CANTERBURY PARK NATIONAL TROTTING MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 265, 22 August 1895, Page 11

CANTERBURY PARK NATIONAL TROTTING MEETING.

[From Our Own Correspondent.] The meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Club took place to-day (August 9th) in weather foitnin» a great contrast to National day. Rain commenced to fall over-night, and continued almost without intermission during the whole of to-day. Notwithstanding the execrable weather, the stewards decided to go on with the racing. The attendance was wonderful and so was the course, which was simply a good specimen -ofa well-worked stockyard. , TT . n • The Spring Handicap Trot was won by v* ilkin, ridden by M’Kay, Katie M. (Hope) second. Monte Carlo (20sec) soon established a long lead, and should have won, but he tired in the last round. Katie M. was only four lengths away. The Sires’ Handicap Trot (harness) saw a fine field of nine go out, La Rue declining the contest. Blue Grown (35sec) got well off the mark, .and when half the journey had been covered held a lead of fifteen lengths. “Going strongly to the .finish he won easily, Brooklyn (L2sec) eight lengths away, the others nowhere. The favourite, Viking (4sec), never made up a yard, and the •same may be said of Specification (scr). Blue Gown started at the last meeting at Lancaster Park, and as the two displays were seemingly inconsistent a protest was lodged, but was not upheld. The Maiden Handicap Trot (harness) was considered a moral for La Rue (sc?), but breaking badly in the first and last lap the imported trotter •could only finish third to Miss Burwood and Ascot. La Rue should undoubtedly have won, but although Edwards did all he could, the mud .and the first break, which _ was a bad one, conjointlv prevented him getting up. ■ The three-mile event in harness resulted, alter the first lap, in a procession, with Opossum as the leader, M.M. next, and Katie M. third. This ■order was maintained to the finish, Opossum winning by ten lengths. In noting this gelding’s performance at Lancaster Park I mentioned that he was probably “ short of a gallop, and so it proved, for nothing else had a chance to-day. The crowd, recognising the apparent reversal of •form, gave vent to their feelings in hoots and the noise being conlinued until the protest flag was hoisted. After’ consideration the objection was dismissed, and the lucky investors received a dividend of £7 4s. By the time the meeting was concluded the course was a swamp, and through a blinding shower spectators could just see the horses competing in the last race. Blue Gown has won the Sires’ Stakes three times in four years, in 1892, 1894, and 1895. He received 22sec in 1892, 35=ec in 1894, and 35sec in 1895, and the respective times were smin 29seC, 6min 6sec, and 6min It will thus be seen that he has been in receipt of substantial allowances on each occasion, but his form meanwhile has been in and out. Lately he has ■been trained by Farrar, who has improved him wonderfully. [The above message was unavoidably crowded ■out of our last issue.— Ed. S.R.J