CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1365, 22 June 1916, Page 13

CANTERBURY.

Tannhauser Schooled Over Pony Hurdles—Edendale Sustains Injury — Kilmeny and Mescal Negotiate Big Fences at Riccarton—Death of Successful Stud Matron Brisa — Active Brigade at Riccarton Stronly Reinforced —Marc Antony Resumes Work—Schooling Tasks at Riccarton—Desperado Purchased by Auckland Sportsman.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Training operations are decidedly on the quiet side at Riccarton just now, and are likely to remain so till the Grand National fixture comes along. On Thursday morning Tannhauser was given his first lesson over four pony hurdles in company with Hap Dha, another novice. He got through his task very creditably. In Tannhauser and Thrax Mr. Buchanan has two very promising beginners. Volodia, dam of Marc Antony, recently slipped her foal to San Francisco. Her next consort will be the imported stallion Kilbroney. G. Scobie, who has been showing great form recently in jumping events at Melbourne, was at one time private trainer for Mr. Harvey Patterson at Meadowbank, Canterbury. J. McCombe, who has now set up as a trainer at Riccarton, has had two additions to his team in Bon and Beading Lady. The latter is shortly to be tried over hurdles.

C. Emerson got away for Sydney by last week’s boat. He will do the riding for Mason, Hobbs and Taylor’s teams till the conclusion of the A.J.C. spring meeting, and then returns to Canterbury. Sartosta and Daylight Bill’s sister gave a pleasing display over a couple of hurdles on Thursday morning. Sport and Banian were also given schooling tasks, and though the latter ran off at one obstacle, his jumping otherwise was good for a novice. The hunter Edendale sustained an injury while being exercised on Thursday, and has had to be thrown out of work.

Tannhauser has been responsible for some attractive work lately, and all going -well in the interim he may be given , a nomination in the Grand National Hurdles. Kilmeny and Mescal were schooled over the big fences recently and gave a very fair display. At the double the former attempted to run off, but otherwise got through his task nicely. His jumping, though slow, was safe, and it is quite probable that both he and Mescal, will be nominated for the Grand National Steeplechase. It is not yet decided whether Marc Antony will be sent over to the A.J.C. spring meeting; no doubt the treatment accorded him in the Metropolitan Handicap will be the deciding factor. i

Ringform, who showed improved form at the recent Dunedin meeting, is to be taken north for the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting. Subsequently he will return to Riccarton for the Grand National fixture. The death is announced from the Warrington stud of Brisa, one of its most successful matrons. She was foaled in 1895, being by St. Clair from Mistral, and during her career on the turf won quite a number of races. At the stud she earned further fame by producing such useful racehorses as Apollodoris, Andrea, John Barleycorn and Hamattan.

The North Canterbury owner, Mr. A. W. Rutherford, has placed a commission in Sydney for a couple of imported horses, which are to be sold there next Wednesday. The active brigade at Riccarton has been strongly reinforced lately with horses being taken up to be got ready for spring racing. Aynsley has recommissioned Wardancer, Disdainful and Snub. W. McDonald is making a start on Moddite, Meltchikoff, Samiel and Marabout. The latter is a two-year-old owned by Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, of Auckland. Marabout is a very promising sort, as also is her yearling brother, whom McDonald is now handling. McAulay is busy with a trio of juveniles, namely, an Aus-tralian-bred yearling by Flavus from Dady Content, a yearling half sister to Kilrain, and a yearling filly by Kilbroney from Orange Pippin. The same trainer is also getting the two-year-old filly Furlong and the Eng-lish-bred filly Henreitte into racing trim.

After a well-earned respite Marc Antony has been taken up again by W. H. Thomson. The colt has thickened out a lot during his term of idleness, and looks in great heart to start work on for his spring engagements. His proposed trip to Sydney will depend on how the A.J.C. han-

dicapper treats him in the Metropolitan Handicap. Anyhow, he can be looked on as an almost certain competitor in next New Zealand Cup. Some interesting schooling tasks were got through at Riccarton on Saturday morning, but as exhibitions of jumping they were disappointing. Kilmeny and Mescal were sent out for a round of the steeplechase fences. They got over the brush in front of the stand all right, but Mescal refused at the double and at the next fence, the sod wall, Kilmeny ran off. Mescal also refused at this obstacle, but was eventually got over. He cleared the brush fence fairly well, but Kilmeny again refused. Altogether it was a poor effort on the part of both horses, and was especially disappointing on the part of Kilmeny, who in his earlier essays gave a good deal of promise. Sport and Banian got over a couple of hurdles, both jumping well. A few days ago H. Tinker purchased Desperado from Sir George Clifford, and subsequently passed it on at an advance to Mr. H. O. Wilson. The son of San Francisco and Brave Heart will be shipped to Auckland this week.

Mason’s rising two-year-olds Biplane and Lovesick were sprinted on Saturday morning, both shaping well. It looks as if they are to be got ready for the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting, where both claim engagements. Lovesick is a full sister to the speedy Nones.