Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 133, 9 February 1893, Page 4

Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting.

Saturday—Feb. 4.

(BY WIRE —FROM OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting was held to-day in beautiful weather, but in spite of the liberal programme provided the attendance was only moderate, in fact according to some estimates it was the smallest the club has ever had for this meeting since the meeting was instituted in 1883. Your readers will remember that when the meeting was first included in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s programme the date was New Year’s Day. However, the C.J.C. found that the clashing with the Lyttelton Regatta operated prejudicially to them, and last year and the year before they changed the date to the last Satur-

day in January. This year, in deference to the wishes of the Wellington Racing dub they decided to defer the meeting till the first Saturday in February for the purpose of affording horses engaged at Wellington the opportunity between that time and the C.J.C. Summer Meeting. Hewever, very few of the Wellington competitors put in an appearance. It is very hard to account for the apathy over this meeting displayed by the public, for there was a well-filled card ; the fields were of good proportions, and the weather was fine. Under these circumstances it is very hard for the club to be thus treated by the public. The business of the day commenced with the Hornby Welter Handicap of 50sovs, one mile and a quarter, for which a field of eight mustered at the post. Warrington, 9.9, was favourite, with Beau Nash, 10.3, and Norton, 10.0, next in demand. Aquarius, 8.5, made the running for six furlongs, when Spurned, 8.2, took command, and led till rounding the bend for home, where Dora, 8.10, and Warrington challenged, and Dora having the foot of the others came on with a bit in hand and won by a couple of lengths from Beau Nash, who was a length in front of Warrington. Time, 2min 15sec. Dividends—lnside £7, outside £6 7s. Dora, who won the C.J.C. Oaks-last November is by Cadogan (imp.) out of Doris by Leolinus (imp.) out of Watersprite, the dam of Stonyhurst. With blood like this in her veins Dora should make a most valuable brood mare when she retires from the turf. She was well handled by Derrett. The good field of nine—all two-year-olds—contested the Middle Park Plate of 200sovs, for two and three-year-olds, special weights with penalties and allowances, 6 furlongs. Naturally, after his previous sterling running, Strowan, 7.5, was made favourite, Beadonwell, 7.7, being next in favour, but nothing else was backed to any extent except Mr D. O’Brien’s filly Response, 6.13, and Pygmalion’s half-brother Lake Shell, 6.11, whose maiden appearance in public it was. Busybody made play when the flag fell, with Persuasian and Strowan as her most immediate attendants. Beadonwell ran up to Busybody in the lead when half the journey had been got over, and-the pair came on together into the straight, with Strowan and Persuasion at their heels. Busybody was beaten at the distance, and Strowan, who was slightly hampered, just got up in time to beat Persuasion by a neck, with Response, who came very fast in the last furlong, half a length away. Beadonwell was fourth. The time was Imin 16|sec, and the dividends were—inside £2 3s 6d, outside £2 Is. Strowan was bred by and is the property of Mr G. G. Stead, and is by Lochiel out of the Maribyrnong—Peeress mare Marion. Persuasion is a full sister to Cajolery, being by Apremont out of Flattery, and Response —who was bred in Australia and purchased there as a yearling by Mr D. O’Brien —is by Richmond out of Bis Bis. Emmerson rode Strowan. _ Nine was again “the main” for the Midsummer Handicap of 200sovs, one mile and a-half, and when business opened Merrie England, 8.10, and Retina, 8.4, were most in favour, but presently a strong order was put out for Launceston, 8.3, and when the flag fell he was first favourite. Crackshot, 8.12, was first to get going, and he led for half-a-mile, with Awarua Rose, 7.0, and Liberator, 8.0, as his most immediate attendants. In the next quarter of a mile Liberator went into second place behind Crackshot, but soon after Retina joined Crackshot in the lead, and the pair showed the way past the half-mile post almost a length and a-half clear of Liberator and Awarua Rose, Launceston heading the others. Crackshot and Liberator soon cried a go, leaving Retina in front, but she could not sustain the effort, and Wyvern, 7.0, who had come through very fast from hindmost place, led into the straight, with Awarua Rose and Launceston close behind him. Launceston challenged Wyvern at the distance, and having him beaten, won comfortably by a short length from Mr Hungerford’s colt, who was a couple of lengths iu advance of Awarua Rose. Time, 2min 40sec, which is Isec slower than last year, when Cruchfield won with 7.13. Cruchfield was in the field this year with 8.8, but was never prominent. The dividends on Launceston (who is brother to Florrie, by Tasman out of Rubina, and was bred by his owner Mr D. O’Brien) were £2 18s. 6d. inside and £3 3s. outside. Leeson rode Launceston. Cruchfield’s brother Lord Aston was favourite’ in a field of eight for the Selling Race of 50sovs, w.f.a., with sell-

ing allowances, six furlongs, but he couldn’t get a place, and after Erin-go-Bragh and Portadown had made most of the running, Juveno, a comparative outsider, tackled Emperor in the straight, and won by a little more than a length from him. Rosehill was third. Juveno is by Sir Modred’s brother July, out of Ruby’s half-sister Veno. The dividends were:—lnside £l2 18s., outside £8 Is. Juveno was bought in for £27. The good field of 12 came out for the Craven Plate Handicap of lOOsovs, seven furlongs, Mr Stead’s mare Melinite, 8.0, being made favourite, but Vogengang 8.9, Heather Bell 7.10, and Kate Greenaway 7.9, were all very evenly backed. Melinite made all the running till reaching the straight, where she was beaten, and so was Kate Greenaway, who up to that point had been prominent. Vogengang was then left with a slight lead of Heather Bell, and the pair were joined by Lady Zetland, 7.12, but Heather Bell had most left in her, and won by half-a-length from Lady Zetland, who was fully three lengths in front of Vogengang. Dividends: Inside £5 13s. 6d., outside £3 18s. Heather Bell won this same race last year with lib less in the saddle.

Dunoon won the Interval Stakes of 50sovs, one mile, beating Melusina (by Tasman—Nautilus) and five others, and paying, dividends of £8 19s. and £6 165., and the meeting concluded with a win by Cajolery, 8.6, in the Post Handicap of 50sovs, one mile, for which he was favourite, and in which he defeated a field of half-a-dozen.