CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 827, 11 January 1906, Page 9

CANTERBURY.

Christchurch, January 10.

Martian wili be a certain starter m the Wellington Cup, which promises to be an interesting race this year. With such three well-performed horses as N ghtfall, Martian, and Achilles in the race there is every prospect of a big fight. I hear that Mart.an is in bettei- form than when he raced at Manawatu, and if this proves to be true he will be a hard horse to beat. Glenowlet and Clanchattan are the only sound members of Sir G. Clifford’s team which took part at the Auckland summer meeting. To lose the services of two such fine animals as Quarryman and Kirriemuir right in the middle of the racing year is indeed a bad stroke of luck.

Bookmakers are again in trouble. This time w th the South Canterbury Jockey Club, which intends to take action against a numbei’ of fielders for trespassing on the club’s course at the summer meeting. Nightfall having been selected as the Yaldhurst representat've in the Wellington Cup, is favourite for the race. Makaroff has also a large following. I The handicaps allotted to more than one Canterbury horse at the Auckland summer meeting has come in for some pretty severe criticism. Huascar’s we ght (10.3) in the M dsumnier Handicap was probably the worst blot in connection with the two-year-old events, and t is not at all surprising that Mr. Stead dec ded not to start his colt. Huascar s not by any means a champion, and if he is capabe of giving Auckland two-year-olds such a big amount of weight then they must be a very mediocre lot ndeed. Krriemuir’s mishap in Auckland will probably deprive Sir G. Clifford of the filly’s serv ces for the remainder of the season. The extent of the 'filly’s injuries is not known at present, but Cutts hopes to get her we 1 before the rich class’c races in the autumn are run.

Canterbury owners had a successful time at the West Coast meetings. Speculate. Ability Lees’de, Royal Crown, and Quickfire all won races, but dividends, with the exception of those paid by Ability, were small. . Ability won two of the principal handicaps, and the popular Christchurch auctioneer who races under the name of “ Mr. .Grantley” was heartily congratulated by his friends. Ability owed Mr. Grantley a long-overdue win, but if the latter participated to any extent ’n the £5 17s arid £3 dividends paid by Ability, he would have a substantial amount to the credit of

his racing account n the new year. The Hororata Racing Club will hold its annua, races on Thursday. There are fa r fields in every event, and a good day’s sport is looked forward to. The following are likely w nners: — Bangor Plate, Petrovna; Farmers’ Plate, Count Gorton; Cup, Hilarity; Flying Hack, Count Lochiel; Welter, Farley Grove; Haddon Stakes, Hilarity or Alex's. The rules governing d’vidends on the classic races he'd by the Auckland Racing Club are in urgent need of being amended. It seems absurd to pay three dividends in a four-horse race, but such a sorry state of affairs took place in the Royal Stakes. Backers of Cun eform were loud in their expressions of disappointment over such a ridiculous rule when they discovered that they were only getting twentythree shillings. Most backers were unaware of the cond’t’ons governing the race, and expected a much larger dividend. I hear that several members of the Canterbury Jockey Club intend accepting the invitation of the Wellington Rac'ng Club to be present at the open’ng of the club’s course at Trentham.