INTER – PROVINCIAL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 935, 6 February 1908, Page 6

INTER - PROVINCIAL.

(From Our Own Correspondents.) CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH, February 5. The Middle Park Plate, the classic event of the Canterbury J.C. Summer Meeting, will be run on Saturday next, when Fleetfoot and Armlet will again try conclusions. Two highly tried performers in Sung.ow and Husbandman will probably oppose the two. cracks. Sunglow is a two-year-old filly by Multiform — Otterden, and Husbandman is a col of the same age, by Treadmill —Golden Va e. Both are reported to be above the ordinary, and if this turns out to be correct, F eetfoot and Armlet will be kept busy in Sa - urday’s race. Murray Hobbs, the well-known owna and trainer intends leaving for Eng and shortly. ’ His racing stock, gear, etc,, will be sold by public auction. Aime"> Soult and some we 1 bred youngsters wi i be among the lots to be offered. There are sixty-three nomination for the Great Easter Handicap, and forty for the Great Autumn. Quality is we 1 rep- e sented in both races, sudft high-class performers as Miltiford, Zimmerman, Fu 1 Rate. Dusky Morn, King Billy, Marguerite, Gold Crest, Glenculleoch and Elevation being entered in the Great Easter Handicap ; while several good ones figure in he longer race.

On Saturday morning F’eetfoot was well beaten by Husbandman in a gal 1 op over six furlongs, the time recorded being imin 17 2-ssec. ' The champion filly is reported to be a bit off colour and has not been showing her usual dash since her return from the victories up North. Moscow and Vasa, in charge of A. Shearsley, arrived from the North Is’nnd on Saturday morning. The pair are both engaged at the Canterbury Summer Meet ing this week. GoMen Way, Spinning Flight, and Dabchick will represent the Ashburton sportsman, J. C. N. Grigg, at the Summer Meeting at Riccarton. The trio have been doing good work since their arrival from Ashburton.

Dabchick, who is engaged in the two-year-old events has been showing up particularly well in gallops up to and including five furlongs.

The West Coast horse Freeland, has come over to run in the Midsummer Handicap. In a gallop on Saturday morning with Lapland Freeland was badly beaten over a m le and a quarter, taking 2min jysec. Somaroff joined the pair at the mi e post. Lapland showed up best and is evidently in his bes. form just now. Saga wi 1, bar accidents-, be a certain starter in the Midsummer Handicap. This mare ran in the New Zealand Cup, but was never prominent- She subsequently won the Otaio Plate, a mile and a half, beating among others Sc. Joe, who was second, and Paritutu. Saga has been racing a 10. at the North Island meetings since the Cup Meeting, but has not been running we 1. At last year’js Summer Meeting, Aeolus was the only North Islander competing, winning the Craven Plate and Final Handicap. This year three North Islanders, Saga, Moscow and Nasa will be competing. Whirlwind, who has been off the race tracks for a couple of seasons, appears sti 1 to retain her dash. The other morning she ran a fast five furlongs, and if she keeps sound should soon win a race. St. Joe has been set to carry lost z!b in the Hobart Cup. a stone more than his connections expected him to receive. Leeside has been set the steadier of i2st i2lb in the Hurdle Handicap. The two New Zealanders have been set very severe tasks, the handicapper evidently holding the opinion that St. Joe and Leeside are a pair of champions. There must be ,-a very poor lot of horses in Tasmania when two such moderate performers as St. Joe and Leeside are set to carry .such heavyimposts. Artel erie has been scratched for the Filly Stakes to be run on Thursday. Paragon is an unlikely starter in the Midsummer Handicap. The latter’s track work lately shows that the horse is backward in condition.

Several Christchurch racing enthusiasts who attended the Wellngton Cup Mee ing at the invitation of the We lington Racing Club were loud in their praise of the hospitable treatment they received at 'he hands of the Club’s officials. The Club was, I am told, lavish in its treatment to visi ors and distributed complimentary tickets, ladies’ tickets, and luncheon tickets, etc., in all directions. I wonder how many pressmen get adies’ tickets and free lunch at the expense ol the Canterbury Jockey Club and it wou’d be greatly interesting to know the number. It is a recognised fact that North Island. Racng Clubs are far more liberal to visitors and pressmen genera ly than South Island dubs. . The North Island mare Lady Disdain is now in G. J. Pine’s stable. She is engaged in the Linwood Welter, run on Saturday net. Medallist has been galloping in his best style during the week and should not be long before he wins a race. Severa horses that raced a' Wellington including Lapland, Saga, The Libyan, Medallist. Suttee, De Wife, Fleetfoot, Armlet, Moscow, Sir Arte’gal and Red Rain, will be among those racing at Riccarton this week.

Among horses that have been response ble for some good gaTops during the week are Lapland, Southern Cross, Sir Artegal, Highland Reel. Husbandman, Badchick and Gold Beater. Buccleugh, who went to pieces while being wound up for the last New Zealand Cup and who has not won a race since. has been entered for both the big Autumn Handicaps. Bucc’eugh is not a mile and a half horse, and it seems a pity that he is not kept at shorter distances. Up to a mile he is a brilliant performer.