CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1322, 26 August 1915, Page 12

CANTERBURY.

Ormoioid Changes Hands —Latest Ad. ditions to Active Brigade at Riccarton—Holiday Purchased by Australian Sportsman—Toki Sustains Serious Injury Schooling at Riccarton—Daylight Bill’s Speedy Recovery —All Ready’s N.Z. Cup Preparation —Amberley Steeplechase Club’s Meeting. (By Telegraph—Christchurch Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Matters at Riccarton have been decidedly quiet since the Grand National meeting, the only horses kept up to the collar being those with engagements at the Amberley meeting. Several trainers have been sprinting their juveniles, and during the next few weeks a number of them will be tried out over fairly lengthy courses. Bee was withdrawn from the New Zealand Cup as soon as the weights appeared, her owner being dissatisfied with her treatment. Mr. Taylor is now on his way to Sydney, and it is quite on the cards that he will have Martian’s daughter sent over to race there. Ormoloid, who put up a fair race in the Hunters’ Plate at Riccarton, is now owned by a Canterbury sportsman, and will race in his new interest the Amberley meeting.

R. J. Mason has been putting a fair amount of work into Nones and Xanthos. The former is one of the most brilliant gallopers at Riccarton, while the latter has improved a lot since last sporting silk. It will be surprising if the pair do not show something pretty good at the spring mee.ings, as they are both well forward. A couple ol recent additions to the active! brigade at headquarters are Ladrone and Snapdragon, both of whom have been in retirement for some, weeks. The latter looks really well, but Ladrone will take a lot of building up. Holiday, by Varco--Flitaway, who last season won a couple of races for Sir Geo. Clifford, has been sold to an Australian sportsman, and is now on her way to her new home. After doing a gallop at Riccarton on Tuesday, Emperador was in a rather bad way, and it was expected that he would require a lengthy spell. To the surprise, of track watchers Charlemagne’s soy, reappeared on Friday and on Saturday was given an easy task.

It was intended to give the North Island-owned Toki a run at the Amberley meeting, and on Tuesday he was schooled over hurdles at headquarters. At one of the obstacles he

came down heavily, and subsequent examination showed that he had broken a bone in his shoulder. At present he is in a sling, and every effort is to be made to save him.

Neither of Mr. C. G. Dalgety’s two brood mares Stepdancer nor Stardancer have proved in foal as the result of their mating with Demosthenes. Concordia, who is engaged at Amberley, can muster up a lot of pace, but is decidedly deficient in stamina. Last season she was returned as being by St. Ambrose out of Irene, but it is now claimed that she is a daughter of Tsaritsa.

When he fell in the Beaufort Steeplechase at the Grand National meeting it was quite expected that Daylight Bill would not be seen on the tracks again for some time. Evidently the veteran grey is made of pretty tough material, for to the general surprise he made his reappearance again at Riccarton on Friday looking little the wcrse for his mishap.

The Oamaru mentor R. McKay, who for several years acted as private trainer to the late Mr. J. Buckley, will prepare All Ready for his New Zealand Cup engagement. Prior to the Oamaru sportsman’s death he made arrangements for the gelding to be leased to McKay, and the latter now has All Red’s son in steady work. A large number of horses engaged at the Amberley meeting have been

exercised at Riccarton during the past week. Amongst them those that have shaped most pleasingly are St. Ewe, Glenowl, Countess Tolstoi, Concordia, Pyjama, and Snowraker. The tan track at Riccarton is at present being improved by the addition of a lot of material on the outer part. Glenowl and Master Hamilton were given a turn over the hurdles on Monday, the former showing to most advantage. The former should give a good account of himself in the hurdle race at Amberley. On the conclusion of the New Zealand Cup meeting All Ready, who is held on lease by his traxner, will be submitted to public auction. Very satisfactory acceptances have been received for the Amberley Steeplechase Club’s meeting, which takes place on Thursday. Unfortunately the class of competitors is by no means good, but there can be no question as to the open nature of the various events.

If Kingsway contests the Brackenfieid Steeplechase at Amberley on Thursday it will mark his sixth effort in that particular event. His record to date in the race is two firsts, a second, a third, and once unplaced. The veteran Sea King has been

galloping very freely at Riccarton lately, and may run prominently at the. Amberley meeting. A. Longley has decided not to persevere with Banian or Rejection for the present, and the pair are to be returned to their owners. As the result of Banksia’s win in the Winter Cup at the Grand National meeting the Red Cross Hospital Ship Fund has benefited to the extent of £490. In acknowledging the donation His Excellency the Governor wrote to Mr. G. D. Greenwood as follows:—“My most grateful thanks to you for your generous donation to the Hospital Ship Fund, which is very much appreciated.”