SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1297, 4 March 1915, Page 12

SOUTHLAND.

Failure of Southland Horses at Dunedin—The Approaching Meeting of Gore Racing Club—Wharfinger Undergoes Operation to Leg—The Lumsden Hack R.C.’s Annual Fixture. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, February 27. Southern visitors to the Dunedin J.C.’s autumn meeting returned home poorer in pocket in nearly every in-

stance, but one and all agreed that the meeting was the best seen at Wingatui to date. On the concluding day several Southland horses ran well, but failed to enrich their supporters. The green hurdle racer Peerless carried a large amount of money in the opening event, but his exertions of the two previous days had evidently been too much for him, and he tired badly. However, he jumped cleanly, and should be seen to advantage later on over the battens. Directoire, who started the outsider of the field in the D.J.C. Handicap, won by First Glance, ran very well indeed, and finished close up fourth, so it is only reasonable to expect that she will improve on this display in connection with one of the leading events of the forthcoming local autumn meetings. Despite the fact that he was suffering from leg troubles, Golden King ran a very fine race in the Wingatui Handicap, which brought the fixture to a conclusion. He dead-heated with Immer for second place, the pair suffering defeat by a narrow margin by Charmilia.

The Gore R.C.’s summer meeting has attracted a very encouraging response from owners, the entries totalling 35 more than last year. All the races have filled well, and it is noticeable that the hack races, which have been increased in value, have filled unusually well. Soldier’s Chorus, who was put into work at the conclusion of the stud season, is reported to be training on down at Riverton. If the weights suit, he may be produced in one or more of the sprint events at the Gore R.C. fixture on March 10 and 11. The shapely son of Martian was mated with some of the best mares in the province this season. Sir George Clifford's cast-off, Wharfinger, has changed trainers and is now working with W. Ratcliff’s string on the S.R.C. tracks. The son of Treadmill had one of his feet lanced the other day, and the operation appeared to give him considerable relief. It is quite possible that his erratic displays on the turf of late have teen caused by the injury to the aforesaid foot. A stable companion of the Canterbury horse is the American mare Eager Eyes, who is now putting on condition again after prolonged veterinary treatment, necessitated by the attacks of a weakening form of worm and injuries owing to having been cast in her box. It will be next season before the little mare can be asked to sport silk. Another inmate of Ratcliffe’s establishment is a handsome three-year-old pony colt, about 13 hands. He is a thoroughbred to the backbone, as he is by Glenculloch from Stratagem, at one time raced by the late Mr. E. Cutts. He gives promise of developing into a galloper, and it is more than likely that he will eventually find his way to Australia, where there is ample scope for a racehorse of his inches.

One of the turf institutions of the South which is applying for a totalizator permit, the long-established Lumsden Hack R.C., held its annual meeting on Thursday, when some very interesting racing was witnessed. The Lumsden Handicap (one mile and aquarter) was won by Glenthorpe, by Gienapp, a useful hack, who was bought cheaply in Canterbury some time back by a Southland owner. Two of the hack events fell to promising gallopers, Heatherbloom, a speedy son of Canrobert and Rosebloom, scoring in the first, and Olga Kolmar, by Stepniak—Lady Kolmar, accounting for the other event referred to. The Farewell Handicap was won by Canrobur, by Canrobert —Tomboy, and the half-brother to Office Girl gave the impression that he will be heard of to advantage in the days to come. He gave the big event winner, Glenthorpe, 51b. and a beating in the race under review. The horses raced at Lumsden were of a superior class to those usually associated with hack meetings hereabouts, and a few years back would have cleaned up some of the totalisator fixtures in the southern part of New Zealand. Present indications point to the entries for the Southland R.C.’s autumn meeting developing record proportions. In any case, a number of nominations have been promised from Canterbury, and the presence of Ric-carton-trained competitors will go far towards making the fixture a popular one