SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1358, 4 May 1916, Page 12

SOUTHLAND.

Rorke’s Drift's Showing at C.J.C. Easter Meeting—Notes on Riverton R.C.’s Fixture—Death of Sombrero.

INVERCARGILL, April 28

When the Riverton Racing Club’s annual fixture concluded on Wednesday, the Southland turf season came to an end, as far as racing fixtures are concerned, and it has to be remarked that the clubs of the home province had a successful period, even the Southland R.C. coming out well ahead financially, despite wretched weather conditions. The other clubs had nothing to complain about in this respect. The fact that Rorke’s Drift made a bold showing in the G'reat Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps at Riccarton did not bring grist to the mills of local punters, but, all the same, it served to settle many arguments as to which is the better horse, the son of Calibre and O’Rorke’s Fancy or Magdala, and quite a number of wagers were on record in this connection. Magdala was most in favour here for the Great Autumn, but the admirers of Rorke’s Drift stood to their selection throughout. In discovering the worth of Rorke’s Drift as a stayer, trainer P. T. Hogan enhanced the fame of Calibre as a sire to a very great extent, the result te’.ng that Mr. J. C. N. Grigg disposed of a large number of the progeny of the Light Artillery stallion in this district, and Rorke’s Drift, Gunrest, Quickshot, Silent Way, and Hardshot have won a large amount of money hereabouts in stakes.

Despite a postponement to permit of the celebration of Antae Day. the Riverton R.C. this week concluded their second most successful meeting on record, the best being in 1914. when the totalisator receipts rose to £30,599 and the gate money worked out at £1069 18s., as against £27,609 and £1062 3s. 6d. this week.

The principal crcss-country event of the southern racing season, the Great Western Steeplechase, of 300sovs., was decided at Riverton on Easter Monday, and produced a

unique happening. The aged gelding Recharge, by Renown —Tomboy, had the coveted race in his keeping after crossing the last fence, but stumbled and fell when galloping home on the flat within seventy-five yards of the winning-post. He was tired at the time, and his amateur rider, Mr. F. Langford, turned in the saddle to see how the opposition were getting on. This mishap left Heatherlea, a North Island-bred son of King George and a Rip Van Winkle mare, to come on and win easily from The Brewer, who, it will be remembered, finished second in the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton in August last. The Brewer, by the way. had only been in work a few weeks. Heatherlea, who is not gifted with a great amount of pace, is a very fine fencer and good stayer. This made his third consecutive success in the ccurse of a fortnight, as he won both the steeplechases on the Southland R.C.’s programme. He was not produced on the second day of the meeting, and will probably be held in reserve to compete at the Dunedin J.C.’s winter fixture in June, when valuable stakes will be on offer.

Cn the second day at Riverton Recharge made amends for his mishap on Easter Monday by carrying off the Riverton Steeplechase, of 200sovs., in good style. Despite his twisted forelegs, he jumped well and galloped strongly, and won with a little to spare from The Brewer (11.7), who was conceding him 161 b. The North Islander, Grey Renown, ran well on both days at Riverton as long as he lasted, but failed to stay over the exacting Western District country. Recharge was sired in Hawke’s Bay, but born in this district, and ranks as a half-brother to well-known local [erformers in Office Girl (daughter of The Officer) and Canrobur (son of Canrobert). When Office Girl developed winning form here some years back, trainer Hogan purchased her dam, Tomboy, in Napier, and brought the half-sister to that good steeplechaser Norton down to Invercargill. The owner of Office G'irl, Mr. Provan, acquired the old mare, and thus came to be - known as the breeder of Recharge and Canrobur. A well-known hunting, steeplechasing and racing enthusiast, Mr. W. Walker, subsequently bought Recharge and schooled him over hurdles prior to passing him on to his present owner, a young sportsman, viz., Mr. J. Ryan, who commissioned J. Thistleton to school and train the Renown ge.ding for crosscountry work.

Mr. F. A. Price, one of the owners of Rorkes Dritt, is evidently impressed with the stock of Calibre, as he purchased a two-year-old gelding called N.ght Alarm, uy the horse referred to from Midnight, at 60gns. in Christchurch this week, while his son, Mr. P. A. Price, won the Trial Stakes at Riverton on Monday with Quickshot, by Calibre from Lively.

The progeny of Canrobert were very successful at the Riverton meeting, Canrobur, Agreement, Spanish Princess and Buller each winn ng races. Agreement, a full-sister to Daringdale, was successful in opep company, as she won the Flying Hanjdicap, of 120sovs., six furlongs, ioi which her stable companion Gunresf was a hot favourite. She was ridden by a diminutive apprentice, C. Rask, and her victory was a somewhat unexpected one, and the first to be recorded ±n Southland to one of the 6.7 division for a very long time past. A veteran racehorse died in harness at the Riverton fixture in Sombrero, by Simmer —Toque. When the field were at the post for the Farewell Handicap it was noticed that all was not well with the brown gelding, and he got away badly when the barrier rose. He tailed off from the start, and before going two furlongs dropped dead on the track, his rider luckily escaping uninjured. The son of Simmer was purchased in Sydney as a yearling at a substanial figure cn behalf of Mr. L. C. Hazlett, of Dunedin, but proved a disappointment to that gentleman, who subsequently disposed of him at 28gns. In the course of time he commenced to win small i aces, and eventually proved to he the best long-distance horse in the South, scoring in quite a number of valuable races. For some Lime past he has failed to show anything l.ke

Lis best form, although he ran fairly well in the principal race of the day on which he met his death. Within a short distance of the spot where Sombrero died tne steeplechaser Royal Medal had to be destroyed the same aiternoon. The son of Sylvia Park and War Medal fell at a fence in the Riverton Steeplechase and injured his back, with the result that it was decided to end his sufferings without delay. The races for the principal flat events at Riverton did not create undue interest. On the opening day Mr. H. Friedlander’s Araenvhor, by Martian —Alary of Argyle, carried off the Riverton Cup, of BOOsovs., one mile and a-haltj, without difficulty from Neuroma and tne hurdler Rongahere, and tne Easter Handicap of 200sovs., one mile and a-quarter, on the concluding day, fell to Gunrest, by Calibre —Tinwald Beauty, who defeated Ardenvhor and Sombrero. Air. W. Swale has had a happy time with Gunrest of late, winning twice at Gore, twice at Invercargill and once at Riverton with the ex-Canterbury horse.

Trainer A. D. Mclvor was in strongevidence at Riverton, winning races with Gunrest, Neuroma, Agreement, Spanish Princess and Buller.