INTER – PROVINCIAL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 932, 16 January 1908, Page 7

INTER - PROVINCIAL.

(From Our Own Correspondents.) CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH, January 15. Lapland, who ran third in the last New Zealand Cup, Has not raced since. He will fie a starter in the Wellington Cup. He has been doing good work at Riccarton during the past week or two, and ishould strip in his best form at Trentham. Helianthes was also taken up to Wellington, the pair being in charge of Dan Roberts. Petrovna, who has scored at previous Wellington meetings, Clanchattan, who won a race at the Auckland summer meeting, Sea King Sant Rosal eer, and Sir Artegal, a promising juvenile, are also going up, and between them should account for some of the spare Wellington bullion. Boni form was not, as was generally expected by those people who profess to know everything that goes on in certain racing stables, left in the Wellington Cup. The Northern Derby winner looked to have an excellent chance in this race, and he was favourite in all the doubles. When will backers leave the Yaldhurst horses alone in handicap races until the day of the race ? Bonny Glen, who nas been in active training for some weeks and taken part in some severe contests is having a spell. Suttee a filly by the Government sire Tyranny, is the first of his sires get to race in New Zealand. That the filly is smart is shown by the fact that she has lately, won six races. That speedy mare Cross Battery will be given a chance to regain some of her lost laurels at the Wellington meeting No mare of recent years has put up such fast gallops in private, as Cross Battery, but when it comes to racing in public she seems to go all to pieces. At the Cup meeting also at Dunedin she let her connections down badly, and it is quite time she made amends for some 01 her recent failures, when carrying good gold. : Medallist is. once again bowling

along in his best style. I cannot understand, after his good form, early in December, how this horse failed to show up more prominently than he did during his Northern trip. He is certainly worth ticking off for a good race in the near future. The Grafton mare Mary of Argyle, who ran unsuccessfully at the Cup meeting, is again in active work, as also are Don Orsino Volodia, Hilarity, The Libyan, Gypsobel, Tremulous, Aimee Soult, Sea King, and Pas Seul. Perhaps the two most disappointing mares racing down this way this season are Cross Battery and Pas Seul. They have both failed to win when their owners thought highly of their chances, and unless they come to light shortly will prove somewhat costly to keep going. Mr. W. J. Clay, the owner of St. Joe, has gone over to Tasmania to see his horse run in the Hobart Cup. Sir Geo. Clifford will be represented by a strong team at the Wellington meeting. Clancnattan, Red Rain. Fleetfoot, Stratagem, Sister Anne, De Witte and Cockleshell will comprise the team. Between rhem they should capture some of the stake money. Fleetfoot will pronably prove the most successful memoer of the team, but Stratagem should go near winning a good handicap event. Entries for the principal events to be decided at the C.J.C. summer meeting close on Friday next. The two big autumn handicaps—the Easter and Great Autumn —are each worth lOOOsovs this year. Entries close on January 31. A fair amount of business has been done on the Wellington Cup double — Cup and Telegraph Handicap. Prior to the acceptances, Boniform was a strong favourite for the Cup. Since the formation of a Pony and Galloway Club at Wellington, inquiries have been made for ponies in the Ashburton district. Some years back this part of Canterbury produced a number of smart ponies, and there is no reason why some cannot be found in the district to-day. A number of prominent racing men have accepted the invitation to be present at the Wellington summer meeting. This club, through its president. Mr. J. B. Harcourt, has been noted for his liberality in the past in extending invitations to outslders Fleetfoot and Armiet are likely to meet in the Wellington Stakes, to be run on Wednesday next. The former has beaten the Menschikoff filly three times in succession over five furlongs and upwards, and is, I think, the better filly.

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, January 14. Trentham is at present the location of a very large number of trainers and their charges. Although a number of extra loose boxes have recently been erected, the accommodation has not proved up to requirements, and in numerous instances, pr.vate quarters have been utilised. The number of horses at present housed at Trentham greatly exceeds those of any previous race meeting, and under such circumstances a most successful race gathering seems assured. E. Cutts and Son, who had the care of Sir Geo. Clifford’s respective strings at Manawatu and Ellerslie, have now settled down at Trentham and further reinforcements from the same stable are due to arrive from Riccarton, mak ng in all eight horses that will assist at the W.R.C. Summer Meeting in Sir Geo. Clifford’s colours. R. J. Mason, on his arrival from Auckland, disembarked the filly Armlet, and in charge of W. Holmes, sent her to Trentham to await his return from Yaldhurst with Mr Stead’s Cup candidate. Boniform was taken south, his mentor explaining that he preferred to exercise him on the Yaldhurst p 7 oughed gallop, pending a decision being arrived at as to his starting for the Wellington Cup, but has since been scratched. Gold Braid, the other Yaldhurst representative has, according to Mason, been kept up to the collar in view of the Wellington meeting.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond’s trainer, S. Waddel', has engaged ten boxes, and evidently purposes bringing a fairly numerous team. Rumour has it that Sir Tristram will represent Mr Ormond in the Cup, th’s notwithstanding that Zimmerman has been sorted out as one of the pick of the Cup Handicap, by those who saw him race at Ellerslie. A local turf scribe, however, points out that many horses, have, in the past, prevailed with heavy impost on the Ellers’ie course, and have later ignominously failed with more lenient imposts on other racecourses. This he attributes to the fact that the concluding portion of the. Ellerslie course is slightly down hill. Heavily weighted horses a"e thus enabled to ease their tightened muscles whilst discending the incline, and are ready to respond to final chal'enges when tack'ed in the last stages of the contest.

F. Tilly has elected to be represented in the Wellington Cup by Apa. This horse ran second to Achilles las year, carrying yst ilb, and although he failed to distinguish himself in the Auckland Cup, he may prove more serviceable to his party over the We lington Cup d stance. His second to Master Delaval for the C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap is worth bearing in mind. Sir Frisco, run-ner-up to Elevation for the Palmerston Stakes, will accompany Apa, and may take, a hand in the Telegraph Handicap, in which he has a handy impost. Motukawa, a ma'den 4-year-old son of Waiuku, and Paone, a two-year-o'd fi ly by Stepniak-Armigera, complete the Forde 1 team. J. Prosser (who is about again after being la d aside through indisposition), will arrive at Trentham on Monday with a sumewhat numerous team. All Red, William, Swimming Bel?, Gauge, Atuahua, Playmate, and a coup'e of Stepniak two-year-o’ds, constitute the list of Prosser’s charges; one of the latter a colt by Stepniak. Tortulla is mentioned as one that will s and any amount of scrutiny. The stable will miss the services of C. Jenkins during the meeting. The latter, however, has been located at Porirua for some time, and the schooling he has given some of the younger animals will have asserted them in the art of ga’loping. R. Gooseman, E. J. Rae, F. Davis, and T. Quinliven, are expected on Tuesday with the Hawke’s Bay representatives, and when the balance of the Canterbury horses put in an appearance, Trentham should bear a lively appearance. The local trainers have their horses engaged to their full strength, but unfortunately local owners are poor’y represented in the matter of class. Some cf the local racing stables badly want replenishing. There are too many “ has beens ” devouring valuab’e fodder, that would be better expended on younger animals. Ba’larat lasts well and may pay her way during the season. J. Lowe hase realised that Aeolus has not yet recovered from the exertions of undergoing a New Zealand Cup preparation, and it is reporfeci that the son of Euroclydon will not be saddled up during the meeting—-(quite a number of horses are yearly ruined by the N.Z. Cup p eparat?ons). Some of Lowe’s lesser lights may be given a run, bu? the travelling and knocking about they have recent y received may not have improved them. A fairly large contingent of horses are expec ed from Wairarapa, including Riflema'd, Gawain, Full Rate, Molock, Sunbonnet, San Julie, Lochilia, Russley Maid and Gravitation. The latter claims an engagement in the We.lington Stakes for which race h ; s relative Elevation was unlucky enough to be defeated by Gu'dwife last year. The terms offered the bookmakers by the Wellington Racing Club have been well received by the Metalliceans,, and if rumour speaks correctly, there will be somewhere between thirty and forty bookmakers lay ng the odds at Threntham. The club are, I understand, prepared to issue licenses to as many as make applications accompanied by the stipulated fees, leaving the backers 'o choose for themselves fcr ;! e irre'ing.

HAWKE’S BAYNAPIER, January 15. At the monthly meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Metropolitan Committee, the Petane Racing Club reported the riding of E. Wil is in the Eskdale Handicap. Wil is appeared before the commi tee and it was decided to defer the matter tll the next meeting, when the owner and r’-der of the second horse, and a representat ve of the Petane Club, be asked to attend, Willis’s license to be suspended in he meantime. A jockey who broke an engagement to ride for V. H. Ccllelo. was ordered to attend the next meeting. A comp aint from C. Suff regarding riding in the Fly : ng Handicap at the Tekaraka_ Racing Club’s meeting, was he d over until further particulars are obtained from the club. The programme of he Woodville Jockey Club’s meeting on February 19th and 20th, with stakes amounting to was approved.

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club Committee met yesterday. The resignation of Mr J. Lopdell, as clerk of the course, was received w’th regret and a bonus of 25 guineas was voted Mr Lopdell for his services. Mr A. P. O’Dowd was appointed to fir the vacancy. Two le'ters were received, the writers claiming to have torn totalisator tickets on Chicane. The secretary reported only one t'cket as outstanding; the amount to be paid providing the two claimants agree as to division. It was decided that in future no application for d’vidends be entertained unless the torn parts of the to'.alisator tickets are produced. A complaint was received that a bet had been made with a bookmakers on Robin Link in the Flying Hack Handicap, and that the bookmaker refused to pay, on the ground tha< the bet was entered under the head ng of Rose’ethe in h's book. Reso ved that the committee refuse to adjudicate in disputes between bookmakers and clients. A request made by P. J. Brier’y that licenses to certa'n bookmakers who had not paid past accounts, be refused, is to be forwarded to the Hon. Dr Findlay. An interim balance sheet of the Summer Meeting showed a surplus of Sir W. R. Russell and Messrs E. J. Wat! and J. E. Mclvor were appointed to report on the condition of the second stand and improvements to weighing room and casualty ward.

After many years riding, it is hard for a jockey to relinquish the saddle and view the races from the grandstand. Apparently this is so with that capable horseman Percy Johnson who. a couple of years back resigned his posit’on in the saddle to the younger fry, and took up training. Luck has not favoured Johnson too wel', and no doubt he thinks he can do bet'er by returning to his old game. During his career, Johnson has ridden in most of the big cross-country even's in the Dom’nion, and has many wins to his credit. Possibly we shall see him again mounted in the forthcoming steeplechase events.