SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1346, 10 February 1916, Page 14

SOUTHLAND.

The Gore R.C.’s Summer Meeting— Fancied Candidates for Dunedin Double—Panmure’s Engagement at Wingatui—A Promising Colt-—South-land Successes at Forbury Trots.

v From Our Own Correspondent )

INVERCARGILL, February 4.

It is reported that Master Jim, by Ahei —Primula, has been added to the list since his inglorious display at the Wairio J.C.’s meeting. The half-bro-ther to Probable gallops well in private, but invariably fails to act up to his gallops when stripped in public. He looks like a horse with a jumping career in front of him.

The well-known cross-country horseman G. Fielding is said to have retired to the back blocks to continue the schooling and training of two useful jumping geldings sired by Golden Vein, viz., Tipperary Boy anl Carnmore. Both horses have shown promise at racing between the flags, and should develop excellent form under a steady and skilful horseman like Fielding. Wild Pilgrim, who was taken up aga.n by P. T. Hogan recently after a spell, is looking fairly well at present, and is full of life, but whether he will be forward enough to race successfully at the Dunedin Cup meeting is quite another thing. J. Olsen may ride one of the Southland candidates for the Dunedin Cup, but has yet to make his selection. He previously scored in the big Wingatui event on the back of McDonald. Olsen had a couple of rides in sprint events in saddle at the Forbury Park T.C.’s meeting last week, but his mount, Baron Franz, failed to get, into the money. It is some years now since Olsen first became known as a pilot of pacers, the occasion being when he steered a speedy pony called Young Edith to the fore against horses in a one mile trot at a Southland R.C. fixture. The substantial sum of £2200 will be given away in stakes at the Gore Racing Club’s summer meeting on March 29 and 30. The principal events will be: Gore Cup, £3OO (one mile and a-quarter), and Racing Club Handicap, £250 (one mile and a distance). There will be a cross-country race each day of the value of £ll5, and £490 will be spread over four light harness races, one for harness horses and the other three optional. The Southland R.C. and Riverton R.C. meetings will follow the Gore fixture, and with valuable cross-country races being available at each there is a good opening for a visit from one or two North Island steeplechasers. The stakes on offer at Riverton are well worth winning. It is reported in Dunedin that both Rorke’s Drift and Marsa have been named in connection with Dunedin Cup and Publicans’ Handicap combinations for small amounts. As far as their work goes two other southerners, Hesione and Martian Maid are training on satisfactorily, and they cannot be left out of calculations. Hesione has already proved that she can get the distance, and that is a good deal in her favour. Local backers have, in many instances, selected the imported Eng-lish-bred horse Panmure to score in the D.J.C. Publicans’ Handicap, but this does not prevent many of them entering into warm arguments as to the respective merits of the Otagoowned Robert Bell and the Southland representative Buller, both of whom are sons of Canrobert. Should the pair meet at Wingatui there will be many side wagers hanging on the result —subject, of course, to Mr. J. E. Henry’s allotments being considered of an equitable nature. The American colt Mohawk has to some degree recovered from the soreness which characterised him at New Year time, and it is quite likely that he will be given a run at Wingatui. Those who see him for the first time will discover some good points about the con of Mexican and Maxine Elliott. It is expected that Mr. W. T. Hazlett will be represented at Dunedin

by Martian Maid, Dorian and Daringdale. Dorian is a really nice colt, and may be found in the firing-line when the horses reach the judge for one of the minor stakes.

Visitors to the Southland R.C.’s summer fixture who prophesied that the local tracks and enclosure would take months to recover from the heavy traffic and torrential rains of the first week of 1916, would be surprised to see the course to-day. We are experiencing one of the most favourable seasons known for many years past, and this fact has contributed in the main to a quick recovery of the damage suffered on January 3 and 4. Trainer P. T. Hogan is handling a very nice yearling colt just now, in a light bay youngster by Calibre from Fidelma, who was purchased at Mr. J. C. N. Grigg’s sale here recently for 66gns. It is understood that the colt is to be backed and educated, after which he will be added to the list and turned out for a spell. He is owned by Mr. D. Kilkelly, of Grove Bush, who has certainly acquired a handsome racing proposition. There was a large attendance of Southlanders at the Forbury Park T.C.’s meeting last week, and local owners were fairly represented, but only two stakes came this way, both being secured by square trotters, Inchcape Bell (Bellman) and Annie K. The latter, who is one of the speediest square-gaiters in Maoriland, easily covered two miles in 4min. 44 2 ssec., and in doing so gave away ssec. to the Australian horse Paul Huon (J. Bryce) and beat him home by four lengths. Annie K. can also travel in the straps, but her owner, Mr. J. Keith, of Winton, likes her as a trotter best, and discarded the hopples some years back. Quite a number of southern horses secured place money, but were hardly good enough to reach the "man in the box” in advance of their fields. The fact that many of our horses have to be trained on grass tracks is always against them when taken to Forbury Park. It is reported that Dr. Rogers is going to dispose of Daringdale’s fullsister Agreement, by Canrobert —-St. Brigid, as she is invariably badly treated by the handicappers. She has been raced consistently during the past two seasons, but, so far, has not paid for her upkeep, while horses successful from time to time are classed well below her on the handicap lists.