CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 868, 25 October 1906, Page 9

CANTERBURY.

CHRISTCHURCH, October 24. Sixteen horses are still left in the New Zealand Cup and 24 in the Stewards’ Handicap. Paritutu is a firm favourite for the New Zealand Cup at 4 to 1, Multifid is quoted at 5 to 1, and Armistice at 6 to 1. There are rumours about town to-day that Armistice is not as well as she might be, but her backers are not inclined to show the white feather, and the mare still remains, firm in the betting. Investors should bear in mind that no investments for the double —New Zealand Cup and Stewards’ Handicap —will be accepted on Saturday, November 3. Final payments for the New Zealand Cup (lOsovs), Welcome Stakes (lOsovs), Derby Stakes (15sovs), and Oats Stakes (Bsovs) must be made on Wednesday next L. H. Hewitt, who rode Maximise to victory in the Epsom Handicap and Solution in the Metropolitan, returned to Christchurch on Friday last. In the event of Hewitt not going over to ride Solution in the Melbourne Cup he will be see nup on Multifid in the New Zealand Cup and Munjeet in the Stewards’ Handicap. Chivalry, who was one of the fancied candidates for the Stewards’ Handicap, did not stay long at Riccarton, as he was sent back to Sydney by Friday’s boat. The C.J,C. has received record entries for the minor events to be decided at the Cup meeting. Two Wairarapa representatives, Declination and Elevation, at the Cup meeting arrived at Riccarton on Sat-

urday last. The former, 10 my mmu, has an excellent chance 01 winning the Stewards’ Handicap. The well-known handicapper, Mr. J. E. Henrys, was warmly congratulated on his clever adjustments at the North Otago meeting. The general opinion among shrewd sporting men in Christchurch is that the Hon. J. D. Ormond made a mistake in not allowing Zimmerman to remain in the New Zealand Cup. There is bound to be a fine tussle in the Welcome Stakes this year. Boniform, Cora Prim, Elevation, and Glenculloch have been left in, and it is fully anticipated that a new record for the race will be established. Par Tutu, the favourite for the New Zealand Cup, ran second to Noctuiform in last year’s race, his weight being 7st 121 b. Paritutu is now top weight in this year’s Cup, his weight being Bst 51b. Two New Zealand Cup horses, in Martello and St. Joe, arrived this morning. The former, who is about the most fashionably-bred horse in the Cup, being by Hotchkiss from Rose of Wellington, has come into favour during the past few days. The withdrawal of Boomerang from the Cup, also Gladstone, came somewhat as a surprise to a large section of the sporting public in Christchurch. In last year’s Stewards’ Handicap Master Alix and Munjeet finished second and third to Solution, and the pair are in this year’s race, Munjeet, who was favourite last year, being second favourite this year. Cross Battery is the public idol for this year’s race. The double machine on New Zealand Cup day will be opened on the Cup and Stewards’ Handicap, but no investments will be received from outside on the day the races are run. The favourite for the Stewards’ Handicap, Cross Battery, has been responsible for some smart gallops during the week. It is almost a daily occurrence for the Stepniak mare to leave half a mile behind in less than 50sec. Fit and well on November 31, I do not feel inclined to waste any time looking further for the winner of the Stewards’. Declination cut out a smart gallop this morning, beating Ordnance by six lengths over half a mile, which she ran in 51sec. Owing to the Oamaru and Wellington meetings taking plast last week, very few horses having engagements at the New Zealand Cup meeting were at Riccarton. A good number put in an appearance on Saturday, the batch comprising Lyrist, Wirrall, Golden Gate, Zimmerman, Sir Tristram, Star Rose, Signalman, Clanchattan, Martello, St. Joe. Goldbeater, Mystification, Mungista, De Witte, The Lark, Eona, and Intelligence. There should be some very interesting work at headquarters during the next few days. Multifid and Grenade were in a mile gallop this ' morn Tig, the Cup horse having most to say at the finish, the time registered being Imin 47 l-ssec, which is not called fast, but the gallop showed that Multifid is at least fairly sound. Paritutu and Letherin had a gallop together over a mile and a-quarter this morning, McCluskey being up on

the New Plymouth gelding and Hewitt on the Lethe gelding. The pair kept well together until well into the straight, when Paritutu came away and finished fully eight lengths in front of his companion, the time being 2min 1 4-ssec. The Cup favourite is in splendid fettle, and it is questionable whether he has ever been better than he is to-day. Savoury, who has just come over from Sydney, is reported to have registered a gallop over six furlongs. A few mornigs ago he was sent for a spin over six furlongs, which he left behind in Imin 16sec, finishing strongly. Before returning to New Zealand Savoury ran a good second to Berthier, who subsequently came out and won another big handicap. Savoury is a quiet tip for the Stewards’ Handicap, but I think Cross Battery, Golden Gate and Declination will all beat him. When the weights appeared for the New Zealand Cup I selected Multifid, Armistice and Paritutu as a likely trio to supply the winner, and I can’t find anything in the race to-day that I would name to beat any of the three named above.