of owners tn give the necessary notice, not later than the hour of acceptance.

The death of Mr Duncan Rutherford serves to recall an interesting case, in which he was one of those deeply concerned, and which gave rise to considerable discussion at the time it occurred. The Amuri sportsman did not often figure as a buyer of yearlings, but he broke fresh ground in fhe spring of ]!)()?. when ho secured two out of tbp draft sent, forward by Mr J. B. Heid. He opened out by paying 310 guineas for the iilly by Stepniak—Armigera, and a tew minutes later obtained the filly by .Stepniak■- -Miss Niente for ■"){) guineas. The fillies were both chestnuts, with very little to distinguish one from the other. lv was evident, however, that their breeder rated them differently, the Annigera filly being heavily engaged in class races, while the Miss Niente filly carried a much lighter list of engagements, while the prices they realised made it evident that the former was the more highly thought of in the sale ring. The two ltllies were scut to Leslie Hills, whore they remained for several months before, they went into W. C. Clarke's stable at Kicearton to be trained. In due course they were ready to race, and they made their first appearance together, in the LyUolton Plate, at the summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, with the result that fngoda, described as by Stepniak—-Anni-gera, avou in brilliant style, while the Stepniak Miss Niente hilly, known as Zembia. finished out of a place. After the race Mr J. B. Heid informed Mr Rutherford that be had made a mistake regarding the identity of the fillies, the winner being the daughter of Miss Niente. Mr Rutherford claimed thai there had been no mistake, so far as he was concerned, the winner being the filly who went into the sale ring as the Annigera filly, and for whom he paid 310 guineas. The matter was reported to the stewards, and, after giving it the fullest consideration, they arrived at the following decision :—"That by an unintentional error of identity, Tngoda was entered for the Lyttelton Plato as by Stepniak —Annigera, whereas if had been proved that she wa.s by Stepniak—Miss Niente. The stewards therefore decide that the entry is invalid and she is distanced for the race." Mr Rutherford was emphatic in his belief that the winner of the Lyttelton Plate was the yearling sold to him as the Annigera filly. In further support of his contention he urged that when she was handed over to his representative by the Canowie stud groom she was decribed as the Arniigera filly, and when sent from Leslie Hills To Clarke's stable it was as the Annigera filly. There was considerable sympathy with Mr Rutherford at the time, the running of the two fillies in their first engagement suggesting that the mix-up left, him with reduced prospects of getting the best return out of the pair, for the reason that the one shown, then to be the hotter galloper was not so well engaged as fhe other. Later on. however, things turned out all right. In the following season the real Ingoda, made great .improvement, and won the Oaks and St Legcr, proving herself a really good filly, while Zembia failed to realise the expectations formed of her when she scored so decisively in the Lyttelton Plate. Ingoda provided another sensation later in her life. At the close of their racing careers the two fillies were repurchased by Mr J. R. Heid, and they were included in the draft that went up at auction at the dispersal sale of the Klderslie Stud, in January of 10112. There were several good buyers from Australia round the ring that day. Among them a representative of Mr Sol (I recti. who paralysed the opposition, when Tngoda was led info fhe ring, with an opening bid of 800 guineas, at which price she was knocked down, while later in the day lie secured Zembia for half that amount. Neither mare has yet produced a champion, but Ingoda. has given evidence of developing into a useful matron.