CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 736, 14 April 1904, Page 8

CANTERBURY.

Christchurch, April 13. The sporting public still want to know why the owner of Martian was not requested by the stewards of the Canterbury J.C. to explain the colt’s running in the Great Easter Handicap and Challenge Stakes. An owner when racing his horses at Riccarton can, m the future, allow a horse to finish among the last three one day and come out on the following day and win easily, lhe first time an owner is hauled before the stewards of the Canterbury J.C. to explain his horse’s running in any particular race, he has only to refer to Martian’s running in the Great Easter Handicap and Challenge Stakes in order to prove that a horse cannot be relied upon to show the same form two days in succession. A double event tote on the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race, if announced some time before the races are run, would be immensely popular among the betting public. After the success of the double event tote at the Easter Meeting, the Canterbury J.C. should consider the question of making better provision for its patrons at future race meetings, What is required is more room in the vicinity of the totalisator and a quicker method of handling the tickets. The five shilling totahl sator is sure to find its way at all the big race meetings in the future. It has one great drawback, according to the opponents of the totalisator, for it creates too many new bettors. The five shilling totalisator does not interfere with the pound machines in any way, so that being the case, clubs should run it inside and outside, instead of outside only. Quite a large number of people in the inside enclosure would heartily welcome a five shilling machine because they don’t speculate more than five or ten shillings on any race. Huku was a long way from being in form at the Canterbury J.C. Meeting, whilst Scottish Minstrel, after weighing in on the first day, walked off the course lame.

Petrovna is generally stripped in pretty good condition! at Riccarton, but last week she looked better than ever, and although not among the place getters in the Great Easter Handicap, she ran a capital race, and came out on the second day and won the Templeton Handicap in fine style. Kremlin ran two good races in the Great Easter and Templeton Handicaps, getting second in the big race and third in the Templeton. I have heard it said by well-known jockeys that the Great Easter Handicap is one of the hardest races of the year to win on account of the bumping that goes on almost throughout the race. The Grafton—Consistence gelding Blackstone, looks like a big, over-grown colt. He is, however, a fine-looking animal, and gives one the impression that he could carry almost any weight. It is unfortunate for his owners that he is affected in his wind, otherwise he would be just the sort of horse to go on winning races in quick succession. It is currently reported that a firm of bookmakers won a huge stake over the Canterbury J.C. Easter Meeting, and that a man who looks after a number of gee-gees came out with a handsome cut in the spoils. A welsher was nearly getting roughly handled by the crowd at Riccacton. The man got badly hit over the Easter Handicap, and when a small army of youthful punters went to collect their divs, the man, who had taken their halfcrowns, made a bolt from the course. He got among the trees foflowed by a swarm of punters crying “welsher.” After a hunt among the trees the welsher took refuge in a railway carriage where he was captured by two stalwart detectives and safely put inside a cab and taken to Christchurch. A charge of vagrancy is pending. At the conclusion of the Challenge Stakes, a well-known trainer in his usual cheery style, remarked to a high official in the sporting world : “The gallop did him good.” “Gallop be d d,” said the sporting luminary, and the select crowd merely made a faint attempt to keep from chuckling. Stepniak’s progeny kept the Elderslic sire’s name prominently before the public at the Canterbury J.C. Meeting, for Vladimir and Kremlin filled first and tecond places in the Great Easter Handicap, wabia won the Ruseleigh Plate and got second in the Autumn Nursery, Petrovna won the Templeton Handicap. Both Sir J. Clifford and Mr G. G. Stead will be strong in three-year-olds next season. Between them they look like capturing the Classic events for youngsters of that age.

The weights for the Thompson Handicap need very little criticism, barring one blot. The handicapper has done his work well, but he will be very lucky indeed if he gets a decent field to oppose Martian, who seems to have the race at his mercy after his brilliant running in the Challenge Stakes. Martian should win the Thompson Handicap just as easily as he won the Challenge Stakes. In! the event of Martian being reserved for the North Island Challenge Stakes, Grand Rapids, Starshoot and Regulation may fill the places in! the Thompson Handicap. At a sale of horses at Tattersall’s, on Wednesday last, the following were among the sales effected Welbeck, Mr John Buckley, 350 gs ; Delarey, Mr Nelligon, !70gs ; Slow Tom, Mr F. Holmes, i2ogs ; Pallas, Mr J. McKenzie, 250 gs ; Prince Boris, Mr W. H. Woodroffe, 90gs ; Master Alix, Mr C. H. Gorton, I2sgs ; Currassow, Mr J. Warren, I9gs. Canteen and Vladimir will take part at the Wellington Meeting, and are booked to leave this week. Petrovna and Ailsa will also race at Wellington before returning to Dunedin. Sir G. Clifford scratched all his horses for the Handicap event on the first day of the Wellington Meeting, being dissatisfied with the handicaps. Cannie Chiel, Treadmill, Brave Heart and Signalman will go to Wellington, Treadmill being the stable’s representative in the North Island Challenge Stakes. Welbeck’s new owner will keep the horse in training, and if he goes on all right will give him a run shortly. After leaving the race track, Welbeck will be taken to Oamaru, where he might undertake stud duties. The sporting writer of the Canterbury “Times,” who is not afraid to hit out strongly when there is anything worth hitting at, has a little to say about Martian’s running at Riccarton last week. In maisy ways it is to be regretted that some notice was not taken by the stewards by the reversal of form on the part of Martian. We are quite prepared to believe that Mr Stead was as much surprised as anyone at the poor showing in the Great Easter Handicap, but for which there may have been plenty of reasonable excuses, but at the same time it would have been more satisfactory had some official explanation been made to account for the difference in the form on the two days. As it is, however, the Martian incident is likely to increase ini and out running, as it suggests that the stewards of the Canterbury J.C. will not take any notice of reversals of form, no matter how clear they may be. For this reason quite apart from any desire to account for Martian’s poor display in the Great Easter Handicap, we regret that no explanation was forthcoming after the Challenge Stakes, and so say all of us.