SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 6

SPORTING GOSSIP.

RAGING AND TROTTING. (Bv "ARGUS.") FIX TUBES. Augrust. 15. 17—-Metropolitan Trottini? Club. Aug-.is-;, IG, 18 —Canterbury Jockey Club. ACCEPTANCES. August 13 —Canterbury Jockey Club. There was a. large crowd of spectators at R.icca-ton this morning to watch the training operations, but nothing of importance was witnessed. Most of the horses worked on the sand track, which was in (irst-class ■ order, but. tine trainers restricted their charges to medium tasks, in preparation for fast work to-morrow, when there should be plenty to interest visitors. Horses with engagements next week will be moving along fast, while several candidates for jumping honours will be schooled.

The inside of the trial grass track at Riecarton will be< open on Saturday for horses doing fast work, and a grass track will probably be available again next week for horses engaged at tho Grand National meeting.

G. Matthews arrived from Oainaru bust night, in charge of Killard. who will represent Mr J. B. Reid in some of the flat events at Riecarton next week.

The South Canterbury hunter, Traditor. has put- in an appearance at Riecarton, and did steady pacing tins morning.

Tho annual football match l>otween tho jockeys of the North ajid South. Islands is creating considerable interest this year. \t will bo played in one of the paddocks close to tine, racecourse.

(Jolden, Glade hit his stifle while being schooled over hurdles last Tuesday, and he has not dono a great deal since then. He frequently injures himself in this way, and the trouble prevents him from being given a solid preparation, which i.s n matter for regret, as he i,s a brilliant galloper and a very fast jumper.

The .steeplechaser, Merry Lad, has not done much work since he has been at Ricoarton, but he bears a, well trained appearance. Ho was second in the Grand National Steeplechase last year and his knowledge of tho fences should serve him well in next week's crosscountry engagement.

Johnny Walker holds bis place as one of the most, fancied candidates for the Winter Cup. He looks well and is a resolute galloper, but his track form sinco ho has been at Ricoarton suggests that he may be seriously troubled by the solid pace in tho early stages of the race. He is not a smart beginner, and with a big field there is a danger that be may bo too badly placed to have much chance of success.

Tt is understood that R. M'Sevoney will have the mount on Master Si rowan in tho Grand National Steeplechase, in which Braoburn will bo. iidden by A. M'Donald. According to North Island reports, Rewi Poto will be ridden in tho Grand National Hurdle Handicap bv 0. Price, who has been associated with the horso in most of his successes on the flat.

Ron Revo appeared to show signs of soreness when walking bci'oro he was worked vesferdav, but he moved very frcelv in his schooling task, in which h 0 acquitted himself with considerable credit.

St TClmn still claims engagements in the Grand National Steeplechase and Grand National Hurdle Handicap, and according lo northern reports .his owner intended to leave the final decision regarding his programme until the horse had done .some schooling at Rieearton. He was sent over a round of the hurdles on Tuesday and a Rain yesterday, and everything seems to point now to the hurdle race as his special mission next Thursday.

The Hawke's bay trainer, V.. Oollelo. who is at present on a visit to luecarton with his steeplechaser, Braehurn. will lon-vo for Sydney shortly in o.liarftd of the four-year-old mare Tressida, with a view to fulfilling engagements at the. April meeting of the Australian Jockey Club. Uraeburn will not be wanted for the trip, his owner having decided) to give him a nest after the Grand National meeting, until it is time to get the gelding ready for next winter's racing.

St Elmn and Golden Glade, two North Island junipers at present at Riccarton, are under orders for Sydney to contest hurdle races ami steicpleclihmv at the Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting.

The latest information from Tfawki's Hay is to the effeot that Mr T. .11. Lowry will, alter all, be represented at some of the spring meetings in Australia. Jf the trip eventuates, tho principal member of the team will be Desert Gold, win has got through a lot of sound work lately. Her sprain 1 mission will be weightvi'or-age events, and with Kilboy, Sasanof and The Toff also on the scene. New Zealand sportsmen will be keenly interested in these races, apart from the opposition that may bo provided by Australian owners. Tho four Dominion cracks will bo raoed first in Sydney, and after the Australian Jockey Club's mooting some of them ma.y go on to Melbourne.

Tho Auckland owned hurdler, Tararu Jack, is under ordors for a visit to Australia. Ho has been a very useful performer during tho bust couple of seasons, during which he has been trained by A. Julian. Tt is understood that on arrival in Australia he will bo placed under tho charge of another New Zealand trainer, T. A. Williams.

Two of tlio horses taken, to Sydnoy competed at t.lio Canterbury Park meeting last month. Good Day was in tho field for the Maiden Handicap, in which nine horses fell, but ho was fortunate enough to avoid the mix-up and finished sixth. Loiter in the day the imported mare, Fotheringay, took part in tho Trial Stakes, but she failed to show up. Both the New Zealandors were ridden bv the Xort'i Island light-weight, H. Young.

Final payments for the Grand National Steeplechase. Grand National Hurdle Handicap and Winter Cup, and acceptances for the minor events on the first day of the Ca.ntorln.iry Jockey Club's meeting, will close on Monday night, at nine o'clock.

According to latest information from Sydney, M- Hobbs has all hi& team going along well, and they should be in good order for spring engagements. Kilboy has shown no signs of tho lameness which troubled him more than once last season. His brother, Kill'em, was lame soon after he arrived in Sydnoy, but he is all right again now and he .should be a useful three-year-old.

The Highden Stud has already expprionrer] a good deal of bad luck fliis poason. Celaeno, by Pilgrim's Progress— A oils, died after slipping twin foals to Finland, and a. few days later tho Australian-bred mare, Trueo, by Grafton—Navarino, .slipped twins to the Sundridge horse, Absurd. Tho English-bred hors-0,, Pan mure, by Forfarshire-—Panacea, lias finished his racing carcicr aud will cnmrniaua stud

life this season, at the Highdcn Stud. With good looks, a fashionable pedigree and brilliant racing performances to recommend him. be looks like developing into a successful sire.

Among the well bred horses who carried the colours of tbp late Mr G. P. Donneily with success over country was El Dorado, by Gold Reef—Fairy Dream, by Quiet —Nymph, by Ingomar from. Martini-Henry's sister. "Wood Nymph, by Mu<sket—Svlvia. When only a five-year-old, El Dorado finished second to Nadador in thp Grand National Steeplechases, winning the Beaufort and Lincoln Steeplechases later in tho wook. His form was ro promising that it seemed likely he would develop into a champion, but unsoundness interfered with his later prospects.

Tn addition to tho horses ho raced himself, tho Into Mr G. P. Donnelly bred a number of good performers who won for other owners. Gold J,ace. by Gold Reef- Kaliuwni. was a brilliant galloper, whose successes as a three-year-old included the Great. Northern Oaks. The following spring she wns sent to Riooarton, where she won the Stewards' Handicap and Members' Handicap. I'onatos being second to her on ench oeeasion. Simonidos. lOlooution and Silver Tongue, three pood winners last season among; the two-year-olds, wore also bred by Mr Donnelly, being by his imported horse Demosthenes.

Tho Auckland write. " Whalebone." says that it. has been stated that a. country club \Jiiieli foresees trouble in connection with running a race meeting whilst the. present restriction of the railway services holds has expressed its willingness to hand over its permit to the metropolitan club.

The programme for the spring meeting of tho "Wellington Racing Club, to be held in October, will be tho same aslast year's. The mile and a quarter weigh Ufor-a.go event, the Champion Stakes, of HOP sovs. will still ho tho most valuable event to be decided durling tho two days.

There has been some misapprehension as to a. recent announcement of the Victoria Racing Club in regard to colours. The committee decided that in any application for registration of a. new set of colours only the following colours will bo permitted:—Red. pink, blue, light blue, orange, yellow, groon, light green, purple, light purple, black, white, and brown. This does not mean that colours already registered which do not comply with this regulation must be changed. They will stand, if the committee offers no objection.

Mr H. Reynolds, well-known in Canterbury trotting circles in bis rapacity ol" starter, which ]>osition be has filled all over the province for about -twenty years, will go into cami) shortly. Mr Reynolds is an enthusiastic rifle shot, ranking with the most prominent marksmen in the Dominion. Some time ago, in company with other leadings riflemen, be offered his services to the Defence Department as a musketry instructor, and having been accepted for that duty, ho will "leave for Trentham in a little over a week.

The- following paragraph, by a Sydney writer, suggests that R. J. _ Mason mav be in for a- good time with his crack three-vear-obl:-Biplane continues to do we'll at Kandwiek, and some of the New -Zen-landers who saw a- good deal of him before be came, over are very much .impressed with bis behaviour here. He goes about his work very pobeilv, and it appears it. was not so when "he was in the Dominion. 1 do not know whether he will .stay, but at Randwick T have seen him slip over half a mile in time that left no doubt as to his pace.

The Dates Committee, Stipendiary Stewards' Committee and Rules Hevision Committee of the Xew Zealand Trotting Conference will meet m Christehureh next week.

The South C-ant.erbury-ownod pacor, Watchman, in A. Rringlo's stable, has not raced for a considerable time, hut) ho will bo a competitor next week nti Addingtmi. As a young horse, Watchman gave promise of developing into a high grade pacer.

It is stated that Moneymaker would have been a starter in the August Handicap on tine first dAy of tho Addmgton meeting next week but for tJjjo fact, that his owner overlooked tho tim 0 ot acceptance.

Tho trotter lion Ami looks very much improved since ho last raced. As a young horse ho gavo great promise, and when apparently trained off, but he now seems aa tl>ough ho is going on tho right way.

Tho pacer iLady Tempest, who has not raoed for some tiroo, does not look quito at ]b\er best at present.

At a meeting of tho oommitteo of tho Brooders' and Ownora' Association held recently, the timing of trotting raoos at racing clubs' fixtures, ns well as at< some of ilio meetings of trotting clubs, came in for a good deal of adverse, criticism. It is stated thnfc tho ansociation intends approaching tho Now Zealand Trotting Association on the subject-

Tho Auckland-owned pacer Huia Grey, who went into 11. Jarclen's stable ft few months ago, i« a. strong favourite for tho mile saddle event on the first day ill Ad<Lington.