CANTERBURY NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1246, 5 March 1914, Page 21

CANTERBURY NOTES.

(By Telegraph — Christchurch < Correspondent.) MONDAY, March 2. All sorts of wild rumours are flying about concerning the likelihood of the Metropolitan Trotting Club closing its track at Addington against training operations. From what I can learn there is little chance of such a happening, though should the club be held responsible for accidents that may occur during training operations some drastic steps in this direction may be taken. No less than three of the winners on the first day of the Wanganui Trotting Club’s meeting, in Winnipeg, Goldie and Rothschild Lad, were bred in Canterbury. Lach of them is now owned in the North Island. Goldie, who won the principal event at the Wanganui Trotting Club’s meeting on Friday, was bred at New Brighton by Mr. W. Kerr, for whom he won three races, while Friday’s success was his second for his present owner. These are the only races

in which he has started. Goldie is by Wildwood Junior —Sing Sing, by Cycle.

That speedy pacer Blackness pulled up lame after running in the Final Handicap at the recent trotting meeting on the Metropolitan track. It is feared he has broken a small bone in his fetlock, a very unfortunate occurrence for those who own him.

The well-known Ashburton trotting enthusiast, Mr. H. F. Nicoll, who has been one of the leading owners of trotting horses in New Zealand for some seasons past, intends to retire from the sport for a time at least. A clearing sale of all his trotting stock will be held at an early date. Andy Pringle, who has been associated successfully with Mr. Nicoll as private trainer, will probably set up on his own account as a public trainer.

Word has been received in Christchurch that Olive L., who claims an engagement in the Melbourne Trotting Club’s Derby, won a race at Terang, Victoria, soon after her arrival. The filly is to be trained for the big event by M. Edwards. The Prince Harold gelding Brooklyn, who showed such brilliant form at the last meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, is to be shipped to Australia in the course of a few days to compete in the Svdnev Thousand. On the conclusion of that fixture Brooklyn will probably return to C. Piper’s stable. : R. Reay, the well-known trotting’ enthusiast of Christchurch, and owner of Petruchio, a six-year-old by General Pet —Liberia, is anxious to dispose of the horse. As he has some excellent credentials and being well

bred, he should make an ideal trotting sire when his racing days are ended. Petruchio is a natural pacer, and is one of the best horses in training in New Zealand to-day.