CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 942, 26 March 1908, Page 7

CANTERBURY.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. Meetings at Oxford, Methven, and Waimate occupied the attention of racegoers last week, and were well patronised. The Oxford gathering attracted a goodly number from Christchurch, several Riccarton trained horses being among the starters in the various events. . The Australian-bred filly Mythical by Bundook-Myth, who’has been doing good form lately, accounted for a double win at Oxford. She started off by winning the Stewards Handicap, six furlongs, beating Devonia fairly comfortably, Crispinot filling third place. Mythical- carried 10.6, and cut out six furlongs in 1.16 2-ssecs. The Flying Handicap, five furlongs, was won just as easily by the Bundook filly, who with the steadier of 10.8, beat Narrangarie' by three lengths, Ambriscade being third. Ambriscade, who is a three-year-old filly by Stepniak-Ambush, had previously won the Maiden Stakes, beating Ben Fortune, Good-bye, and several others somewhat easily, by half-a-dozen lengths, Ambuscade being third. Ambusare capable of winning in much better company than they met at Oxford. Crespinot, who has been doing a lot of flat racing this season, should be able to hold his own with the hunting brigade when the jumping season comes round. This horse is a fair jumper, and with careful schooling is capable of much improvement. Devonia is still pottering about trying to win some of the stake money on offer at country meetings. She is now six years old and must have proved an expensive animal to those who have had her. In the Oxford Cup she ran unplaced to The Brat, Crespinot and Narrangarie, and seems to have lost whatever pace she once possessed. Ruapehu managed to win one race on the West Coast. On the first day the mare faixed to get a place, but on the second won the Farewell Handicap with 8.8. McCluskey, who went over to ride the mare, returned on Saturday. The Grafton mare Jacker was whispered about town as a fairly sure investment for the Waimate Cup, and as a result, stay-at-home backers got early to work. Jacker was sent out second favourite but failed to gain a place, and also failed to show up in the Stewards Welter, the last race of the day. Jack Ashore, who has been showing fair form lately, ran a fine race in the Waimate Cup, and beat Lady Linton after a ding-dong finish by a neck, Southern Cross being third. Jack Ashore is one of the best of Castashore’s progeny racing. The highly-bred filly Miss Gal, by Stepniak—Tortulla, managed to win a race at Waimate, the Studholme Stakes falling to her, but when brought out again in the Harvest Handicap she failed to get a place, being behind Lady Orizin, Caro, Reigh, and Mango. Miss Gal gave early promise of going out a good one, but her performances have not shown her up in a very bright light. The defunct Benzoin continues to have his name brought before racing men. His stock have nearly all turned out winners even when put to moder-

On any of the Auckland racecourses one is perfectly certain to come across those genial North Shore sportsmen, the Messrs. R. and R. Duder, or Bob and Dick, as they are known to all and sundry. It was away back in the early fifties that their nurse’s troubles started, for the twins were as like as two peas, only more so. Nobody knew which was which, and Bob often got spanked for what Dick had done, so they had to tie coloured labels on the boys, who no doubt got a lot of fun changing them. Then they went to the Auckland Grammar School, which was not then the big concern worthy Mr. Tibbs presides over, and as a natural resu’t when Bob played the wag, Dich was ordered to write a thousand lines or so as punishment, and so it went on. At last Bob went farming, and Dick went in for law. and people had a chance of knowing which was which. Bob was no slouch as a runner, and neither was Dick for thatmatter, but he didn’t get the chances of the jovial Robert. In those days the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club was not the moribund concern it is now, but a highly popular institution whose games were always well attended by everyone who wanted to be considered among the Government House crowd, and by those who did not. At one meeting Bob Duder fairly scooped the pool, as he won four prizes over all distances, as well as another for being the best runner in Auckland. They were not quite so particular as to what constitutes an amateur in the seventies, as Bob had a fly at the world-famous record-beater, Frank Hewitt, in his day the fastest pro. who ever donned a shoe. ’Who would think to look at him now, that Bob Duder at one time could do 10 l-ssec for the hundred ? Even with a good deal of superfluous avoirdupois—he turns the beam at over fifteen stone — it wouldn’t surprise me to find Bob doing a fairly sound fifty yards yet. Brother Dick might have turned out just as good, but he went to Fiji and remained some time, but on his return picked up two or three races. A good many years back the brothers decided to start a general store at Devonport, which in those days -was but a one-horse sort of suburb, a very diminutive village to the important place it is to-day. There they have carried on the firm ever since. Bob got married, and I suppose Dick was best man, and the bride must have had to keep her wits about her to remember which was the right man. Ever since then Bob has resided in Church-street in one of the oldest and most picturesque houses to be found at the Shore, while bachelor brother Dick lives a few yards away. Across the road are the stables, for the twins have ever loved a good horse. Furthermore. they have owned not a few, but the luck has not always come their way. Still, during a thirty years’ experience, the colours have triumphed on countless occasions, and it would be interesting to know just how many. A start was made with a gelding called Dick, who was fairly useful over the small sticks. Then a mare called Kate was bought at Tauranga. She proved a stud success, throwing auite a number of winners, among them being Belle, the dam of Le Beau, who wen at the Ohinemuri meeting last week. Belle won quite a lot of races round Auckland, the best being the Great Northern Steeplechase of 1886, in which, as a four-year-old, she carried list 21b to victory, Frewin being her pilot. Belle was sent over to Victoria, but met with an accident, and was lost for three months, being found away in the back blocks. Another good mare that crossed the Tasman Sea was Dolosa, a daughter of Leolinus and the Traducer mare Lure, who won a good many races, and at the stud threw the uncertain Cuirasette. Perhaps the best-nown mare the brothers have owned was Anna, a ■<->wn mare bred by the New Zealand Stud Company in 1885, got by Musket (imp.) from Florin, by Traduce? (imp.) from Rupee (imp.), by Dollar from Minouche, by The Baron. Just

how many foals this mare has had I don’t quite know, but somewhere about fifteen. Among them were Annabelle (by Lionel), Anita (by King Quail, who won the Auckland Cup in 1895, Lady Anna (by St. Leger), Miss Anna (by St. Hippo), Akarana (by Seaton Delaval), Devonport (by Soult), and Leira (by Cyrenian). Hune, by the Mari'byrnong horse Cap-a-pie from Raupo, was another useful mare who threw Drum Major, and the fine sprinters Black and Gold and Tui Cakobau. As to the best horses ever owned by the brothers, pride of place must be given to Cuirassier, Brigadier, and Halberdier, which reminds me that the horses to carry the black and gold colours are generally very well named, a fact, I fancy, due in a large measure to Mrs. Duder and her daughters, who have always taken the keenest interest in the young stock. Cuirassier, who was bred in 1885 by the Messrs. Morrin, was got by Musket from the Goldsborough mare Frailty, and thus was a fuT brother to Trenton, one of the most successful sires Australia has known. Among other victories Cuirassier won the G.N. Derby of 1889 with J. Kean in the saddle. With a little bit of luck the Messrs. Duder might have pulled off a big coup in the Melbourne Cup of 1889. He was nicely handicapped, and the Devonport sportsmen never tired of planking the money on. At that time, with the Thompsons and other big men operating, one could get three times as much money on a big race as is the case to-day, and Cuirassier’s owners are said to have stood to win over £40,000. Unfortunately from an unavoidable cause the horse was short of work, and therefore could not stay the two miles out, being in. difficulties some way from home. With not the best of chances Cuirassier got some good stock, who could race on the flat or across country. Brigadier, who was littie if at all inferior to Cuirassier, was got in 1883 by Musket from Pungawherewhere, by Golden Grape (imp.) from Atalanta by Towton, and was therefore a full brother to Tetford and Tranter. In private he was repoted a perfect smasher, and on the track he won numerous races. But for a breakdown he might have won the big Canterbury treble for which the Duders backed him for pounds, shillings, and pence. Halberdier, whose chief claim to fame lies in his race in the N.Z. Cup of 1902, in which with Freddy Davis in the saddle, he carried Bst to victory in the fastest time on record, was one of the best of the North Shorebred ones. Nowadays, the Messrs. Duder do not keep a big string, Black and Gold, Akarana, Devonport, Tui Cakobau, Leira, and Tanglefoot representing' the fighting line. If looks go for anything there should be a smart filly carrying the colours 'next season in the aptly-named La Reine, a racylooking daughter of Soult and Queen Anne, and everyone will wish that she turns out well. Having been connected with “ the sport of kings” for so many years, it is not surprising to find that both brothers are to be found among the executive of our chief racing clubs. Bob has been a steward of the Takapuna and Avondale Jockey Clubs since those two institutions were founded, while Dick has sat on the Auckland Racing Club committee for some seventeen years. There are several other brothers, but it is R. and R. who are best known to the sporting world. “ White” men, good sports, and straight goers, we could do with a few more like them among the men we meet on a racecourse.