Racing Reviewed,

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1114, 17 August 1911, Page 6

Racing Reviewed,

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S MEETING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Canterbury Jockey Club has had many successful meetings, but it is doubtful whether it ever carried out one whose all-round success equalled that which concluded on Saturday. The Club’s proverbial good luck in matter of weather was again experienced, for Thursday and Saturday were perfect spring days, and racing was carried' out under conditions altogether favourable. The wonderful increase in the totalisator investments gave some indication of the volume of business the bookmakers must have done during the time they were licensed, and how it was they could afford to pay such substantial amounts in licenses. The speculating public started out by establishing a New Zealand record for one day by investing £29,574 on the first day, but they increased this to £30,680 on the second day, and went even better with £32,425 on the last day, making £92,679 for the three days. This showed an increase over last year’s figures of but then, as remarked previously, pencillers were doing business. Dealing with Thursday’s racing event that calls for first notice is, of course, the Grand National Hurdle race, which brought out fourteen starters, Redmond being only one of those for whom final payment had been made, who did not go to the post. Ever since his victory at Hawke’s Bay, the Gisborne owned gelding, Continuance, had been a warm favourite for the event, and went out carrying more than twice the amount invested on Espartero, who was second favourite. Another Hawke’s Bay horse, Centaur, was next in demand, and his connections were said to be very sanguine. It may be remarked, that it was a very good looking field in point of fitness that went out to do battle, though The Native was suffering from a cold. The result proved how well justified was the confidence placed in Continuance. Master Paul, as usual, set’ out to force the pace, but Continuance was able to foot it with him, and when Master Paul had run himself out, which very soon happened, the favourite took charge, and then it was clear that bar accidents, the race was over. Continuance sailed along in front,’ and won without any difficulty by four lengths from the Rover, who carried 141bs. penalty for his win at Wellington. Possibly without extra weight The Rover might have troubled the winner, but on the other hand Continuance was never really asked to exert himself fully, and proved his claim to be considered one of the best hurdle horses we have seen for a good while. The Native, who ran a good race under the circumstances, was a couple of lengths behind The Rover, and then came St. Aidan, Kildonan, and Paisano, the top-weight. Centaur quickly settled the hopes of his party by throwing out at the first fence 2 being somewhat severely injured by the fall. Paritutu came to grief in front of the Stewards’ stand, as .did Windage a little further on, while Espartero fell at the last fence. Continuance’s time, 3.45, has only once been beaten in a race, and that was in 1907, when Shrapnel won in 3.44 3-5, being ridden by W. Young, who was on Thursday s winner, and also carried off the double of Steeplechase and Hurdle Race with the Gisborne pair, Te Arai and Paisano. The Hunt Club Cup, with which proceedings opened, did not produce a very good display of jumping. As the favourite, Oakley, ran off early in the race, and Wirihana, Tairiki, and Deers)ayer came to grief at different stages. Victory rested with Flamingo, who carried the only amateur horseman in the field, Mr G. Buchanan, of Wairarapa. This same horse, by the way, has run into second place on the first day in a Hunters’ Race, but then had been disqualified owing to his rider being unable to draw the weight. It was a good finish, Flamingo drawing out in the final stages and winning by 3 lengths, with King of Trumps close up. The Third Summer Handicap Flat Race, of one mile, with hack conditions, brought out a field of eight moderates, Gold Circle was made a hot favourite, and though he pulled his backers through, it was only by the barest of margins, as Eagleston,

ridden by the Karamu horseman, F. D. Jones, came with a great run at the finish, and though catching Gold Circle, just failed to get up in time by half a-head. Turna was a length and a-half away third. The August Handicap, the chief flat race on the card, was responsible for the smallest field of the day, only seven going to the post, Highden’s representative, Boanerges, who had had previously run very disappointingly at Riccarton, and quite failed to justify his North Island reputation, was a very strong order with Odessa and FLitaway next in demand. Boanerges was on this occasion able to retrieve his reputation, for he won comfortably at the finish from Expansion, who was the outsider of the party, with Flitaway, third, a length away. It was not a very high-class field, so that the winner’s performance does not call for any particular enthusiasm. The Beaufort Steeplechase was contested by a good field of thirteen, and naturally after his form in the Grand National, Antarctic, who was carrying 12.9, was sent out favourite. On this occasion quite different tactics were pursued with him as compared with the big event on Tuesday. Then he was out in front for most of the journey, but this time he was kept a long way back. The race produced a capital display of fencing, although the pace was made very solid from the start, Lovell being responsible for the early stages. Hoanga and Sir Lethe then took up the running, but the last fence brought the former down, and Captain Jingle set out in pursuit of Sir Lethe, wearing the latter down. Captain Jingle won a good race by a length, while Antarctic struggled into third place five lengths back, Lagmhor and The Gunner being next. The Spreydon Hack Hurdles was won comfortably by Gaelic who was second favourite. Hawick did his best in the run home, but Gaelic was never troubled, and won by a couple of lengths, with Goldpin third, half alength away. The result of the Islington Handicap, a mile fiat handicap, bore out Undecided’s Winter Cup form. He was nearly as well backed as Nyland, who was sent out favourite, and ran better than he had done on Tuesday. Undecided, however, again proved his master, and had no difficulty in beating the Finland gelding by half alength. Negative was a fair third, Iney next. Undecided’s form has been very consistent, for he won two races at Wellington last month. The day’s sport ended with the Woolston Plate, a selling race, which was won comfortably by Medallist. wTio was bought in for £63. CONCLUDING DAY. On Saturday the chief interest centred in the Sydenham Hurdle Race, in which Continuance had been given a steadier of 12.13. He carried it well, too, even though he was only fourth, for he was going well right up to the last fence. There he dropped back, but it was afterwards learnt that his jockey had broken a stirrup so that his performance was thoroughly creditable. Windage, who had come to grief on Thursday, ran a good race, and won by three lengths from Espartero, who was a length in front of Compass. The Rover broke a bloodvessel early in the race, and was pulled up. Next in importance was the Lincoln Steeplechase, which, was in marked contrast to the other jumping events, as of eleven starters only four completed the course. Corona ran off the first time round. Corazon fell at the sod wall, and Eurus, Red McGregor, Le Beau, Captain Jingle, and Liberty at various later stages. The result was that Sir Lethe was left to canter home by well over a hundred yards from Dorando, with Winiata a long way back, third. Ribstone Pippin who was the only other to complete the course, ran off at the second fence of the double, but was taken back. The United Hunt Club’s Steeple chase was an interesting contest, Silver Blaze beating Glenmore, who raced very consistently at the meeting, by three lengths, with Oakley six lengths away third. The Heathcote Handicap produced a capital field of eighteen, and Undecided, who had scored on each of the preceding days, was now set to carry a substantial weight of 11.10 over seven furlongs. This proved altogether too much for him, as though he finished about sixth he was never dangerous. Sea King was quickly prominent, but at the distance Effort put in her claim, and in a great finish won by half-a-head from Sea King,

who was only a head in front of Iney, with Merry Zealand next. Cardiff’s win in the Styx Hack Hurdles was very largely due to his splendid jumping. He fenced in capital style, and in a good finish beat Passive by a neck, with Gaelic half-a-length away third. It was a distinctly mediocre field that went out to contest the Redcliffe Handicap, Eaglestone had run so consistently on the preceding days that he was naturally elected favourite, and he easily scored, but Nightlight and Santa Claus, who filled the places, are by no means champions. On the strength of his previous days’ success, Boanerges was looked on as a good thing for the Selwyn Handicap, but though he began well he was done with when the straight was reached. Czar Kolohol, who had run unplaced on Thursday, was in a good position as the distance was reached, and won nicely ,-from Expansion, who again ran an honest race. All Guns was close up, third, and then came Busyland. The concluding event of the gathering gave Hawick an opportunity of proving how useful he is in Hunters’ events. It was a flat race over a mile and a-half, and he had the steadier of 13.9. Shillelagh, with 12,5, was made a much better favourite, but when it came to the finish Hawick had his measure, and put up a fine performance by cutting out the distance in 3.57 1-5.

METROPOLITAN TROTTING CLUB.

The Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting ,which was continued on Wednesday and concluded on Friday, proved in its way equally as successful as that held at Riccarton. On Friday the track was in splendid order, and some splendid performances were registered. The most brilliant was that of King Cole, who in winning the National Cup, put up an Australasian record of 4.31 for two miles The previous best was Wildwood Junior 4.33, put up in the New Zealand Cup last November. King Cole is owned by Mr R. O. Duncan, and his win was a very popular one.