NOTES ON THE NATIONAL MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 8 August 1912, Page 10

NOTES ON THE NATIONAL MEETING.

The Grand National fixture of the Canterbury Jockey Club, which opens on. Tuesday next, promises to be a great success if the weather would only moderate. Most of the North Island horses are already on the scene, and all appear to be in tip-top condition. Salute is doing fairly well since coming to Riccarton. but the going has not allowed any fast work to be done. Fresh horses are arriving daily for the Grand National meeting, but the trouble caused at headquarters owing to the exceptionally severe weather has greatly militated against track work. Taketumu and Uranium have been making satisfactory progress since their arrival at Riccarton. Continuance was given a turn over the big country twice this week and gave excellent displays on both occasions. Zante has been sore since the Wellington meeting, but gave a fair display- over the big country on Thursday. Black Northern (R. Thompson) gave a pleasing exhibition over the hig fences on Thursday, and appeared to be in great heart. Prosper did a good gallop over five furlongs on Friday, his being the best effort of the morning’s work. Hautere, Armagh, and Icel arrived at Riccarton on Wednesday, and if condition goes for anything they appear likely to earn their travellingexpenses before returning to Auckland. Owing to his usual pilot (Copestake) having his licence withdrawn, Koran will be ridden in the Grand National Hurdles by L. Traill. The owner of Flingot was recently asked to put a price on the gelding by a West Coast sportsman. The Musketry gelding is regarded as a possibility for the Grand National Hurdles. Salute is the popular fancy for the Winter Cup, but Mangaroa, Padrone, and Prosper each have many admirers. On Thursday Ladrone, with R. Hatch in the saddle, was responsible for a pleasing gallop at Otaki. Whilst being shipped to Riccarton The Native received a slight knock on his off hind-leg, and in consequence he is wearing a bandage. The injury is not expected to prove serious. Latest from Riccarton is that H. Kutcher, and not W. Young, will ride Coronetted in the Grand National Hurdles. Young will have the mount on The Native. Towards the end of last week The Rover was reported to be showing signs of soreness, but he is now quite himself again. Tyrannic has not done much fast work since arriving at Riccarton, but he had done plenty of hill work before going South. Tyrannic will be ridden in the Steeplechase by L. Traill. W. Price will have the mount on Sea Queen in the Winter Cup. F. Higgot’s team for the meeting will comprise Serenity, Ladrone, and Brown Trout. All are in good fettle. Captain Jingle has arrived at Riccarton. His owner says, the gelding is as well as could be wished, and can be relied upon to run a good race in the Steeplechase. The Foxton horseman, C. Price, will ride Silver Blaze in the Grand National Steeplechase and The Rover in the Hurdles. Prior to being sent to Riccarton, Con the Shaughaun is reported to have registered a particularly smart six furlongs at Hawera. Continuance, coupled with Koran, is the favourite combination for the National double. Captain Jingle and Koran is also greatly fancied J. George’s team, Crown Pearl, Paritahi, and Royal Arms are reported in great buckle, and they are expected to pay expenses at Riccarton. The time record for the Grand National Steeplechase is 7min 10 2-ss, registered by Eclair in 1907. Dummy and Haydn are the only horses who have won both the Grand National Hurdles and Steeplechase, but neither annexed the double in the same year. Prosper and La Reina, a pair of Winter Cup favourites, are getting through their work in a satisfactory manner. In a gallop over five furlongs they finished on terms in Im. 6 s

The heaviest impost carried to victory in the Grand National Steeplechase is 12st 101 b, which weight Canard won with in 1886. Since arriving at Riccarton the Auckland horse, Master Theory, has been displaying signs of lameness, and he is regarded as a doubtful starter at the meeting Continuance was responsible for a fine piece of schooling, when, in company with Tui Cakobau, he negotiated a round of the big fences The Grand National favourite never put a foot wrong, and his exhibition was excellent. On the other hand, Tui Cakobau disgraced himself by running off. The Gunner and Te Tua were schooled over the big country last week, but though they got round safely their performance did not earn any friends for the big Steeplechase. Salute and Magdala were companions over a mile the other morning. Both finished together, but Magdala appeared to be going strongest at the end. Magdala is weighted at the minimum in the Winter Cup. W. Young, who will ride Continuance in the Grand National Steeplechase, and perhaps Coronetted in the Grand National Hurdles Race, steered Te Arai to victory in the Grand National Steeplechase in 1910, and won the Grand National Hurdles on Paisano and Continuance in 1910 and 1911 respectively. Mt. Victoria, who has an engagement in the Winter Cup, is now trained by J. Scott. Odessa, who carries the same colours as Mt. Victoria, will also start in the Cup, but he will be prepared by his usual mentor, C. Pritchard. On Friday next, at 9 p.m., acceptances close for the Hunters’ Hurdles, Trial Hurdles, Avonhead Handicap, Jumpers’ Flat Race, and Enfield Steeplechase. At the same time a final payment for the Grand National Steeplechase, Winter Cup, and Grand National Hurdles is also due. Continuance has been schooling and galloping in a very pleasing manner since arriving at Riccarton, and, despite his heavy impost of 1 2st 31b, there is not likely to be a better backed horse in the National Steeplechase on August 13. The people behind the Gisborne horse have steadily adhered to their belief that the Sabretache gelding will equal the feat of Haydn, who won the National Hurdles one year and the National Steeplechase during the following season. G. Jones has ridden the gelding in his schooling tasks. Ngatimuru is to be a starter in the Winter Cup, and will be ridden by W. Young. Tn all probability J. Williamson, the Auckland trainer, will take Hautere and Okaihau to Sydney at the conclusion of the Grand National meeting to compete in steeplechasing events at the A..T.C. spring meeting. Taiaha. though weighted for the Enfield Steeplechase, is ineligible to start, having won an open steeplechase worth 120 sovs. at Gisborne last month. J. Munn has leased Waipureka to Mr W. J. Douglas, and the mare will carry the black jacket and heliotrope next week. Some critics are selecting Bourrasque to earn distinction as a hurdler. The Sou’-wester gelding is engaged in the Trial Hurdles at Riccarton. The following are the probable riders in the Grand National Steeplechase: Continuance 12.3 (W. Young), Antarctic 12.2 (J. Stewart), Hautere 11.9 (J. Deerey), Captain Jingle 11.7 (J. O’Connell), Black Northern 11.3 (R. Thompson), Sir Lethe 11.2 (A. Gray), Paritutu 11.2 (A. Julian), Compass 10.9 (T. Jones), Hawick 10.9 (McSweeney), Armagh 10.9 (A. McFlynn), Glenmore 10.2 (W. Adams), Master Paul 10.0 (Douglass), Tyrannic 9.12 (L. Traill), Silver Blaze 9.9 (C. Price), Tui Cakobau 9.7 (A. Rae), Zante 9.7 (J. Tutchen), The Gunner 9.7, Flamingo 9.7, Te Tua 9.7, The Spaniard 9.7. Mumura is galloping in good style and D. Roberts may pick up a stake with his horse at the meeting. Mumura is a good beginner, which is something when the going happens to be heavy. Sir Geo. Clifford has sold the four-year-old Ancilla, by Treadmill —Chryseis, to an Oamaru sportsman, who will retire her to the stud.

SATURDAY’S TRAINING GALLOPS.

Notwithstanding the continuous rain of the past week some interesting work was registered on the out-

side of the grass track. The going was heavy, and consequently the times were slow. Gnome and Query were on terms at the end of six furlongs in 1.24. Medallist sprinted four furlongs in 51 along the back —a fair performance. Mumura ran a mile in 2.0 without doing his best. Umeraboy was too good for Grand Slam over five furlongs in 1.15. Portland Bill covered four furlongs in 1.1, going nicely at the finish. Raffles and Parallel finished in front of Myall at the end of a mile in 2.0%. Mt. Victoria accomplished easy work. Waipureka (J. O’Connell) and Waikaraka (F. Waddell) set out over a round of the hurdles. Waikaraka fell at the fourth fence, but Waipureka fenced well. Mangaroa sprinted four furlongs in 5.5. Colleen Mary ran a useful six furlongs. Armstrong, Clanmena, and Gunflash were almost on terms at the end of four furlongs in 57. Silver Blaze, Shillelagh, and Leugon covered a circuit of the steeplechase fences, all jumping well. Continuance ran five furlongs in 1.13. Salute just beat Prosper over six furlongs in 1.25. Tui Cakobau and La Reina each did slow work. Black Northern (Thompson) and Paisano (G. Jones) set out for a round of the hurdles. Black Northern refused two fences, but Paisano jumped in good style. Bully beat Guirteen over four furlongs in 59. White Cockade and Uranium were together at the end of a mile in 1.9 2-5. Hautere (J. Deerey) and ArmaI'’ 1 '’ (A. McFlynn) negotiated the big country without mistake. Mira and Sea Queen ran six furlongs in 1.25 4-5 with nothing between them.

The amount put through the totalisator in Tasmania by the whole of the clubs during the present season was £1 92,631. The machine is evidently somewhat slow in creating a “gambling fever’’ in the State named. * * * Prince Palatine, the Ascot Gold Cup winner, was bred by Mr W. Hall Walker, who sold him privately to his present owner for 1000 guineas. Minoru was leased by the late King Edward from Mr Walker, when he won the Derby, so that it can be said of Mr Walker that he bred a Derbv and St. Leger winner, neither of whom carried his own colours. V -r* sR sR It is not of very frequent occurrence for a jockey to ride half a dozen winners in an afternoon, but that feat was accomplished by Horton at Kimberley Races on June 1. He had a mount in each of the eight events on the card, and rode the winners of five of them in succession, the other success coming at the close of the afternoon. Horton served his apprenticeship with Chaloner at Newmarket. He is now located at Johannesburg, and is regarded as the cleverest jockey in South Africa. & * ejj The feature of the sporting world on July 22 (says the Melbourne “Age”) was the launching on the market of a commission in favour of Bobadea for the Melbourne Cup. Bobadea, who is at present a five-year-old bay horse, by Bobadil —Ardea, is engaged in the Melbourne Cup at 7st 121 b, a nice, handy weight for a six-year-old of his calibre. The commission, when completed, represented by far the greatest amount of money stood to be won on a single horse for very many years. Bobadea is trained at Caulfield by Charles Wheeler, and is a stable companion of last year’s Winner, The Parisian. * * * s” The Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), of £7831, was run in June, and in a field of seventeen the winner turned up in Friant 11., a colt by Champaubert from Faconde. De Viris was favourite, while the totalisator odds against the winner were long. The ground was heavy, and that may have been in a measure responsible for the success of Friant IT., who subsequently missed a place in the Grand Prix de Paris, won by Houli. The latter ran in the French Derby, with F. Wootton in the saddle, but as he got no closer than fifth, it is not surprising he started at a long price when, about a fortnight later, he accounted for the Grand Prix.