TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 11, 15 September 1909, Page 13

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Gwendoline has been enjoying a short respite since the Grand National meeting, hence her withdrawal from her engagements at the Ashburton meeting. —The yearling brother to Provocation has been named Ovation. He figures in most of the C.J.C. classic races to be run next season. Highly satisfactory nominations have been, received for the Geraldine Racing Club's meeting, which takes place at the end of the month. Amongst the entrants are several with first-class racing credentials. Word is to hand from Oamaru that the Stepniak-Tortulla mare, Miss Gal, died •there a few days ago. Though never as good as her breeding suggested, she was useful in her own class. The Lake County Jockey Club held their annual meeting recently, when it was decided to give away 475 sovs. in stakes on December 10 and 11. The yearling Martian —Gossip filly has been aptly named War Scare. This filly is half sister to Bobrikoff. The N.Z. Metropolitan Club is going in for extensive improvements on the course at Addington. A new stand, costing between £5OOO and £6OOO, is to be erected in the lawn enclosure, and the stand at present in use is to be shifted to the outside enclosure. A new totalisator house will be erected to replace the present one in the paddock, and the old house will be transferred to outside the enclosure. A carriage stand, motor garage, and other important beautifying and useful improvements will also be made. The track, as previously reported, will be enlarged to 5J furlongs, and the turns improved as much as possible. Rawera, whose death in Australia was announced by the cable last week, is a full sister to the hurdler Rangihaeta. He started seven times in New Zealand last season without registering a win. The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club met on Tuesday. The programmes of the Awatere Racing Club, Springfield Racing Club, Havelock Hack Racing Club, and Cheviot Racing Club were endorsed. The disqualification by the Amberley Steeplechase Club of the horse Hazelwood, in the Farmers’ Handicap Race at its annual meeting was endorsed, as was the disqualification by the Waimate District Hunt of Tarpon in the District Hack Race at its recent meeting. Gentlemen riders’ certificates were issued to Messi’s. F. R. Frame, J. P. Barr, and F. H. Harley. The following licenses were granted:—Trainers: W. F. Gillett, J. J. Lewis, W. A. Monk, Jas. MacGrath and Win. Porter. Jockeys: C. R. Emmerson, n. Forward, W. F. Gillett, Jas. MacGrath, and C. A. Dussey. It was reported that owing to a clerical error Mr. G. Hunter’s fillies had been struck out of the Daks instead of the Derby, and it was decided that they should be reinstated in the former race. i * i