CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 916, 26 September 1907, Page 6

CANTERBURY.

Favourites for Stewards’ Handicap— Boniform—Backing the Stake-—Astra-Chan Backed for the Cup—Favourites for Cup—Harvest—Buccleuch—Geraldine Tips— C 'f or Stew!airds’ f 1 — J 't’aplii&d, Bonny Glen—Cross Battery.

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 25. The weights for the Stewards’ Handicap will be declared on October 4. .Most ,of the best sprinters in the country are engaged; at present the favourites are All Red, Lupulite, Fireiron, Munjeet and Full Rate. As Boniform has been nominated for the Jubilee and Canterbury Cups his breakdown in Sydney cannot be of a very serious nature. Local bookmakers were flooded with backers anxious to back The Stake when he won at Rangitikei; one bookmaker informed me that it was the hottest thing he had to face

for some time. Some backers were asking who The Stake was, they had never heard of him, but when the news was flashed round that he was on it, very much on it, they simply followed the crowd and backed the good thing. Stake your money on The Stake, was the gag around town on Wednesday last; quite a number of “ dry” bettors won a royal stake. The next payment for the -NiZ. Gup is due on October 18. Astrachan was backed for the Cup a few days ago, the money I believe being secured by patrons of the stable. Astrachan, who. is a five-year-old chestnut horse by Stepniak —lrene, was seen out thirteen times last season, his record being 3 wins, 4 seconds, and 6 times unplaced, his best performance was - in the Provincial Handicap; one, mile and aquarter, at. Dunedin, which he won in fine style from a fair field. Master Delaval is nominal favourite for the Cup at seven to-one; Elevation and Seal Rock are quoted at a point longer; while Armistice, in consequence of her. attractive work at Wanganui, has hardened during the week, the best price obtainable about her being ten to one. Seaman is quoted at ten to one, Zimmerman is at .twelves. .. < . . Harvest, who has been shaping well in his Cup preparation, will, I understand, be given a run at Geraldine this week; he is' looking in first rate fettle, and so far has done all that his trainer has asked of him to ’ do. Buccleuch, whom most sporting writers have publicly declared is not likely to stand a Cup preparation, is going along satisfactorily in his work at Riccarton. The big son of Benzoin is just the stamp of horse for a two-mile race, and providing he keeps sound, which his trainer believes is more than likely, he will be one of the hardest to beat. Racing at Geraldine bn Thursday and Friday, the following are likely to run well on the first day: Hunters Hurdles, Crispinot; Squatter Handicap, Replete; Geraldine Cup, Fandango; Hack Handicap, The Libyan; Belfield Handicap, Blythemaid. Three N.Z. Cup horses, Harvest, Fandango, and Outlander,, and seveeral Stewards’ Handicap candidates, including Medallist, Replete, Czar Kolohol, and Silkweb will be racing at Geraldine this week.

Bobrikoff is probably the only unknown horse in the Stewards’ Handicap; he is a three-year-old gelding by Finland —Gossip, belonging to T. H. Lowry, of Hawke’s Bay. Some well-informed backers are selecting Huascar as a likely winner

of the Stewards’ Handicap; this horse has only won one race, the Juvenile Plate at Riccarton last November. He ran in the Jockey Club and Members’ Handicap, carrying 7.9 and 7.7, but was never prominent in either race. In company with Munjeet and one or two others from Yaldhurst, Huascar has been to Riccarton a few times lately, but he has never been let out. Neither Waitapu, ' Signe#; Chat- ’ ' terer, Outlander, or Maharanui have been entered for ’ the big handicap events at the Cup meeting; this does seem to indicate that they are going to start in the Cup. From a private source I learn that the Waitara-owned Cup horse starina, is, all going well, with him, a certain starter in the Cup. The son of Daystar was a little sore a fortnight ago, but is now well, enough to be.able. to. take...part in a race over a mile course, he will be seen out at the Hawke’s Bay meeting next week. ... . • , .• c . Lapland and Bonny Glen are in .L daily attendance at Riccarton;.- this, pair have been freely entered for

Cross Battery ran a fast half-mile the other morning in company with Sea King, in the presence of her owner. The mare appears to be sound enough, but it must be remembered that she has failed to stand the winding up process. for more than one race.