OUR CHRISTCHURCH LETTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 59, 10 September 1891, Page 4

OUR CHRISTCHURCH LETTER.

(BY

WIRE.]

Christchurch, Tuesday. Lyndoora went to Dunedin from Timaru, and the other Riccarton reps, will be Capt. Abram, Christmas, Erin-go-Bragh, and Cheshunt. Christmas may win the Tally-ho and Erin-go-Bragh the Shorts. The North Canterbury Jockey Club tried last week to cancel their meeting fixed for 21st on the score that they did not receive sufficient support, but owners do not see it, and the final decision of the matter looks like the meeting coming off. Frank Healy has been engaged by Mr. Alexander to train his horse at Ashburton. Mr. Alexander has a private training track up APO It is stated that the brother of Cajolery trains at Middle Park, and will be raced here as a two-year-old and not sent to Australia in the spring. He is beginning to show temper. Sheenan will ride Christmas in the Tally-ho Handicap at Dunedin. The grass gallop has lately been opened at Riccarton in consequence of the rain making the tan too sloppy to work upon, and horses are being pushed along in good style in view of early racing. From what Cutts says it appears that he does not intend to accept with Von Tempsky for Timaru* It is generally thought that Cutts’ horse has been hardly weighted.

(from our own correspondent.) Chainshot, now at Lunn’s place at Middleton, has improved in appearance more than a majority of horses do after being relegated to stud duties. A good many people think him the most handsome stallion now standing in Canterbury. I have not seen Maxim for some little time, but a good judge of horses who saw him at Yaldhurst the other day tells me that he is not half so good looking as when he was in training. There was too much of him altogether, and there is nothing stylish in his contour. Were I the owner of a good brood mare, however, Maxim is the sire I should send her to, and no doubt the difference in his contour taken exception to by my informant has been effected by the fat inactivity has necessarily accumulated on his naturally muscular

con form ati on ■ My informant, who has been connected with the breeding of thoroughbred stock for the last thirty years, says that Maxim’s head and neck constitute the only feature of equine beauty about him at present, and with these stuck on to Apremont, the latter would be the finest thoroughbred stallion in New Zealand. Yet opinions differ in regard to good looks in racers and stallions; a good one is always a good-looking . one, and if Maxim transmits his own attributes to his stock, even in a comparatively minor degree, he will be about the best thoroughbred stallion at present in New Zealand, unless indeed Castor —who I recollect as a two-year-old, belonging to W. I’Anson —turns out a good one, and there are more unlikely things than that. In regard to Maxim I have never seen a horse with greater muscular developements than he had when in training, and his contour then was good enough for anything. Bar his head and neek Apremont is the most stylish sire at present in Canterbury, but these deteriorate his appearance considerably, His head is badly set on, and it is bad beyond that. The eye is vicious, and from that upwards the formation of the head is not desirable in a thoroughbred sire. It is argued in favour of Apremont that he has invariably been mated with a flighty breed of mares, but that argument is not good enough. The Apremonts will always be light headed, unless a chance one may throw back to its dam in point of temperament. Thomson is still at Middle Park, and there are about half a dozen brood mares still there, and as these were sold at the winding-up sale, they will doubtless have been left to be covered by Apremont or St. George. Ido not think these sires will have a good season ; they are not popular in the neighbourhood. Cutts gave Apremont the “ slide ” with Nautilus on account of the difficulty experienced in training the Apremonts, and he maintains that he would have bought a certain Apremont (Cajolery) when a yearling but for previous experience with his sire’s stock. Contrary to the effects of postponement generally, everybody who journeyed to Ashburton on Tuesday concurs that the .Ashburton Club was benefitted thereby. Riccarton was not strongly represented in the various events. Messrs. Claridge and Wynn-Williams took up Don, Lyndoora, Lewis, and Magpie, Glen and Begorrah, though usually trained in the Ashburton district, have lately been exercised at Riccarton Messrs. Claridge and WynnWilliams have done fairly well with their hunters this season, but I doubt whether there is any amateur trainer about these parts up to the standard of Mr. Murray-Annesley. He is a good judge of horses, and he appears to be about as good as some of the professionals in regard to mentorship. Magpie got disqualified for the Hack Race at Ashburton, but won the Ladies’ Bracelet. When that horse was the property of Mr. Clarkson I felt sure he was a fair stamp of hunter, and in all probability he will prove a cheap purchase to his present owners. Trainers are commencing to be very busy at Riccarton now, and in consideration of the excellent winter we have had, few horses that have not been unsound will run in bad condition at the earliest spring fixtures. May is growing into a fair three-year-old, but she will always be small, and, I fear, not quite to the best class of her year, yet Mr. Webb seems to think she will be good enough to try conclusions with some good cattle about November.

“ Old Bill Payne,” as his friends call him, had a look at Antelope the other day, and declares she is not in foal. If she had been he would in all probability have bought her for Mr. Hordern. There is not a better judge of horses and cattle in the Southern hemisphere than “ Old Bill.” We saw Antelope last Sunday, and are of the same opinion. Mares that have been stinted, and raced as much as she was last season, are very likely to slink the foal, and an inexperienced person might never notice it. Mr. Payne informs us that it is his intention to return to Sydney next Tuesday with Lady Norah and her foal. From his great experience in shipping live stock there is not much doubt but that they will reach their destination in safety.