SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1241, 29 January 1914, Page 15

SOUTHLAND.

Wairio Cup Winner Develops Influenza—Gapon’s Gore Cup Victory— Ex-North Island Trainer’s Success at Gor.e (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, January 22. Southern backers had coupled the local horse Palisade for the Telegram ■- Handicap with the majority of the

acceptors for the Wellington Cup, con sequently consternation ruled supreme when news came through from Trentham that the Pallas horse had gone sore. It transpires that the seat of the trouble was in the feet. The horse is to be brought home at once and rested in the meantime in the hope that he can he nursed roun-' to permit of his racing at Wingatui next month.

The faJct that a heavily laden special train was late in reaching the Wairio course last week restricted the club’s profits to some extent, consequently the surplus only amounted to about £5BO. However, this balance is very satisfactory in view of the fact that the stakes were largely increased over those of last season. At the time of writing, despite the fact that the Gore R.C.’s Summer fixture is in progress,, a. very large number of southern racing, people are chiefly interested in the forthcoming meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club in Dunedin next week. It promises to bte the most important gathering devoted to the light-harness sport ever held in Otago’s canitah Private advice from Christchurch is to the effect that some very smsH Canterbury. novice horses are to be seen out in the hopples,, and it can also be claimed that a number of excellent free-legged performers will be in evidence from Southland —tber A are probably more true-gaited trotton in commission in this province. at the present time than anywhere else in Maoriland, a fact for which old BeVman is mainly to be thanked.

T’he Pallas mare Hesione, who won the Wairio Cup last week, within an hour or two of her victory developed unmistakelable symptoms of influenza, the outcome being that she had to be scratched for all engagements at the Gore R.Ci’s meeting. Another Wairio winner put out of court by illness is the smart little mare Pretty Jane, by Martian, who has been laid aside owing to an attack of strangles. This trouble - is somewnat prevalent at present, and there is a strong suspicion that its spread is in a measure due to horses afflicted being allowed to travel on the railway without due precautions being afterwards taken to disinfect .the boxes used by them.

In the case of Pretty Jane, she was at Gore in readiness for the lp£al meeting when the trouble arose, and H. Donovan had actually travelled all the way down from Riccarton to ride her in her engagements.

The Gore Cup of 250sovs, over ten furlongs yesterday, was wop cleverly by Gapon, who beat Britain Crown by half a ne'ek in a -"pretty finish. The winner carried “Sgt* and ran the distance m 2min 9seq’ but the track was very fast and firm. Xll the same, Gapon is by far mqst consistent winner raced in Otago and Southland of late years, and his success in this instance was heralded b v a round of cheering. There was an absence of quality in the Cup fipJd. but this did not prevent the nublic enjoying a keen and interesting race.

After riding Corso successfully in the Anarima Hack Steenlecha.se at Wairio, the Hawke’s Bav horseman. R. Grav. left b>v the first train tor the north to enable him to fulfil p”. gavements at Foxton. ‘Although ho only had one ride at Wairio. Graw must have found the trin south fitable, as he was rewarded to extent of £5O for his clever horsemanship hv the connections of winner, who snnnorted Corso h eqvilv with almost a double-figure divide"-’ to collect when the raying out cess was entered upon. The ex-Nort.h T. s iander, to • unite a field dav at Gore vesterdav. winning the first two races on tho. card with his team of two Gnnfain Webb mares, viz.. Miss Kellerman - daughter of Edith, and Golden W>h ■a sneedv fillv from Wi’d Daisv were ridden hv J. H. Moore, who won again later in the afternoon on Otabeho. This vonng horseman, who hqc steered several good winners of late, is a lad who served his to the racing game in Auckland, t mav He mentioned that Miss Kellerman was produced a second time during the dav. in the Welcome Hack Race of 90sovs. but with a nenaltv of 51bs included she had to nut un with a econd nlace to Mr. G. D Greenwood’s castoff Moonglow, who w!as onlv conceding her a nound. Moonglow is owner and. of course, trained hv C. Christie, who..prepares Ganon. Simon Pure. Sneedometer, -and other horses raced hv members of his own family. Moonglow is improvin''- ”nde - Christie’s charge and it would not be at all surprising to ftod the son ofTreadmill and Sunglow winning a good race nrior to the close of the current season. Obsono was expected to race well in the Summer Handicap (six furlongs) at Gore yesterday, as also were Mosgiel (favourite) and Ogier, but the start was badly timed, the outcome being that the sons of Obligado and Charlemagne IT. respective Jv got the worst of it. and hv St. Clements from a Foulshot mare, got out quickly and stalled off Mosgiel with something to spare in the run home. The Croydon Handicap, the final event of the first day at Gore, saw two well-backed horses in Peerless and Officious left .at the uost, whito King Torrent, by Legerton (son of. St. Leger) from Lady Torrent, bv Torrent—Lady Ellen, made every post a winner, and just lasted long enough to head Aphaea, to the judge’s chair, despite the clever riding of jockey J. McCombe. The starting by Mr. R. E. Harlev, of Canterbury, yesterday was not up to the mark, and suffered by comparison with his- work of the previous meeting of the- Gore R.C. in October.