CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1158, 20 June 1912, Page 12

CANTERBURY.

(By Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 17. G. Murray Aynsley has decided to put the gelding Silver Blaze into commission at Riecarton with a view to contesting some of the big steeplechase events at the Grand National. A Laster Paul has been schooled over the steeplechase fences at Riccarton, and has given a good display. The trotting mare Woodthorp Maid died last week after a short illness. A post-mortem showed that she had been in a bad way internally, and this probably accounted for her bad performances. A meeting of the committee of the Geraldine Racing Club was held last week. On the motion of the president, Mr O’Malley, it was resolved to send letters of condolence to the relatives of the late Mrs Angus Macdonald. It was reported that T. W. Cotton, the new trainer, would take possession on the following day. The following officials were then appointed: —Stewards, Messrs Shallcross,

Mating, Mason, M. Harper, Bates, Brian and N. Payne, jun.; judge, Mr O. S. Thomson; clerk of the course, Mr Austin; treasurer, Mr J. Kennedy; clerk of the scales, Mr W. T. Turner; timekeepers, Messrs D. Lewis and Kennington; handicapper, Mr A. J. Gibbs (re-elected). Owing to Mr B. R. Macdonald having resigned the position of starter, it was agreed to communicate with Mr R. E. Harley, with a view to his taking the office. The president laid before the meeting plans for various improvements, including new totalisator house and the provision of a motor paddock, the whole being estimated to cost about £3 00. The plans were approved, and a committee was appointed for the carrying out of the improvements, it was also agreed to increase the stakes by £25, making them £7OO, by adding £5 to the Ohapi Handicap, £lO to the Stewards’ Stakes, £5 to the Dominion Trot, and £5 to the Wainui Hack Handicap. The Southland trainer, P. T. Hogan, has in charge a very powerful and promising-looking cross-country horse known as Vulgar Boy. He is by the Castor —Necklace horse Coronet, and will probably be seen at the Grand National meeting here. The winter meeting of th e Ashburton Trotting Club, which was to have been held last Thursday, was postponed for a week, owing to the wet track.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club will be held on Wednesday July 3. The following is a list of nominations for the various offices: —President," Hon. C. Louisson and Dr. Thacker; vice-president, Mr G. B. Ritchie; treasurer, Messrs G. Treleaven and F. J. Barlow; committee (three to be elected), Messrs J. C. Clarkson, K. O. Duncan, L. B. Hubbard, A. Smith, W. E. Simes, J. H. Tompkins, and T Wallace; stewards (ten to be elected), Messrs J. S. Berry, E. Fox, R. O. Duncan, W. H. Hollis, W. Hayward, L. B. Hubbard, AV. H. Norton, J. S. Slade, C. J. Sloman, A. Smith, W. E. Simes, J. H. Tompkins, T. Wallace, J. Westerman, and J. S. Wil* liams. Contests will therefore take place for all the offices except that of vice-president.