TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 16, 19 October 1910, Page 11

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

_ r CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Matters at Riecarton have been quiet during the past few days, a large contingent of locally-trained horses having been taken South for the Dunedin Meeting. There has been practically no rain for six weeks, and trainers are becoming anxious, a good many of the horses now in work at Riccarton not relishing the hard going. Before the August niebtlug frequent storms militated considerably against the efforts of local trainers to get their charges fit, and now that the Cup meeting is approaching the weather is at the other extreme. The Dunedin Jockey Club made an auspicious beginning with its Spring Meeting on Wednesday. The attendance was big,

the totailsator receipts exceeded last year’s figures, apd . the racing >ai good.' Recent improvements have been of great benefit to the course, and the day’s racing was carried.o«t under altogether favourable conditions. The principal Interest of the meeting centred In the Mosgiel Handicap, In which four of the five starters were t New Zealand Cup candidates, and in the Dunedin Stakes, the first two-year-old race of the season in the South Island. The former race, over a ' mile and a-quarter, served to show that Martlst .is going on well in his Cup preparation.' -The son of MartianEscapade . had already done all that had been asked of him over' short courses, and his effort was wholly pleasing. He was always prominent, and he finished up his task in really workmanlike style, beating his half-brother. .Outlander by a good margin. The Finland gelding will meet his relative on much favourable terms at Riccarton, but the difference is not a great deal more than the Dunedin running appears to entitle him to. Adjudge, who has been supported in the South for the big November race, was expected to do better than get into third place, but though he is regarded as a natural stayer it w’as in the run home that he lost the position he had held from the start. The son of Invicta was galloping stronger in the early stages of the race, but as he was led off the course lame, it is supposed that he broke down when the pinch came, and if that is so, his Cup prospects are doubtful. Oiyol, who was sent out a good favourite, was never prominent; but probably satisfied his connections. He ran along in the rear all the way, but rattled up the straight fast enough to make his effort quite a pleasing one for a horse that holds so high a place in the handicap for the Cup. The field for the Dunedin Stakes was reduced to five, but they represented a good class. Sir Geo. Clifford’s handsome colt Masterpiece justified the high expectations that had been formed of him by winning handsomely from another Riccarton-trained youngster, Phobos. Sir Geo. Clifford s colt is the last of a remarkably speedy little family, Glenowlet, Kirrimuir, and Madam Madcap being the others, and on looks the son of Clanranald and Madowla is the best of the bunch. He ran a bit green, looking about him when the crowd was reached, but a touch of the whip straightened him u‘p and he finished his task in decisive fashion. Phobos also claims attention on the score of breeding, being by Martian from Fireside, and therefore half-brother to two speedy performers in Ingleneuk and Fireiron. The two Southern representatives, Daringdale and First Robert, both sons of Canrobert, are probably hardly so far advanced as the Riccarton youngsters. Mr. Hazlett paid a substantial sum for Daringdale, and the son of St. Brigad wilt probablv go a deal further before long towards Justifying his promising appearance. Of the other performers at Wingatui, My Lawyer, who claims an engagement in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton, showed a good turn of speed in winning the Electric Handicap. Boutade, a half-sister to Outlander and Martlst, put up a good performance in the Welter Handicap, not before she was due. The daughter of Formosan made a mile and a-quarter record at Oamaru a year ago, but between then and Wednesday she had done nothing more. Among the nominations for a country hack meeting to be held soon is Nightlight, whose New’ Zealand Cup engagement is still continued. The principal event of this meeting is worth the munificent sum of 12sovs tq the winner. i i