TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 23, 9 December 1905, Page 22

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

C HRISTCIH • RCII, Sa tnrd ay. The latest reports concerning Mr B. R. MacDonald, who was seriously injured when riding over hurdles at the Geraldine Spring Meeting, are more favourable. 'l'hongh sill) far from well, Mr MacDonald is improving. St. Michael broke away from Ills attendant a few days ago and went for a long gallop on his own ac< ount, when caught it was found that he had sprung bis ••game” leg. It is not likely that he will be seen on a racecourse again for some time. News from South Africa announces the death of King Log. The son of of JStepnir.k and Fairymaid was bred at Ellerslie, and purchased by Mr Stead, who, after raring him as a two-year-old, sold him to a South African racing man.

Three cast ofi’s from the Vahihurst stable are nt the stud in South Africa, they being Seringapatnm Hate Screw Gnu), Altair, and Pnlform. 'The first named Is said to have become a mail eater.

I hear that it is unlikely tbni Mr Stead will be represented in the Great Northern Derby. He may send up Nightfall to rua in the Auckland Plate ami Cuneiform tf represent him in (he Royal stakes. Though, his colours have been uniformly successful Mr SH’ad has no reason tn look back at the present spring with unmixed satisfaction. In addition to Sungod lie lost Noctufform’s half sister shortly after its birth, while last week Sungod s full sister foal was kicked so severely that even if she recovers she may bo useless for racing purposes. \V. ('lark has Just broken in his two-year-old filly by liof'bkiss Alcgef The sister to Qu lek 11 re is a big overgrown filly. 'The tender of Mr H. Craig. £866, has T.yrehird. who passed Into the hands of a Canterbury resident some time ago, diet! while foaling to Bombardo.

After a fortnight’s boisterous north-west weather the wind changed on Thursday and an hour’s rain fell. 'Die rain was appreciated by both farmers and trainers, as lhe wind had parched (he herbage and hardened the tracks. Racing mat tors are unusually quiet just now. Everybody who Is anybody Is absorbed in the approaching elections.

Cutis will leave for Auckland on Wednesday with Hir George Clifford’s team for

the Auckland summer meeting. Hir Geo. left for the north last night, but will return before leaving to see his horses run at Aueklaud.

Neither Golden Vein nor Stronghold earned their passage money to Feilding. In view of the fact that the track was luird (lie failure of the former was unaccountable. (By Telegraph.—Special to •'Graphic.”) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Mr W. T. Saunders has been appointed secretary of the Southland Racing Club. According to the “Otago Witness,” it is rumoured that a h ading Canterbury sportsman recently desired to form a syndicate with the object of taking the crack horseman. Hewitt, home to England, and farming his services out to the English owners, in the manner done in the Old Country by holders of apprentices’ indentures, and also by some American exploiters in the same direction. Hewitt would do well at Home, and the writer in the “Witness” believes he is correct In stating that the principal horseman of the Yaldhurst stable van receive a retainer from an English stable any time he chooses to ask for it.

The weather continues fine and dry. and the tracks at Riccarton are In capital order. A considerable exodus of local horses will begin shortly. Some will leave for Auckland, others for Man-awatu, while there will he the usual Christmas contingents for Dunedin and the West Coast. Cutts will be the first trainer to take his departure, leaving for Auckland on Thursday with Qr.arryman, Glenowlet. Gay Spark. Clanchattan and Kirriemuir. Quarrvman is wonderfully -well, and if he retains his condition, will take a great deal of beating in the Auckland Cup. Kirriemuir has improved since our spring meeting, will need a very smart two-ycar-ol <1 to beat her in the Great Northern’Foal Stakes.

Martian, who is lightening up fast, is under orders to fulfil his engagements at the Manawatu meeting. He will be accompanied by -his stable companions Inglenouk, turmoil and TsHsiliar.

A i bice-year-old gelding by Stepniak—- < obweb is the latest addition to Hobbs’ team, wbuh now numbers twelve. It has been redm-ed in s i ze temporarily by the spelling of ihe two-year-old colt by Souit— Anna, who injured himself in his box recently.

t \ in '«e return from AnstraHa I notified you last week, is under an engagement to Hobbs' stable during the present month. * 1

V iU . StPon ®ftold returned on Feilding fl ° m then- unsuccessful visit to

Sir George Clifford has had the misforWhAoi° Ji OSC J lis bro ° d mare Catherine s'lwrb’ urn d - am Trea <S“ i n and Gav i lhe ““Hghter of Maxim and Miss Kate, who was one first of her sire s nJ >ft vn' V i» W^ S foaled in 1891. and was bred «I Q i J • Gates. She was leased by Mr Stead, and Mason always declared that she snowed extraordinary speed for three furlongs, biit her legs never allowed her to and a thorough preparation, and she was returned to hrt* owner without having been raced. AVhlle at Mr Gates’ stud she produced ( atherino, Flame, and Kitty to Fhae--Imi, but none of the three were much good. At the break up <>f Mr Gates' stud she was purchased at lOOgs by Sir George Clifford, who straightaway sent her over to Australia on a visit to Bill of Fortlaud, that good, but unlucky, eolt Treadmill being the result. Ith Clannwald she did not nick well, and after she had produced Flying Spark, Gay Spark, Blazing Star, and a colt, now a yearling, her owner determined on a change, and sent her to Pilgrim's Progress, to whom she foaled a filly this year. Mr G. G. Stead will bo represented at Auckland by Nightfall, Cuneiform, and probably Huascar. The Christchurch Racing Chib’s Summer Meeliiig will begin on Saturday, when the following horses may run forward in their respeci Ive engagements: — Nursery Handicap, Lapland and Stars and Stripes; Windsor Handicap. Sh-pdancer and Tlrole; Eprlngston Welter Handicap, Tirole and Royal Crown; High-weighti Handicap. Black Diamond and V:ird< : Flying Handicap. Chivalry ami Machine Gun; Maiden Plate, Cross Battery.

After the forfeits declared on Friday last 20 horses remain hi the Middle Park Plate. 34 in the <’hampagne Stakes, and 33 in t.I:A Challenge Stakes. Isolt remains in tin* Middle Park Plate, and other prominent performers left in are Cuneiform. Glenowlet, Petticoat, Marguerite, Jvanoff. and Eady Landon. Kirriemuir. Eanhind, Huascar. and Ivanoff all continue thvi‘r engagements in the Champagne Stakes, and among the horses remaining in the Challenge Stakes are Isolt, Munj»v(. Cuneiform, Quarryman, Achilles, and Master Alix. It is reported unofficially that the Southland Raring Club, which has excluded bookmakers during the past couple of seasons, will not do so at its next meeting. Twenty-live two year-olds have had their engagements continued in lhe Dunedin Jockey Club’s Champagne Stakes, to be decided :ii the club’s Autumn Meeting. The Castor - Bugle gelding Regiment changed hands recently in Dunedin nt 235g5. Capital nominations have been received for the Dunedin Jockey Club's Summer Meeting, ’ihe list totals 2.13. ns compared with 168 for the corresponding meeting last year. © © © A Visit to Cambria Park. Dropping across Mr Price (managing director of the Cumbria Park Stud Co.) In the street l»»st work, he extended me a hearty Invitation to come out and have a look around, so taking advantage of a fine day, I glndy availed myself of the In-

ritation. After a lovely drive 1 reach« 4 Hie pretty homestead at Uapatoltvl, and after partaking of Mr Price’s well known hospitality, a start was made with the buaineas on hand. The colts were the first to come under notice, the one to attract ihe eye must being the colt by Cyrenlan— Miss Annie, full brother to Cambrian, and half brother tu that great performer Lady Annie. In colour and markings he is an exact counterpart uf Cambrian, but is a more robust and better grown eolt than Cambrian was at his age. Since being foaled he has never been sb-k or sorry. A good topped one, with a perfect couetltutlon, and a flawless set of legs, I will be greatly disappointed if he does not turn out a worthy descendant of the galloping family from which he descends. Mr Price is very enthusiastic over this colt, which he looks upon as the best ever offered for sale by the company. A fine big raking colt is the one by Eton— Irma, with plenty of bone and substance. This colt may not be seen at his best as a tWb-year-old, but has the makings of a great three-year-old.

A welt grown colt by Eton, from Bequest, is one that looks like playing Ids part at the illegitimate game, after he has finished on the flat. Eton, sire of this eolt, has already a Grand National winner to his credit, while his dam is a sister to Defiance, also a Grand National winner.

A shapely, well turned co;t by Cy rent an from Sprite, a daughter of Dreadnought, fills the eye very attractively. He stands over a lot of ground, and ha ssplcndid quarters and shoulders, and is very deep girthed, with a perfect set of legs and feet. With the inspection of this little gentleman, we concluded the colts, and in another paddock we came across the seven, young ladies catalogued, and immediately <>n our appearance they displayed all the inquisitiveness of their sex, and each vied with the other in trying to attract notice. A dark brown filly by Eton—Lady Agnes, which shows great resemblance to what that flying filly Solution was as a yearling, is a very handhome young lady, and a rare bred one, her dam. Lady Agnes, being by Neckersgat, sire of Dunlop, out of Peradventure.

The daughter of Cyrenian and Dreamland. dam of Lrfindlock. is a nice mover and even temperament, and is sure to attract the attention of buyers. Rapid, by Flintlock—Pikau, is represented by her first co.Jribution to the stud hook, in the shape of a very attractive filly by Eton. A bay in colour, she possesses plenty of bone, and very clean joints. This flliy shows great pace in the paddock. Anna, one of the few remaining daughters of Musket at the stud, and -the dam of numerous winners, is responsible for a racy looking filly by Cyrenian, which has all the family characteristics. Gulueveve has given her first contribution to the stud book in a bay filly, which shows a lot of quality, and claims near relationship to that great performer Daunt. The three-quarters sister to Renown, Lute, Is also represented by a first foal by Cyrenian. This Is -one of the nicest fdlies I have seen this season. A dark chestnut In colour, of nice size and good quarters, and shoulders, she is one of the picks of the basket.

The List of a good Jot, a filly by Cyr«•nlan—Anadyomene, seemed determined to attract attention, and woud not be denied.. She is a beautifully tempered filly of considerable substance, and traces hack on the dam’s side to a family which has produced h number of good ones, including Stonyhurst, Natator, Le Doup, etc. Having finished the yearlings Eton, the only sire at present at Cambria Park, was led out for inspection. Eton is a very robust, handsome horse, with a very aristocratic pedigree,being by Castor (impi from Lady Walmsley, sister to Carbine. A good tempered horse, with plenty of life, and a sure foal getter, he has already made a name for himself at the stud, and as several of the now two-year olds by him show great galloping ability, he should be well up in the list of winning stallions at the end of the season.

After inspecting Eton a stroll around the paddocks was Indulged in. Here everything looked beautiful, there being a splendid growth of feed, and a surrounding of plantations and live hedges, which are kept in first class order. The twenty-three mares on the estate are in blooming health, and a rare lot they are. Mr Price being a believer in the Bruce Tx»wr system, being a mare can find room In the stud unless she can show an untainted pedigree. In a paddock near the house we came across Windmill, dam of Air Motor, Spalpeen, etc. The old mare, although nineteen years old. looks in splendid health and condition, and is heavy in foal to Soult. She is expected to foal shortly. Our pleasant task being now finished, we partook of Mr Price’s parting hospitality, and shaped our way for home, well pleased with the day’s outing.