CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 956, 2 July 1908, Page 7

CANTERBURY.

CHiISTCHURCH, July 1

Northern Chief, by Day Star, hailing from Taranaki way, recently purchased by Mr D. Rutherford, has arrived at Riccarton. The gelding is being trained by W. Clarke. Catalogues giving full particulars of the Yaldhurst sale, on August 12, are now ready and are being eagerly snapped up from the auctioneers— Messrs Pyne and Coy.

Several horses have been schooled over hurdles and big country during the week. Whether it was due to the state of the going or some other causes, I cannot say, but there were far too many spills of older horses. Southern Cross fared worst. He was working in company with Grand Stand, but blundering badly at one of the early fences, came down heavily, giving his rider, G. J. Pine, a bad shaking. The horse is still showing signs of : soreness as the result of the mishap. /

Grand Stand got through his task in a satisfactory manner.

Storm, a recent arrival from Dunedin, is shaping well over steeplechase fences, and the other morning got through a couple of rounds without making a mistake.

Shimmer and Virtus have been jumping the hurdles and are showing some improvement, but they are only beginners with fair prospects. Canton, who came to grief in one of the steeplechases at Wanganui, is back among the active brigade. His enforced retirement will throw him back a lot, but Mcracken hopes co get a race or two out of the gelding at the National Meeting. Kelp and Farley Grove had a spin together over hurdles on Saturday A solid pace was set from the start and the pair finished up their task after jumping six hurdles in good style.

At the annual meeting of the Sout i Canterbury Jockey Club, reference was made to the fact that the Club had spent £2250 in improvements during the past five years. A resolution fj s ming regulations under which bookmakers may ply their calling, and providing for exclusion of unlicensed bookmakers and undesirable persons was carried. The Club will spend £350 on improvements next season and increase its stakes bv £2FO.

The Ashburton Racing Club has wound up the year very satisfactirily. £2OCO has been spent on improvements in eighteen months. Last season stakes had been increased by £285.

The Winter Cup this year has attracted sixty-nine nominations, inch; ding several N.Z. Cup candidates. Quality is well represented, and the field is sure to be a large one. Contrary to expectatio s the Grand National Steeplechase has filled well, there being twenty-eight nominations a? against twenty-four last year. S ne Grand National Hurdle Race entries show a falling off of twentytwo as compared with last year. All the hurdle races have drawn a smaller entry than last year; but the flat eveuts promise to show an all-round inc-Teese in the size of the fields. Rosemorn, the winner of the South Canterbury Point to Point Steeplechase, is in the sale list, as also are Cannie Chiel and Clanchattan.

The Clanranald mare Teshera, is shaping well in her essays over hurdles. So far she has not made many mistakes.

Mr Wilfred G. Stead, the eldest son of the late G. G. Stead, will in future, use the well-known colours—yellow jacket and black cap. The connections of Cross Battery and Sea King consider both these horses badly treated in their A.J.C. engagements.