CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 812, 28 September 1905, Page 8

CANTERBURY.

' Christchurch, September 27. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Association, held last Wednesday, the president had a satisfactory tale of progress to tell. During the past year two new clubs, one at Winton, in Southland, and the other at Charleston, on the west coast of the South Island, wore affiliated to the Association, and the Waimangaroa Club, also a West Coast organisation, has recently joined. There has been a marked falling off in the number of protests and appeals, which it is hoped indicates that followers of sport are becoming better acquainted with the rules. Three appeals from the decision of the stewards were adjudicated on, and two upheld and the other dismissed. Two cases of ringing in were dealt with, one being the Miss Wilmington case, in connection with which the Association has placed on record its appreciation of the manner in which the Auckland club conducted the inquiry. The financial position of the Association is sound, and with one or two exceptions all sources of revenue showed an increase. The manner in which the sport is growing may be gathered from the fact that the registration fees totalled £205 as against £lO7 for tl: previous season, and the licenses issued for riders, drivers, and trainers numbered 1744, an increase of 328. The annual election of members of the Association resulted in Messrs. J. H. Pollock and C. F. Mark being returned unopposed for the North Island, and Messrs. P. Selig, A. L. Myers, W. Garrard, C. S. Howell, W. Hayward, T. Marr and E. Clarkson being elected for the South Island. The last-named tied with, the Hon. H. Gourley, and was chosen by ballot of members. By the way, the Auckland Club forw irded for approval at this meeting progi amines of its spring and summer fixtures. The former was passed, but the latter was held over, as the rules provide that before the programme can be passed the balance-sheet of the preceding meeting must be read. While on trotting matters I may remark that “ Pentagraph” this week publishes his annual budget of figures dealing with the past season. The list of winning owners is headed by Mr. J. A. Buckland, whose horses have won £lOO6 10s, this being the first time in the colony that the thousand mark has been reached. Then follow Messrs. J. Case, £903; B. Edwards, £721; M. Edwards, £563; L. Robertson, £531; J. S. August, £504; D. Wilkie, £453, F. H. Kidder, £431; J. Brankin, £425; J. Smithers. £372; N. Price, £316; J. Greaney, £302.

The horse that won the most money was Euchre, whose winnings totalled £453, the next big winners being:—Specialist, £381; Vickery, £372; Durbar, £340; Verity, £301; McKinley, £283; and Monte Carlo, £277. In the present unsettled state of the weather the lot of Riccarton trainers is anything but a happy one. Rain fell piactically without intermission for four days at the end of last week, and though drying winds have been blowing since Sunday, the prospects are anything but blight at present. Training operations last week were stopped completely, and those trainers with horses engaged at Geraldine wore anything but cheerful looks. If the weather holds up, the South Canterbury fixture, which takes place on Thursday and Friday, promises to be a pleasant reunion. In the Geraldine Cup I like Golden Knight, provided the going is not heavy, while in the Squatters’ Handicap Boscastle reads well, as does Tessera in the Flying. I understand that Cuneiform is under orders to leave for Hawke’s Bay to-mor-row to fulfil his engagement in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. The son of Multiform and Bluefire should be hard to beat in that race.

Nominations for the principal events at

the New Zealand Cup meeting closed on Saturday, and the list is very satisfactory. For the Juvenile Plate there are 31 entries, Metropolitan Handicap 35, Jockey Club ""Handicap 46, Members’ Handicap 42, Canterbury Cup 14, Stewards' Handicap 39, and Jubilee Cup 20. Those entered for the Stewards’ Handicap include the best sprinters in the colony, among the number being Machine Gun, who is also entered in the Jubilee Cup. The names of Mahutonga, Achilles, Paritutu, Ghoorka, Exmoor, Red Gauntlet, Kremlin, Vladimir, togethei' with representatives from the Yaldhurst and Chokebore stables, figure in the lists, and there should be some very good racing at Riccarton in November.

Punters who like to get in early have already commenced operations on the Cup and Stewards’ double, and the business reported shows 1000 to 6 Melodeon and Crichton, 1000 to 5 Noctuiform and Jolly Friar, 500 to 5 Mahutonga and Crichton, Nightfall and Master Alix, and Nightfall and Ailsa. For the Cup Nightfall and Noctuiform are quoted at 7 to 1, but the backer who would taka that price about the latter must be a very rash person.