CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1249, 26 March 1914, Page 15

CANTERBURY.

A Good Gallop—Stardancer Shapes Well—Black Ball Accompanies Bon Reve to Sydney—Mr. W. Aidworth Appointed Judge to South Canterbury J.C.—Great Autumn and Great Easter Handicaps—Notes on Waimate Meeting.

( By Telegraph—Christchurch Correspondent.)

MONDAY, March 23.

Thrax and Masterpiece were companions in a gallop over a mile at Riccarton on Saturday morning. Good time was registered for the journey, and both horses,, who finished together, pulled up well. Warstep, who has contracted a stopping habit in her work, is giving her trainer some trouble to get her do her work satisfactorily. • The filly is looking well, and carrying more condition than she usually doesStardancer, with little Mussen as a pilot, galloped a mile pleasingly on Saturday morning. If this mare comes back to her best form she will keep the opposition busy in the Easter Handicap. The jumpers—Daylight Bill, Sunbeam, and Kilmeny—put in a sound gallop over ten furlongs on Saturday morning, the first-named pair showing to most advantage.

Taskmaster did not appear to relish the heaviness of the going at Waimate, and changed his stride several times during the race and struck one of his legs in two places.

After the declaration of first forfeits thirty-one horses stand their ground in the Canterbury J.C. Challenge Stakes, while 19 two-year-olds remain in the Champagne Stakes. The general entries received for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Easter meeting are well up to the standard of previous years, and include a fair number of North Island performers. The two-year-old Downham is likely to be Mr. E. J. Watt’s only representative at Riccarton next month. Bon Reve has as a companion during his trip to Sydney the two-year-old, Black Ball, who will go into H. Raynor’s stable. Black Ball does not claim any engagement at the Australian J.C. Autumn meeting, but he figures in next season’s Derby, which event may be his mission. Consequent on his victory in the Waimate Cup, Reival will have to put Up a 71b penalty in the Great Easter Handicap. As Flora McDonald has forfeited all her engagements at the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting, she can be regtarded as a certain starter in the Canterbury J.C- Great Autumn Handicap.

A batch of Sir George Clifford’s yearlings is expected to arrive at Chokebore Lodge next week to receive their early education. The South Canterbury Jockey Club has appointed Mr. W. Aidworth to the position of judge. He has acted in a similar capacity at the last two meetings of the Dunedin Jockey Club, so that he has proved his fitness for the office.

Acceptances for. the. Great Eacter and Great Autumn Handicaps breu jht about a considerable reduction in cae size of the fields, and there are now twenty-one engaged in the former event, and fifteen in the latter. The three top weights, Ventura, Potoa, and Eon Ton, have been withdrawn from the great Easter Handicap. Bon Ton has also been taken out of the Great Autumn Handicap. In spite of

the rather numerous withdrawals* there are still enough good horses left in both the events mentioned to ensure high-class contests.

Gapon was made favourite for the Waimate Cup on Thursday, but he made a very poor showing, the result, it is claimed, of the heavy going. Judith broke a long sequence of defeats by accounting for the Trial plate; at Waimate. The sister to Thrax was. backed with the utmost confidence both on the course and away from it. Flower of the West spoiled whatever chance she may have had in the Waimate Cup by losing several lengths at the start. She was also hampered by the heavy going, and failed to put any heart into her work. The course of hurdle racing he has undergone lately has evidently not improved Kilts’ disposition. In the Stewards’ Handicap at Waimate he repeated his Riccarton performance, by turning round w?hen the barrier was released, and though he got away all right in the Farewell Handicap he refused to do his best. The excellent-form shown by Reval in his solitary essay at Wingatui was evidently not forgotten by backers at Waimate yesterday, for the smart son of Finland was well supported in the Waimate Cup. This marked the gelding’s first attempt at a mile and a-quarter, and the form he displayed in the heavy going was so good as to suggest further sucesses. LATER. Nithsdale and Corrie Rejoin Active Brigade—Heatherbrae Retired to Stud —Interprovincial Polo Competition—Sea Pink’s Acceptance in Great Autumn Handicap. The want of rain is making the tracks at Riccarton very hard, and quite a number of the locally-trained horses are giving their mentors trouble in consequence. Recently six hundred yards of soil were spread over the ploughed gallop, and it is in nice order just at present. Salathiel, a recent importation from the North Island, was given a £,urn over the hurdles on Monday morning, and shaped really well for a beginner. Goldseeker, on the other hand, gave a most disappointing display for an experienced horse. He screwed over most of the obstacles, and ran down the third so badly that he nearly came to grief;

After a lengthy spell, necessitated by his breakdown at Christmas, Nithsdale has been taken in hand again by R. Emerson. Another to rejoin the active brigade is the Sant Ilario mare Corrie, a member of Hobbs’ numerous string. The name oif Finhoim has been claimed for the promising two-year-old by Finland from De Murska, in R. Derrett’s stable. Vice-Admiral’s name figures amongst the nominations for the C.J.C. autumn meeting, but even if he sports silk the 1911 New Zealand Clip winner cannot be more than half

ready; It having been found impossible to train Heatherbrae on account of unsoundness, the daughter of Treadmill and Bonnie Brae has been retired to Sir George Clifford’s stud. . The two-year-old filly Snapdragon, in E. Cutts’ stable, has been showing signs of lameness in her off foreleg, and she will have to be spelled. Cutts has had a very bad run this season with, horses going amiss. The North Island lightweight W. Bell has been engaged by Mr. C. Dalgety to ride either Warstep or Stardancer in the Great Easter Handicap. In the first round of the Saville Cup polo competition, which commenced on Monday, Hawarden defeated Rangiora B by 19 to 1; Hawke’s Bay B defeated Paeroa by 10 goals to 4; and Poverty Bay defeated Hawke’s Bay A by 4 goals to one; On the day’s play it looks as if Poverty Bay will come out the victors.

The fact of Martius not having been seen on the tracks for some time gives credit to the rumour that he is seriously amiss.

When Sea Pink’s name was found to be missing from the Great Autumn Handicap, his owner contended that he had accepted for him, and at once got into communication with the Canterbury Jockey Club on the subject. The club offers the following explanation of the incident. Sea Pink’s acceptance for the Great Autumn Handicap was received on Thursday, March 19, but a subsequent telegram on Friday was received as follows: “Scratch all except Downham Champagne and Challenge.” These instructions Were read by the

club as including Sea Pink, and he therefore was left out of the Great Autumn Handicap. The confirmation, however, proves that the scratching of “all” referred to only those horses Mr. Watt had engaged in the Champagne and Challenge Stakes, and therfore Sea Pink’s acceptance is accepted.

Teviotdale continues to be very sore, and will be so till his feet grow down, which will take some considerable time.

The Riccarton-trained Moddite was taken to Waimate last week, but was not started. The going, which was very heavy, was not considered suitable for him.