CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1364, 15 June 1916, Page 13

CANTERBURY.

Daylight Bill Causing His Trainer Anxiety—Banian Enters Ranks of Hurdlers —Kingsway and Umeraboy Taken Up Again—Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s Splendid Patriotism. Thestius’ Promising Prospects—Bimeter Rejoins Active Brigade— Rising Two-year-olds Indulge in Sprinting Tasks at Riccarton.

(By Tele.—Christchurch Correspondent. >

CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Since his return from Wanganui Daylight Bill has been causing his trainer a good deal of anxiety. At present the gelding is on the easy list, and it is just a question as to whether he will be fit to race at National time. The veteran hurdler Master Paul has rejoined R. Longley’s team to be got ready for winter racing. He is decidedly in the rough and his legs do not look like standing much hard work.

S. Reid, who was recently reinstated, is now a regular attendant at Riccarton, and will take on hurdie racing during the winter months. Bore has made a fine recovery from the mishap that beiel him at Oamaru. He is now running out at his owner’s place, Racecourse Hill. All efforts to get Veritas ready to race having failed, he has been sent home, and in future will do duty as a lady’s hack. A recent addition to the ranks of hurdlers at Riccarton is Banian, who, like many of Birkenhead’s progeny, shapes really well at the business. The latest recruit from the ranks of Riccarton horsemen is W. Scobie, who has been identified with Mr. Rutherford’s team of jumpers.

Thrax is making good progress in his schooling tasks over hurdles, and will be raced at the National meeting. It transpires that Marsa and Twelfth Night, who changed hands recently, cost their owners £4OO and £2OO respectively. As a result of his breakdown at the Oamaru meeting last month Bandy has been turned out for a lengthy spell. Should he become sound again the Sarto gelding will be given an opportunity of earning distinction as a hurdler.

Kingsway and Umeraboy have been taken up again by F. Holmes. Another to be recommissioned with a view to winter racing is Jeannot. A promising yearling by Antagonist from Prudist, who will race as Hands Off, has recently been put through the rudiments of his education by W. H. Thomson.

Crib is reported to be just as proficient over the big fences as over the hurdles, and is already being mentioned as a Grand National Steeplechase candidate.

The Canterbury Park Trotting Club has set other sporting bodies an excellent lead by donating £250 to the fund for assisting dependants of the sailors lost in the Jutland naval battle. The club has also made a donation of £25 to the Mine Sweepers’ Fund. The Chokebore trio Battle Eve, Flying Start, and San Sebastian returned home on Sunday after a fairly successful trip to Auckland. F. Holmes recently recommissioned Umeraboy, but after being exercised on Saturday the Pilgrim’s Progress gelding was distinctly lame. it is very doubtful if he will be further persevered with. Thestius, the two-year-old son of Martian and Dady Lillian, has been put into work again by P. McGrath. In the spring this juvenile gave a lot of promise and looks like developing into a high-class three-year-old. After being off the scene for a few weeks Bimeter has rejoined Mason’s active brigade. On Saturday he was ridden by his mentor, who still knows how to sit a horse with the best. Thrax and Allform were schooled over several aurdles on Saturday morning, the former, who is fast coming back to form, showing to most advantage. He jumped much better than Allform, who blundered badiy at one of the obstacles. All going well with him in the interim, Thrax should be very hard to beat in some of the minor hurdle events at the Grand National meeting. A number of rising two-year-olds were given sprinting tasks on the sand track on Saturday. Amongst them were Biplane, by Comedy King —Air Motor; Carol Singer, by Bezonian—Sweet Angelus; Tyne, by Danube —Lady Reina; Waipaia, by Danube — Kitiroa; the Demosthenes—Mistime filly, the Martian —Everlasting colt, and the Kilbroney—Araiteuru filly. Of the batch, Biplane, who is to carry Mr. Greenwood's colours at the Aus-

tralian J.C. spring meeting, pleased most. A. Macaulay has taken the yearlingcolt by Flavers from Lady Content, purchased in Sydney by Mr. A. W. Rutherford, jun., in hand. When broken in he is to be gelded, and then given a good spell. T. Sheenan’s gelding Sport was schooled over four hurdles on Monday, having his veteran trainer in the saddle. F. P. Claridge has relinquished training, and his charges, which include Martial, Edendale, Owhetoro and Counterpoint, have gone into T. H. Gillett’s hands at Riccarton. Daytime and Samisen are to be thrown out of work, and as All War is amiss Macaulay will only nave Encore to represent nim at the National meeting. Mr. E. H. Tempter has relinquished his position as secretary to the Geraldine Racing Club after eight years of service. The' vacancy has been filled by the appointment of Mr. S. R. O’Callaghan, who for some years acted as Mr. Tempter’s assistant.

Sir George Clifford was present during all three days of the A.R.C. Great Northern meeting, and one of his representatives, San Sebastian, got on the winning list. San Sebastian ran very consistently, but Flying Start belied his name in his first essay and got badly left, and in his next he was flying fast, but too late. * SF * *

The agitation on the part of the Owners, Breeders, and Trainers’ Association in respect of the reduction of the size!' of fields at Sydney proprietary “horse” courses has had some effect. The Moorefield and Canterbury Park clubs have agreed that in future when more than 25 horses are left in a race, divisions will be resorted to. This will mean the expenditure of an occasional extra £5O by those clubs, but will give many horses better chances of success and reduce the possibility of accident.

Chortle is not to be raced over hurdles this season, or even entered. He has won the only hurdle race he has started in, and proved himself a bold, quick fencer, and has some size about him. As he has proved himself a far superior horse cn the flat to El Gallo it would be interesting to have the estimate of our handicappers as between the pair over hurdles just now. He was still in his fourth year when he won the hack hurdle race referred to, beating Pikiho and Morecambe and others by over half a furlong in a mile and three-quarters in holding going in 3min. 26sec. As a matter of fact he won by just on eight seconds. It was a greater runaway affair than was El Gallo’s Great Northern Steeplechase. He led from the jump and went further and further away.

Some people think that Waimai did not run so good a race in the Winter Steeplechase as he did in the Maiden and Great Northern Steeplechases. As he again finished in front of Ngatoa, as he did in the Great Northern, and gave him 71b. for the beating, the form of both horses was consistent. Idealism had the jull in weights, and that and the experience he got in the Maiden helped him a good deal. Ngatoa seemed pretty fit to the eye.

When Pursefiller won at Wanganui she ran unbacked by her connections. When she fell at Ellerslie, and next day when she ran unkindly and was beaten, she was supported, but it is understood that she was not extensively backed when she won on the Wednesday with a stronger horseman up.

The Austro-Hungarian Government has given leave of absence from the front to all jockeys and boys engaged in race-riding. When the racing season is over they return to the ranks. The continuance of racing in Germany and Austria does no'; suggest tha_ things are going nearly as badly with those countries as we could wish. In fact, an increase of racing fixtures, as compared with last season, is said to be probable in Germany. * * * * “Men with their fortunes in the land, and men without a sou, “They have but one straight life to give to help the Empire through.” These lines are taken from some verses on Australian reinforcements, written by Mr. Forrest, and are quite true as regards New Zealanders also. To hear Messrs. Payne, Webb and Co. talking one would imagine that there are no wealthy or well-to-do men serving their country, but they should know different.