SOUTHLAND

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1408, 19 April 1917, Page 12

SOUTHLAND

Riverton R.G. s> ouccessiui Fixture — iwo novice succeed in initial Attempt — aoutniana morses Claiming engagements at Wellington r.U. Meeting —necnarge Wins mreat western ateepiecnase — Riverton oup Provides a sterling Finish. INVERCARGILL, April 13. Contrary to expectations, me Riverton K.C.s annual fixture resolved itself into the most successful junction ever heid by the Ciub from an attendance and financial point of view, 'the gate receipts tor two days amounted to £1247 lbs., easny beat.ng tne record establisned in 1914, white tne totaiisator returns reached £3u,819, as compared with the best previous return of £30,599, also in 1014. The latter ngures constituted a record lor Southland until January last, when the Southland R.C. recorded £31,120. Fewer peopie than usual made use of the iron road to Riverton on master Monday, but motor cars Drought patrons from many parts of Otago and ail parts of the home province, until the officials wondered wnere they were going to find room to accommodate the speedy buzzwaggons.

It is not often that two novice steeplechasers from one stable succeed at the first time of asking at one meeting, but this happened at the Riverton R.C’s. gathering. On the opening day the Otaitai Steeplechase went to Edystone by Blackstone —Leiiah, a sturdy gelding who can jump splendidly, but, is so far, deficient in pace. His task was made easy by his three rivals making mistakes. On the second day the Waiau Steeplechase resulted in a very nice gelding called Silverspire beating three opponents pointless. He outjumped and outgalloped the opposition and looks just the stamp to develop into a very valuable crosscountry horse. On the flat on the first day Silverspire finished in fourth place in a feild of ten. It is not surprising that he should show galloping form as he was sired by Quicksilver (son of Silvermark, by Apremont) from Minaret (dam of Magdala, Pinnace, Turret, etc), by Medallion —Miss Lucy. The double winners were ridden by Mr. F. Langford and trained by J. Boyle, an ex-amateur horseman, at Heddon bush. Rongahere’s brother, Zarkoma, is in the same stable as Edystone and Silverspire, and it may be mentioned that the three horses have been ridden in their schooling tasks by an attractive young horsewoman whose brothers have all won recognition in races between the flags in Otago and Southland. The Wellington R.C’s. weight ajuster has taken no liberties with the local horses due to race at Trentham. However, Gunrest(B.o.) has a chance in the Thompson Handicap, if he makes the trip, as he is a useful horse in any handicap company and is at the top of his form at present. Buller is not harshly treated in the Railway Handicap at (7.13.) but it is more a question of class than weight —he might not prove good enough with a featherweight. He, too, is well just now. The American-bred Mohawk (7.1) is well up to weight, a particularly smart beginner, and is likely to improve sufficiently with a few more gallops to have a chance of being up in front with the best in one of his engagements at Trentham. He looks the part and it remains now to see if he can fill the role of a winner at the Town Hall.

The cross-country races at Riverton d.d not attract numerically strong fields this week, but this was only to be expected, when it is remembered that some of the most enthusiastic of local owners and riders of jumpers are overseas at present, engaged in a more serious and hazardous game. It was thought that the event of the season in this part of the world, the Great Western Steeplechase, would at least provide a good race, but Black Sea went wrong the day before the contest, and Caseshot and Heatherlea made mistakes by the way, and thus it was not hard for the clever Recharge, by Renown —Tomboy, to dispose of Palladio and Rolling Tide. It was only fitting that Recharge, who, by the way, was foaled in Southland, despite the North Island flavour of his pedi-

gree, as he had the race at his mercy last year when he crossed his legs on the flat and toppled over when within about seventy yards of the winning post, cantering in alone. The winner, who presents a deformed appearance in front and was born with the - same crooked limbs, is a clever fencer. He was trained by James Thistleton, of Riverton, who won the race in previous years with Kia Ora and True Blue, and he was ridden by T. O’Connell, who received a hearty round of applause upon thus landing his first valuable race. A half-brother to Recharge, Office Girl and Canrobur, in Robin, ran into a place in the Trial Stakes the same afternoon, and it is reported that when he appears again upon a racecourse on business bent, his mission will be in quest of hurdle-racing honours. Like his steeplechasing relative, he, too, has a crooked foreleg, but this does not prevent him hitting out across the flat or rising cleverly to the light fences.

When the Riverton Cup came up for decision the public made Rorke’s Drift a very hot first selection, and the son of Calibre duly arrived at the end of the longest stake journey of the season, but not until many of his timid backers had experienced a thrilling period of suspense. The lightly-weighted Sister Regis was permitted to draw out more than a dozen lengths clear of her field to the home stretch, and many people jumped to the conclusion that she would come in by herself, but Rorke’s Drift put in one of his characteristic long runs and won cleverly, nicely handled by W. Robinson. Marsa made a late run into third berth, but Gunrest found

9.12 a load to carry over a mile and a-half on a track which did not favour his style of galloping. It took the winner 2min. 41 3-ssec. to carve out the journey, but he had 9.11 to carry and the track was not conducive to fast time. The success of the gelding bred by Mr. J. C. N. Grigg was popular, as he is owned in partnership by a well-known settler and one of his sons, whose address is row “Somewhere in France.” It may Le mentioned that the soldier-owner did not forget his equine favourite during the great battle time on the Somme, despite the claim of the wowser brigade that “it is an insult to the men in the trenches to carry on racing in war time.” The Pilgrim’s Progress—Lady Garland gelding, Wild Pilgrim, who has been out of the limelight lor a long time past, marked his return to form by carrying off a double on the first day at Riverton, and it looks as if he will win again in the near future if not unduly penalised by the gentlemen who juggle with stones and pounds. The Martian mare Highwater created a surprise by winning the principal fiat event at Riverton on the concluding day. She surprised her connections and the public, and brought about the hoisting of a double-figure price.