SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1312, 17 June 1915, Page 11

SOUTHLAND.

Southland Successes at Wingatui— The Birchwood Hunt Club’s Approaching Meeting—Buller’s Double Win at Dunedin Fixture. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, Friday. The closing stages of the current season have yielded a rich harvest to Southland owners, who have raced beyond the confines of the home province in both trotting and racing departments. Following on the record of six wins and a number of placed performances at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s recent fixture, owners of flat races, hurdle jumpers and steeplechasers last week invaded Wingatui in force to assist at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meet-

ing, and as a result accounted for a “mixed bag”, of seven events, to say nothing of place money. The amount in stakes to be credited t® horses from the south was £1365, and with a share of luck this sum might have b..en considerably augmented. However, the trip to Otago proved a profitable one to owners, trainers, jockeys and punters alike, and when all is said and done this is only as it should be. Some years back, when the Dunedin Jockey Club decided to institute steeplechasing at Wingatui, and did so in fear and trembling in several quarters, dwellers in Southland promised their support, and this has grown with the passing of the seasons until the Dunedin June gathering now attracts more southern sportsmen than any other meeting of the turf year. In passing, it may be remarked that series of visits paid to our Riverton steeplechase meetings by Mr. L. C. Hazlett, of the Dunedin Jockey Club, led to that gentleman advocating the establishment of cross-country events at Wingatui, hence the success to be chronicled in connection with last week’s proceedings. When Golden King, by Golden Knight—Fairy Benzie, accounted for the Dunedin J.C. Birthday Handicap at the recent meeting the public saw in the winner one of the most consistent geldings in the South Island this season. He has been strung up since November last, when he ran several good races at the New Zealand Cup meeting, including a meritorious third behind Sea Pink and Kooya in the Fendalton Handicap, and yet he returned home from Dunedin this week apparently ready to race whenever called upon. Trainer P. T. Hogan has placed the best son of Golden Knight to advantage this season, and thus Mr. J. Graham has reason to be satisfied with his representative. Hogan has a three-year-old sister to Golden King in course of preparation. During the course of the Dunedin J.C. meeting Giralda, by Canrobert — Minaret (dam of Magdala. Magdalen, Turret and Pinnacle) changed hands privately for £4OO, his new owners being Messrs. Stiven and G. Dugan, of Southland, and the gelding has been placed with the former’s brother, the well-known Wingatui mentor, T. Stiven. On the opening day at the Dunedin meeting Giralda ran second in two events after getting away very badly each time, and finished fourth for his new owners when heavily supported on the concluding day. He was not thoroughly strung up, as he has so far proved a delicate customer to train, but Stiven has been successful with this class of animal before, and may be found shaping the Canrobert racer to advantage later on. The Birchwood Hunt are at present engaged in drawing up the programme for their first totalisator * meeting, which will take place on July 28. A deputation from the local hunt met the executive of the Otago Hunt Club in Dunedin last week and the position was mutually agreed to. The Otago body will hold their annual racing fixture at Wingatui on September 18, as a non-machine gathering. The principal spring event on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting fell to the Southland gelding Buller, and thus the “double” was credited to Southland with the help of Golden King. This happening was seriously felt by the “woolbrokers” engaged in business in connection with the fixture, as patriotic visitors supported the combination wherever it was to be obtained. On the second day Buller again prevailed in the leading short race, and there was a coincidence in connection with the “double” on this occasion, as the winner of the principal event, All Ready, is by All Red from Canrobert’s full sister, Aerina, while Buller is by Canrobert. Buller’s dam, Tugela, is a North Island-bred mare by Manawanui —Lignite, by Louie d’Or, a son of Rupee (dam of Merrie England and other good racehorses). Buller has been given plenty of time to mature before being thoroughly tried out and has yet to be put to the stayer’s test, a question which may be asked of him next season. An elder sister of Buller’s in the same stable, Spanish Princess by name, was backed both days at Wingatui, but failed her connections badly. However, she is a highlystrung mare, quite green at the racing game, and it will probably be well into the new season before she becomes acclimatised to the racecourse.

A. D. Mclvor, of Riverton, was one of the successful trainers at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting, win-

ning with Buller and Neuroma, a hardy little son of De la Rey and Redstart, who was bred by his owner Dr. Rogers, of Gore. The Invercargill mentor P. T. Hogan also claimed a couple of successful horses in Golden King and Prairie Fire, by Pilgrim’s Progress —Blaze. The latter won both hunters’ steeplechases, ridden by his owner, Mr. T. A. Fahey, who was thus rewarded in some measure for a yery large amount of money and mucfi pluck and patience expended upon a gelding who almost refused to become a proficient fencei. This hunter is possessed of some pace, and may train on in view of a trip to Riccarton for the Grand National fixture.

The local gelding Wild Pilgrim ran badly in his only start at Wingatui, but as he was suffering from a cold, there is some excuse for him. Had the owner and rider of Black Sea, by Black and Red —Seaward mare, not treated Cardiff with contempt in the Otago Steeplechase of 500sovs, there is little doubt but that the most valuable cross-country event of the southern season would have been credited to him. Mr. Lidingham, after noting Cardiff’s schooling failures, treated him too cheaply, and thus he was allowed to steal a march in his field and score for one of the most deserving sportsmen in Otago's capital, a gentleman who has done a great deal for hunting in that quarter, and who was also connected with the victory of Stormont in the Grand National Hurdles some years ago. On the closing day at Dunedin Black Sea made amends for her defeat in Cardiff’s race by winning the Wingatui Steeplechase. . In her winning essay she was ridden by the professional horseman, G. Fielding, who did not allow her to halt by the wav, and, curious to relate, won by a length from Fritz, on whom his brother, W. Fielding, had the ride. The Riverton owner-trainer, Mr. J. Hymers, in whose colours Soldiers’ Chorus used to race, was unsuccessful at the North Otago gathering with King Torrent, Lady Trent and Grafton Laddie, and his team failed him again on the first day at Wingatui, but worse was to come. When he went to accept for the second day of the Dunedin J.C. fixture he had ample time to do so, but another owner engaged him in conversation for a few minutes and thus when he made a move to hand in his paper, he was just too late, and his horses obtained an unexpected holiday. It takes something to stop Mr. Hymers, however, and the reverses of fortune did not prevent him purchasing the Canterbury mare Marsa, by Martian, to bring home with him. The local gelding Fable, by St. Paul —Myth, ran well but unsuccessfully at Dunedin, and is now to change hands. Before these lines appear in print his owner, Mr. T. Price, will have disposed of him at auction with the intention of the proceeds going to swell the Belgian and Servian Relief Funds.