CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 842, 26 April 1906, Page 7

CANTERBURY.

Christchurch, April 25

Electric trams were running to the Riccarton Racecourse for the C.J.C. Autumn Meeting. The service was not complete, but will be in full working order by the time the Grand National Meeting comes round. Mr. G. G. Stead failed to wirr a race last week, likewise his head jockey, L. H. Hewitt. Eurus was the best of the hurdle-racers seen out. After his lengthy spell he performed very well indeed, and with the attention he is bound to receive, this big son of Euroclydon should win an important jumping contest this winter. Kirriemuir is easily the champion two-year-old of the season. Her win in the Champagne Stakes, considering her trainer had not been able to give her a proper preparation, was a decidedly meritorious one, and stamps her as a filly of the highest class. Huascar, a big son of Hotchkiss, was expected to beat Kirriemuir in the Champagne Stakes, but although he got a bad passage I do not think he could have beaten the filly under any circumstances. Kirriemuir has now beaten Huascar fairly and squarely at . Riccarton and Ellerslie under equal and would do so again. Matuku was bought in for after winning the Gimcrack Stakes. The Gold Reef mare won in easy style, jumping away with the lead and never giving her opponents a chance. After watching the riding of various jockeys during the Easter Carnival, I am emphatically of opinion that C. Jenkins stood out an easy first. His riding of Achilles in the Challenge was a masterful piece of work, and he simply outgeneralled Hewitt. Again, on Boomerang in the Great Autumn, Jenkins was seen at his best, and there is little doubt that as a horseman he is entitled to first place in the colony.

The five-year-old mare Bagpipes, by Gipsy Grand —Reel, was sold on Wednesday to McLachlan for 56 guineas. On the same day .Handel, a chestnut gelding by Medallion—Choir Girl, was sold to Mr. Montgomery, an Australian buyer, for 41 guineas.

Cross Battery’s record is three firsts and one second out of four starts. She is a beautiful filly, and is every inch a racer. When the weights appeared fo’- the Great Easter I selected Munjeet and Cross Battery, but on the day of the race I pinned mv faith to the latter, who certainly beat Mr. Stead’s filly in points. In Cross Batterv Mr. J. C. N. Grigg has a filly second only to Isolt, and there are not a few racing men who are firmly of opinion that Cross Battery will stretch the Yaldhurst flier the first time they meet. It is many years since Murray Hobbs had such a fine team as he has in his stable just now. Cross Battery is the best, but Tvanoff, Franc, Field Gun, and Aimee Soult all promise to turn out useful.

Dunedin owners usually score well at th" C.J.C. Easter meeting, but this year ‘‘they failed to get a winning bracket. The Hon. G. McLean’s horses —Appollodoris, Sychem, Sonia and Notu- —all failed to get a place, while Mr. Buckley was equally unlucky, neither Convoy or Lady

Landon gaining a place. Red Gauntlet ran the best of the Southern contingent, his second to Signalman in the Templeton being his best performance.

Starshoot, Boomerang and Cross Battery were voted the three best-trained horses seen out last week. The two named were looking in perfect condition, and were very little distressed after their races. Starshoot ran two good races in the Easter and Autumn Handicaps, and with better luck might have been closer up to the winners. He was unlucky at the start of both races, getting away badly each time.

Boomerang had the Great Autumn won after going a mile, and finished up his task like the stayer he undoubtedly is. It is very pleasing to see Mr. E. J. Watt meeting with success with his Merriwee stock, as he usually accords his patronage to the big meetings held by the C.J.C. It will be interesting to see what he has reserved for the next New Zealand Cup. The outstanding feature of the racing at Riccarton was the success of Sir G. Clifford’s horses, who won between them exactly in stake money. Kirriemuir, Signalman, Stratagem and Chryseis each won a race. In order to make room for the yearlings, Stronghold, Chryseis, Cannie Chiel, De Witte, Pretty Face, Golden Vein and Bonnie are for private sale.

Mr. Mat Barnett, the well-known penciller, is still in Sydney enjoying himself holiday-making. Cross Battery (Stepniak—Firecross) was bought at the sale of the Elderslie yearlings by the present owner for 90 guineas. Mr. Stead has sold Savoury to Mr. D. J. Price, who will take the son of Simmer and Melodia to Sydney after the Wellington meeting. Savoury’s best performance was in the Members’ Handicap at the C.J.C. Spring Meeting two years ago.

Yet another of the Yaldhurst horses was sold last week, Equiform, the two-year-old colt by Multiform —St essa, being purchased on behalf of A. West’s stable at Caulfield. The price was, I hear, somewhere in the vicinity of four figures.

The Stepniak —La Reine two-year-old filly and the three-year-old colt Handel, by Medallion —Cho’r Girl, were also bought by the same buyer, and will go over to Australia in company with Equiform this week.

Signalman is favourite in Christchurch for the Thompson Handicap, while Delaware and King Billy have more supporters than the rest of the field. Ailsa and Glenowlet are about equal favourites for the Railway Handicap. Isolt, who came down from Auckland to Wellington after winning the Northern Oaks, lc<ks to have the St. Leger Stakes at her mercy. Whether she will meet Achilles in the North Island Challenge Stakes remains to be seen. If the pair meet I shall select Isolt, whom I believe the finest mare ever bred in New Zealand, to win. Czarevna is in capital fettle, and if started in the Waiwetu Handicap should about win.

Starshoot was bought by Mr. J. M. Buckley during the progress of the Canterbury meeting, and will run in his new owner’s name in the Thompson Handicap. The same owner also bought Ability, ' whose special mission in the future well be hurdle-racing. Ability is a finished jumper, and as he is gifted with plenty of pace he should do well over the sticks this winter. Ability was sold for and Starshoot for Slow Tom, who ran somewhat greenly in the Peerswick Hurdles, will be giver) a run at Wellington, but I do not expect to see him show his best form. Makaroff has been purchased by Mr. W. O. Rutherford, and will be given a short spell before being asked to race again. So far, Makaroff has proved an expensive horse to many backers. Signalman, Clanchattan, Snowstell and Glenowlet have been entered for the principal events at the Hawke’s Bay Autumn Meeting, and will, I hear, take part at the meeting. Highland Fling has gone North, and will be a competitor at the Marlborough Club’s meeting. This club, by the way, has received Excellent entries, especially in the hack events, and there is every promise of a highly successful meeting. D. McMoraghan will prepare Convoy, Ability, Lee-Enfield and Phaetonitis for their winter engagements. It is quite probab'e the quartette will take part at some of the North Island meetings durinn Mav and June. T. Cotton jun., who has arrived at Riccarton with the view to taking up his residence there, brought the three-year-old colt S’lkweb, by Soult—Cobweb, from Auckland.

The Christchurch Racing Club has received very fair nominations for its Autumn Meeting. Chivalry and Tirole, who have not raced for some time, are among the entries for the two princioal events. Turning to the race between Achilles

a n d~Parrftiain in the Fourteenth Challenge Stakes, Achilles may be said to have run the most brilliant race of his career. It was indeed a magnificent achievement, as the time, 1.27, (a record for the race), denotes. If Achilles never wins another his great performance at Riccarton on Easter Tuesday will long remain in the memories of those who witnessed it. Achilles was timed by private watches to do the last six furlongs in i.i2f, a sensational time certainly, but there is no doubt that both he and Porcelain were going at a terrific bat after the first furlong, and it is not too much. to say that the time was correct. Achilles carried 9.8, and Porcelain 8.1, and when the pair meet again there is certain to be a great fight.